Have you just glanced around a manufacturing plant? You usually always see either the “curly” yellow hose or a red rubber hose with an air gun attached to it. They hang at work stations, machines,… More
Compressed Air Safety Fundamentals
Safety in the workplace is of paramount importance, and it is widely recognized that annual safety training is a common practice among organizations. A fundamental message from these training sessions is that safety is a collective responsibility, not limited to a select few. At EXAIR, we prioritize safety in all aspects of our operations. Our product line, particularly our Safety Air Guns, exemplifies this commitment, as they are engineered with safety considerations at the forefront. This emphasis on safety is critical, especially given the potential health hazards associated with the improper use of compressed air.
In the United States, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is responsible for enforcing regulations that promote safe and healthy working conditions. This agency possesses the power to levy significant fines for any infractions. Among the frequent violations related to compressed air are those concerning air guns and blow-off devices, specifically detailed in 29CFR 1910.242(b), which addresses dead-end pressure and chip shielding, as well as 29CFR 1910.95(a), which pertains to permissible noise exposure levels.
The regulation 29CFR 1910.242(b) addresses the use of hand-held tools, particularly emphasizing that blow-off devices must not operate at pressures exceeding 30 PSIG when there is a risk of compressed air becoming dead-ended. In situations where there is no escape route for the air, it poses a serious risk of penetrating the skin and causing an air embolism. A potential remedy is to drill a hole to create an alternative escape route. However, this solution may introduce additional safety hazards, which will be discussed later. EXAIR’s air nozzles are engineered with fins that facilitate safe air escape, thereby preventing skin blockage. Consequently, users can operate the EXAIR Super Air Nozzles at pressures exceeding 30 PSIG with confidence.
The regulation 29CFR 1910.95(a) specifies the permissible sound levels for safe human exposure, emphasizing that extended exposure to elevated noise can result in irreversible hearing loss. However, the cross-drilled nozzle falls short in this regard, as it generates significant noise due to turbulent airflow, despite being suitable for dead-end pressure applications. In contrast, EXAIR’s nozzles are engineered to incorporate ambient air, resulting in a significantly quieter laminar flow. For example, the Model 1210 Safety Air Gun, equipped with the Model 1100 Nozzle, operates at a sound level of only 74dBA, which is comfortably below the noise exposure threshold for an eight-hour work shift.
If you have any inquiries about compressed air safety, or any EXAIR products, please feel free to contact us.
Jason Kirby
Application Engineer
Email: jasonkirby@exair.com
Twitter: @EXAIR_jk
Remove Manual Labor with Air Operated Conveyors
If you’re performing any type of manual transfer of raw material in your processes, it might be time to take a closer look at EXAIR Air Operated Conveyors, or Line Vacs. The Line Vacs are designed as an ideal solution for the transfer of bulk materials from one point to another. They have no moving parts to wear; they are very compact and easy to install; and they remove safety concerns. I will cover the many selections that EXAIR currently offers.
The Line Vac can move large volumes of material over long distances with just a small amount of compressed air. The compressed air is injected through directed holes that produce a vacuum on one end and high-volume output flows on the other. The Line Vacs are manufactured in several different materials, sizes, and with a few different options for connection style. Adjusting the flow of material is extremely simple and can be controlled by regulating the air pressure upstream of the Line Vac.
Standard Line Vacs are offered with a smooth inlet/outlet designed to be used with any smooth-bore conveyance hose. These Line Vacs are offered in aluminum sizes from 3/8” (10 mm) up to 5” (127 mm), and in 303 and 316 stainless steel from 3/8” (10 mm) up to 3” (76 mm). Clear PVC conveyance hoses are available for 3/8” (10 mm) up to 3” (76 mm) I.D. from stock in 10’ (3 m) increments up to 50’ (15 m) in length.
If you’d rather use rigid pipe, Threaded Line Vacs are also available directly from stock. With identical performance to the standard Line Vac, the Threaded Line Vacs are offered with NPT threads on both the inlet/outlet in sizes ranging from 3/8” NPT to 3” NPT in aluminum, 303, or 316 stainless steel.
For higher conveyance rates and abrasive materials, EXAIR offers Heavy Duty Line Vacs that are constructed from a hardened alloy steel. The Heavy Duty Line Vacs are offered with both smooth and threaded connection styles from ¾” (19 mm) up to 3” (76 mm). The Heavy Duty Line Vacs are ideal for media that is abrasive in nature or for applications requiring higher conveyance rates over longer distances.
The Ultra Duty Line Vacs are designed to handle the conveyance of extremely abrasive materials. The bodies are made from the same material as our Heavy Duty Line Vacs, but we added a ceramic insert. The overall length is a bit longer to accommodate this insert, but the flow rate, distance, and conveyance rates are the same. This ceramic insert is placed where the conveying material hits the surface on the exhaust side, making it more durable and longer lasting. We currently offer them in 1 ¼”, 1 ½”, and 2” for hose connections.
For applications where you only need to convey small volumes over short distances or particularly lightweight materials, our Light Duty Line Vacs would be an ideal solution. The Light Duty Line Vac is available in sizes ranging from ¾” (19 mm) to 6” (152mm) and consumes less compressed air than the standard and heavy-duty versions. This style of Line Vac is only offered in aluminum construction and for use with a smooth-bore hose.
Last, but certainly not least, are the Sanitary Flange Line Vacs. The Sanitary Flange Line Vacs are the best method for conveying materials in systems that require frequent or mandatory cleaning. Utilizing ISO 2852 compatible clamp-style sanitary flanges, they can be easily removed from the system for periodic sanitization. These are offered in sizes ranging from 1-1/2” (38mm) up to 3” (76mm) in 316SS construction from stock. They are ideal for applications in the food and pharmaceutical industries.
If none of these stock Line Vacs suit your process, we may still have an option!! Custom units are available. We can vary the styles of flanges, mix the inlet and outlet connections, and we’ll even manufacture the Line Vacs in special materials. At EXAIR, we take pride in offering custom solutions for customers that may require something just a little different from what is readily available on the shelf.
If there’s a process in your facility that could benefit from a product like the EXAIR Line Vac, act fast! Now through October 31st, you’ll receive a FREE 1104 Super Air Nozzle, a $95.00 value, as a promotion with a purchase of any EXAIR Line Vacs only for qualified orders. If you need help with your application, EXAIR has Application Engineers to help you out.
John Ball
Application Engineer
Email: johnball@exair.com
Twitter: @EXAIR_jb
NEMA 4X Panel Cooling Challenges
Electronic components don’t like heat, which is kind of ironic, considering they generate so much heat by themselves. Heat causes them to malfunction, and prolonged exposure can shorten their lifespan, or even cause them to fail RIGHT NOW. In any case, it’s important to keep them cool.
The computer that sits on my desk has a little fan in the back. This circulates fairly clean air from our climate-controlled office through the inside, keeping everything working just like it should.
It’d be great if ALL electrical & electronic component enclosures were situated in such ideal environments. Many, though, are subject to HARSH conditions: dust, oil vapor, high humidity, water spray for sanitation, high temperatures, corrosive elements – just to name a few. And EXAIR has panel cooling solutions for ALL of them.
Today, dear reader, we’re going to look at that last one: corrosive elements in the environment. Some of the more popular places where we encounter these are:
- Paper mills use chemicals that create harsh vapors. If you’ve ever been around a paper mill, you likely know the smell of methyl mercaptan. Whether you know the name or not, it’s the source of that trademark odor that permeates the air for MILES around paper mills, and it’s a byproduct of pulp processing that’s corrosive in wet or humid environments . . .like paper mills.
- Wastewater treatment plants use highly corrosive chemicals to make clean water out of — let’s just say, not-so-clean water. And, the process releases hydrogen sulfide gas, which is HIGHLY corrosive.
- Chemical plants: they make corrosive stuff ON PURPOSE. To be fair, those harsh chemicals are used in the production of just about everything in the modern world.
- Electroplating facilities use some of the strongest acids and bases in their plating solutions, which release harsh & corrosive vapors.
- Food processing facilities have to wash down entire rooms within their buildings, and some of the sanitizing agents they use create corrosive conditions.
You obviously can’t use fans (like my desktop computer in our clean office environment) for cooling control panels in these environments. Panel air conditioners have filters that can get dirty in a hurry, cooling coils that get fouled and corroded, and electric motors that burn out quicker in harsh environments. These environments are where Cabinet Cooler Systems make the most sense. With no moving parts to wear or electrical components to burn out, they’ll run darn near indefinitely, maintenance free, as long as they’re supplied with clean compressed air. And since 100% of the cold air they make comes from the compressed air supply, when they’re properly installed on a sealed panel, the only thing the components inside are ever exposed to is clean, cold, moisture-free air.
EXAIR NEMA 12 (oil tight, dust tight, indoor duty) and NEMA 4 (splash resistant, indoor/outdoor duty) Cabinet Coolers are made of lightweight and fairly corrosion-resistant aluminum. When harsh corrosive elements are present, though, our NEMA 4X (corrosion resistant, indoor/outdoor duty) Cabinet Coolers are made of type 303 Stainless Steel. When PARTICULARLY corrosive elements are present, we also offer them in type 316 Stainless Steel as well.
If you’ve got electric panels in a harsh environment, EXAIR has reliable, durable cooling solutions. If you’d like to find out more, give me a call.
Russ Bowman, CCASS
Application Engineer
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Success! A Cabinet Cooler Story
The main production line of a high-capacity fiberglass insulation manufacturing facility faced significant challenges due to fine airborne dust and elevated ambient temperatures. This situation adversely affected the control cabinet, which contained delicate variable frequency drives (VFDs) and programmable logic controllers (PLCs), leading to recurrent thermal shutdowns.
The initial cooling system of the plant depended on standard intake fans and paper filters. However, within a matter of days, the filters became entirely obstructed by fine glass fibers and dust particles, leading to internal cabinet temperatures exceeding 115°F (46°C). In a bid to alleviate the situation, maintenance technicians often resorted to opening the cabinet doors and directing conventional floor fans at the components. Unfortunately, this temporary solution exacerbated the problem by dispersing highly conductive and abrasive dust onto the live circuit boards, significantly increasing the safety risks and jeopardizing the integrity of the components.
The engineering team, in search of a durable and maintenance-free solution, reached out to an application engineer and subsequently acquired a NEMA 4 NHP Cabinet Cooler System.
The plant staff swiftly installed the compact system within minutes by utilizing a standard electrical knockout located on the enclosure’s top. They effectively sealed the old, leaking fan vents and connected the cooler to the existing factory compressed air line using the provided automatic drain water and dirt filter separator.
The system completely transformed their operational reliability through two distinct phases of automated protection:
- Active Cooling: When the internal cabinet temperature reaches the pre-set thermostat limit, the system’s internal vortex tube transforms the compressed air into a chilled, 20°F (-7°C) airstream without using a single moving part or chemical refrigerant. This cold, clean air was distributed directly onto the hot VFDs, quickly dropping internal temperatures back down to a safe 95°F (35°C).
- Non-Hazardous Purge: Once the target temperature was met, the modified solenoid valve closed but continued to pass a minimal, continuous stream of 1 SCFM of compressed air into the cabinet. This constant airflow maintained a continuous positive pressure inside the cabinet. This positive pressure acted as an invisible shield, physically blocking the fine fiberglass dust from creeping inside through small door seams, wire conduits, or microscopic gaps.
The manufacturer successfully resolved their summer downtime issues by implementing the EXAIR NEMA 4 NHP Cabinet Cooler System. This system ensured that the cabinet remained sealed, free from dust, and maintained an optimal temperature. With no moving parts susceptible to wear, the plant was able to discontinue weekly filter cleaning, enabling maintenance teams to concentrate on ongoing production instead of managing malfunctioning electronics.
If you have questions about the Cabinet Cooler Systems, or anything regarding EXAIR and our products, please do not hesitate to reach out.
Jason Kirby
Application Engineer
Email: jasonkirby@exair.com
Twitter: @EXAIR_jk