Our Thai distributor, OilPure Management Systems, recently worked through an application with an end user in need of both debris and heat removal at a gas cylinder recycling facility.
Dirty cylinder which needs to be cleaned and cooled
In this application, the end user needed to remove heat and debris from the gas cylinders shown above. These cylinders are recycled and as part of the recycling process, the previous exterior coating and labeling must be removed. To remove the coating and labels, the cylinders are subjected to a rigorous cleaning and heating process that leaves them with debris around the O.D. of the cylinder at a temperature around 300°C.
Cylinders exiting the last stage of cleaning and heating
Given the need to simultaneously remove debris and cool the cylinders, our distributor recommended a series of Super Air Knives mounted around the exterior in a hex pattern.
Proposed solution to removed debris (and heat) from the exterior of the cylinders
After travelling through the air curtain made by the series of Super Air Knives, the cylinders will have been treated for both debris and heat, preparing them for a final coating to look like the finished product shown below.
Final product, re-coated
If you have a need for EXAIR products, contact an Application Engineer or consult one of our worldwide distributors. (For an interactive map of EXAIR distributors around the world, click here.)
Lee Evans
Application Engineer
LeeEvans@EXAIR.com
@EXAIR_LE
With our Heavy Duty HEPA Vac, it is very capable of capturing particles that are very small. You do not have to worry about re-entraining the dirt that you vacuumed back into the air. The filtration efficiency of the HEPA filter is 99.97% at 0.3 micron. Because it is so efficient, we place a prefilter on the outside of the element. This helps to capture the larger particles so that they do not prematurely plug the HEPA media. In extreme conditions with large amounts of debris, we do have another option. It is the model 901373 filter protector. It is a bag that will go on the outside of the prefilter and the HEPA filter. With a large influx of contamination, the filter protector will create a matrix from the contamination to create a cake. This cake, as it builds, will start to capture smaller particles and become more efficient. It is similar to a natural dam after a big rain. The large boulders and logs collect into a section, and then the smaller rocks and branches will collect behind it.
HEPA filter after 1 week
Under normal conditions, the standard HEPA filter with prefilter will last you for a while before replacing. It is dependent on the amount of dirt that is being collected. But, in those extreme conditions, you do not want to change the HEPA filter every week. This would be too expensive. That is why EXAIR found a cost-effective option to help, the filter protector. The model 901373 filter protector can be changed in a matter of minutes and the cost is less than 2% of the HEPA filter. Just like disposable shoe covers, they are inexpensive and they protect your expensive shoes. If you require any more information on our Heavy Duty HEPA Vac or the accessories, you can contact one of our helpful Application Engineers at EXAIR.
So, I got a new car this week. It replaces my 15 year old van that just went over 200,000 miles recently. It’s been solid transportation since my sons were in baby/booster seats, and they both now exceed the height/weight requirements to ride in the front seat. In fact, the state of Ohio will soon permit my oldest to sit in the driver’s seat. Whether his mother and I will allow it (or are ready for it) is still up in the air. Stay tuned…
There are no “fatal flaws” with the van…the cost to fix the problems it has, though, would exceed the amount I could reasonably sell it for, and it just rubs me the wrong way to be “upside down” on a vehicle, whether that’s owing more…or spending more…on it than it’s worth.
It’s kind of a downer having a car payment again (although we were pretty proud of ourselves for having saved up a good amount for a down payment,) but the New Car does indeed have its advantages:
Operating cost: my van got just under 17 miles per gallon; the New Car boasts 33 mpg. I know; I know; “my mileage may vary,” but if I’m anywhere close to cutting my fuel costs in half, I’ll be a happy camper.
Reliability: Again, the van wasn’t dead (not completely,) but I’d had to perform unplanned replacements of the battery and a tire recently. I also noticed, at the last oil change, that engine coolant is finding its way into the oil. That gasket (wherever it is; I have no intention of finding it) isn’t going to fix itself.
Safety:Automobile makers have come a long way over the years, as the video below shows. Now, my van is a much more modern vehicle than the 1959 model…it has air bags, frame/body engineering to absorb impact, anti-lock brakes, etc. The New Car has more air bags, and over a decade more experience in the engineering behind them, as well as the “crumple zones” and brakes.
Every day, I get the opportunity to discuss these same kinds of issues with callers who are interested in finding out how EXAIR Intelligent Compressed Air Products can make these same kinds of improvements:
Operating cost: For thirty-one years now, EXAIR has gone all out to make the most efficient compressed air products on the market. And, while we’ve succeeded, we’re not stopping there. Just as our Design Engineers have pulled out all the stops to make these products the best, our Application Engineers are eager to help you get the most out of them. That’s why we constantly update our Knowledge Database and Case Study Library. That’s why we work as a team…so that there’s never a time that only one of us learns something new. In short, we KNOW that EXAIR products can lower your operating costs. We want to help you lower them even more by optimizing their effectiveness.
Reliability: Most compressed air products, by design, have small passages for the air flow. These can be prone to clogging, which will “vary your mileage” for sure. That’s why we promote the use of Automatic Drain Filter Separators and Oil Removal Filters – if you supply our products with clean, dry air, you’re going to get a LONG time of maintenance-free operation from them.
Safety: All of our Intelligent Compressed Air Products comply with OSHA Directive 1910.242(b), which governs the use of compressed air for cleaning purposes, and 1910.95(a), which specifies maximum allowable limits for noise exposure.
If you’d like to find out how EXAIR products could possibly give you something like that “New Car” feeling in regard to your facility’s compressed air use, give me a call.
People are always wondering how long a Vortex Tube will last as a solution for their application. I’ve been at the company for almost 18 years now and my response has always been 20+ years, easily!
Just the other day, one of our overseas distributors posted a question to us looking for help in identifying an old EXAIR Vortex Tube that their customer presented to them. A couple photos of the unit are shown below.
We were able to track some of the unique design features to a model that was built in 1987. After 28 years in operation, the only thing that needed to happen was for the unit to be cleaned with some soap and water and it was soon back in operation.
There are some keys to the longevity of vortex tubes. First and most significant is that they do not have any moving parts. The compressed air is the only thing that does the moving and work inside. Second, would be to feed the vortex tube with clean, dry, oil-free air. That means using a filter / separator at the point of use and maybe even an oil coalescing filter too.
Providing a localized heat source for applications is rather easy to do with either a small torch or perhaps an electric heater. Doing the same in the opposite direction to provide a localized cooling is something that is actually just as easy if you have a vortex tube at hand. If you don’t, you can consider using one of our Vortex Tubes or perhaps you would be more inclined to go for one of our more user-friendly products such as Cold Gun, Adjustable Spot Cooler or even Mini Cooler for smaller jobs. These units have heat shielding, mounting, and sound muffling all included in their basic design. Due to the proven longevity of the product, chances are you will only need one. Unless your co-worker decides to “borrow” it.
EXAIR Corporation has been making Vortex Tubes and related products since 1983. Let us help you with your industrial Spot Cooling application.
