Month: December 2009

Adjustability of 2″ Super Air Nozzle Key for Success in Application

Published on by Neal RakerLeave a comment

The following application example comes to us compliments of our German distributor.

The end customer manufactures stainless steel parts that go into production of a clothes washing machine. The customer wanted to blow off a stainless steel, round part used to fabricate the washing machine drum. Previously, they were using a home-made blow off system that consisted of the typical, flattened pipes loosely referred to as “nozzles”.

 

After thorough consultation with our distributor representative about which EXAIR nozzle would be a good choice, the customer opted to use (4) Model 1122 2″ Super Air Nozzles in the application to blow off the stainless part. The customer was not instantly satisfied with the force generated onto the target. And so, after more consultation, the customer increased their line sizes to eliminate all restrictions to the compressed air flow to the nozzles. They also purchased a model 1132SS Shim set to allow for adjustment of the airflow gap on the model 1122 nozzles and they were able to find a suitable setting that produced the desired dryness result on their product.

Neal Raker
Application Engineer
nealraker@exair.com

Just For You Today, At No Extra Cost – SAFETY

Published on by Kirk EdwardsLeave a comment

Green manufacturing, energy efficiency, green energy and energy savings are all phrases we use for our focus upon lowering our energy consumption. Fortunately for EXAIR, our products have been green longer than the focus and the nifty phrases have been around. Our Super Air Nozzles, Super Air Knives and Super Air Amplifiers are the most efficient (lowest air consumption) compressed air products in the industry.

But many people do not also realize that when they decrease their air consumption with our products, they also increase something very important – SAFETY. Our product line is not only engineered and manufactured for saving energy but for saving lives. All of EXAIR’s products meet or exceed the OSHA standard 1910.242(b) which states the static pressure on the outlet of a compressed air product cannot exceed 30 PSIG.

High pressure at the outlet of a compressed air blow off application is typically found when using open tubes or pipe, or pipe with drilled holes. Pressures which exceed 30 PSIG can inject air into the bloodstream and cause an embolism, an air bubble obstructing a blood vessel and it can be life threatening. EXAIR products have been engineered to use high inlet pressure (80-100 PSIG) but remain below the 30 PSIG out the exhaust. The high inlet pressure allows us to maintain high velocity outlet air flow which produces higher force levels than low pressure applications.

Another safety feature which is engineered into EXAIR’s blow off products is the low sound levels. Again our products produce some of the lowest decibel levels in the industry. This attribute helps with worker comfort by keeping the work environment quiet. Most of our air nozzles would not even be noticed in a typical manufacturing environment.

So replacing that open pipe or tube with an engineered air nozzle or removing the pipe with drilled holes to leave room for a Super Air Knife will certainly provide you with some green energy savings which will make the boss happy. But it will also create a safer work environment which will keep the boss and  the employees happy – it’s a win-win.

Kirk Edwards
Application Engineer
kirkedwards@exair.com

Cooling Transformers

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Iron smelters have high voltage services coming into their facilities. With transformers these are reduced to lower usable voltages. This particular customer had a transformer installed in an area were the air was stagnant. Without adequate air circulation the transformers overheated and eventually failed shutting down sections of the plant.

EXAIR suggested they install a model 110054 Super Air Knife positioned over the cooling fins. The ability of the air knife to deliver huge volumes of air, more than enough air showered the cooling fins to keep the transformers cool.

Installation was simple and with no moving parts, there was no maintenance. The customer was more than satisfied with the performance and duly impressed as to the ease of installation.

Joe Panfalone
Application Engineer
joepanfalone@exair.com

In-Line Ionizer

Published on by Neal RakerLeave a comment

Every once in a while, we receive a call from a customer who has a compressed air nozzle set up for blowing within their application and they are looking to run ionized air through the nozzle so they can have the anticipated benefit of static elimination with their existing nozzle. The thought process makes total sense until you do a little comparison with static eliminators that ionize the airflow after it has escaped from the “compressed state” and is mixed with some ambient air (air amplification).

Compressed air is a turbulent flow and when you have both positive (+) and negative (-) ions within the same flow, they combine with one another and neutralize each other out before they make it to the target. And so they become much less effective at reducing a static charge on your target. Ions that flow in a laminar stream however, have the benefit of the non-turbulent flow which carries them to the surface nicely where they can be used to neutralize the charge on the surface.

The above explanation is why you will see all air powered EXAIR static eliminators with the “ionizer” exposed to the amplified airflow after the compressed air has escaped. Generally, the static charge decay rates are going to be much faster than for in-line type equipment.

Neal Raker
Application Engineer
nealraker@exair.com