Author: Lee Evans

EXAIR’s Super Air Knife Eliminates Problem of Fused Packages

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The EXAIR Super Air Knife – high force with precision flow

An Argentine food manufacturer recently reached out to our distributor in Buenos Aires (AYRFUL) to discuss a potential application for EXAIR products.  The need became clear when a packaging line for soon-to-be-frozen food began experiencing problems with excessive water on the surface of the packages.  In this process, the packages are rinsed to remove any unwanted debris, and then sent into a large freezer before distribution to local groceries.

The excessive water on the packages would become ice, which would fuse the packages together when stacked in boxes for transporting to retail centers.  This fusing caused rips in the packaging when they were separated, thereby creating unsellable goods, ultimately leading to returns for this manufacturer.  And, the residual water also increased the total weight of the packed packages, enough to increase the actual weight when bulk packed.  This increase in actual weight led to an increase in freight costs from their courier.  So, this manufacturer needed a way to remove the residual water, reduce defects and returns, and simultaneously lessen the freight cost.

Model 110048 Super Air Knife (inside red box) blowing off residual water after rinsing and before freezing. See note on plumbing below.

The solution they found was a 48” EXAIR Super Air Knife, model 110048, mounted using (2) Universal Air Knife Mounting Kits.  The Super Air Knife in this application provided a precision airflow to blow off the water from the top of the packages, after rinsing and before freezing.  Removing the water at this stage, as shown above, eliminated the problem of fused packages, rejected products, returns, and increased freight.  And, the Super Air Knife was able to do this at a low operating pressure, fed from a single compressed air inlet.

(Note – EXAIR recommends plumbing multiple compressed air inlets for Air Knives longer than 18”.  For this model, 110048, we recommend compressed air be supplied to (3) compressed air inlets.  Plumbing less inlets will reduce the compressed air flow into the knife, which reduces possible operating pressure.  In this case, the lower operating pressure was acceptable, however, we still recommend to plumb (3) compressed air inlets on a 48” Super Air Knife.)

Plumbing specifics aside, this solution still brought tremendous value for the customer.  They were able to solve the root cause of a multi-faceted problem with an engineered solution.  If you have an application in need of an engineered solution, contact an EXAIR Application Engineer.

Lee Evans
Application Engineer
LeeEvans@EXAIR.com

FREE A/C Sensor With Any EXAIR Static Eliminator Purchase

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Model 7929 EXAIR AC Sensor – FREE to end user customers when purchasing ANY EXAIR static eliminator through MArch 31st, 2018

EXAIR will be giving away a free AC sensor with the purchase of any EXAIR static eliminator from January 1st through March 31st, 2018.  This special promotion will apply to all purchases of EXAIR static eliminators – Super Ion Air Knife, Standard Ion Air Knife, Super Ion Air Wipe, Ion Air Cannon, Ion Air Gun, Ion Air Jet, Ion Point, and Ion Bar.  End users ordering within the promotional period will receive the AC sensor shown above, a value of $53.00!

What can a free AC sensor do for you?

EXAIR’s AC sensor provides a non-contact means to verify a voltage presence.  When voltage is detected the tip of the sensor will illuminate and an audible tone is triggered.  This is an excellent method to determine whether voltage is present going into your EXAIR ionizing product or any other device.  Suitable for use in testing wall receptacles, switches, fuses, and junction boxes.

What can an EXAIR static eliminator do for you? 

EXAIR static eliminators solve problems related to process flow, dust and dirt contamination, printing/labeling errors, paint adhesion, packaging disruption, material alignment, tearing/jamming/curling of products during processing, and even harmful shocks.  EXAIR static eliminators provide a non-contact, shockless means to remove static in industrial processes, thereby removing the problems and disturbances created by the static.

If you have a static concern and are in need of a viable, reliable solution, contact an EXAIR Application Engineer.  We’ll be happy to help find the right solution for your application, and will provide an AC sensor with any purchase absolutely free through March 31st.

Lee Evans
Application Engineer
LeeEvans@EXAIR.com
@EXAIR_LE

Real Heroes of Science: Rudolf Hilsch

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Rudolf Hilsch helped to advance vortex tube technology into what it is today.

If you look into the history or even the definition of a vortex tube, you’re likely to find mention of a physicist named Rudolf Hilsch.  Born December 18th, 1903, Hilsch was a German physicist, professor, and manager of the Physics Institute of the George August University of Göttingen.  He received a doctorate degree by the age of 24 and spent his career furthering the advancement and understanding of numerous phenomena of physics.

Although Hilsch didn’t invent the Vortex Tube (the original inventor was a physicist by the name of Georges J. Ranque), he is entwined with their history thanks to a paper he published in 1947.  According to lore, this paper significantly changed the understanding and performance capabilities of the vortex tube, eventually being marked as the precursor for identifying a vortex tube as a real potential cooling device. (I’ve made attempts to find this 1947 publication properly translated into English, but to no avail.  If you have it or find it, please email it to me at LeeEvans@EXAIR.com! (Original publication in German can be found here.)

Given that vortex tubes are a known EXAIR solution, it seems reasonable that today, on Hilsch’s birthday, we give recognition to this influential physicist and his mark on thermodynamic fluid flow technology.  And, although we at EXAIR are connected to Hilsch through vortex tubes, everyone alive has been influenced by his work.  This is because Hilsch and a partner (physicist Robert Wichard Pohl) constructed the first semiconductor amplifier in 1938, prompting Hilsch to prove (in 1939) that solid-state electronics are possible.  This work paved the way for transistor and solid-state electronics technology as we know it today.  Without Hilsch and his life’s work, not only would we not have vortex tubes, we likely would have any electronic devices we use every day.

Here’s to you Rudolf Hilsch.  Thank you for your work, your discoveries, and your achievements.

Lee Evans
Application Engineer
LeeEvans@EXAIR.com
@EXAIR_LE

 

 

EXAIR Provides Cooling Solutions – Even During Winter Months

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An electrical enclosure in need of a reliable cooling solution.

On first glance, the enclosure shown above looks to be fairly large for use with an EXAIR Cabinet Cooler.  Our individual Cabinet Coolers have a maximum cooling capacity of 2,800 BTU/hr. (~820W), but we do provide dual Cabinet Cooler systems with capacities up to 5,600 BTU/hr. (~1642W).  So, although there are heat loads which are too large for use with an EXAIR Cabinet Cooler, we always perform heat load calculations for any potential application because until you run the numbers, you don’t really know.

Arrows identifying existing A/C unit

In this case, however, the customer already knew the required cooling capacity (~3,000 BTU/hr. or 880W) thanks to an existing refrigerant based system already installed (see arrows above).  This existing system was doing a great job of keeping the enclosure cool when it was working properly, but it was also prone to maintenance and breakdowns.  The facility maintenance technicians had replaced filters as required on their preventative maintenance programs, but the A/C unit still required replacement multiple times.  This would lead the maintenance team to open all the doors of the enclosure in an effort to remove heat, but this allowed dust and dirt to enter the cabinet and compromise the electronics inside.

Eventually, the maintenance, required repair, and exposure of sensitive electronics led this customer to search for an alternative solution, and they found the EXAIR Cabinet Cooler.  Once we determined the required cooling capacity and a suitable unit (model 4750 NEMA 4 Dual Cabinet Cooler System with 3,400 BTU/hr. (~1,000W) of cooling power), the discussion turned to installation and maintenance and we had a conversation something like this:

Customer: How much time do we need to hook up the Cabinet Cooler?

EXAIR: About five minutes.

Customer: That’s it!?

EXAIR:  That’s it!  I’ll send you a video of the installation process.

Customer:  Ok, what about PM (preventative maintenance)?

EXAIR:  There isn’t any.  Just feed it with clean, filtered compressed air and it will run for years.

Customer:  Ok, how do we turn it on and off?

EXAIR:  Well, you don’t have to.  You just install the thermostat and the system does the rest.  It’ll maintain whatever temperature setpoint you chose and comes preset to 95°F (35°C).

Customer:  What is the lead time?

EXAIR:  They’re in stock and ship same day.

After working through the application and questions from the customer, we were able to provide a sustainable, readily available solution that was a marked improvement from the maintenance prone refrigerant based system.  Our Cabinet Cooler allows for easy installation, no maintenance, and years of trouble-free operation.  If you have an overheating enclosure contact an EXAIR Application Engineer.  We’ll be happy to help you find a suitable solution.

Lee Evans
Application Engineer
LeeEvans@EXAIR.com
@EXAIR_LE