Category: Vortex Tubes

EXAIR Vortex Tube Used In Camera Cooling

Published on by Lee EvansLeave a comment
VT used in camera cooling
An EXAIR Vortex Tube supplies cold air to a camera housing in a steel production facility

Not long ago I found myself lost in thought, watching a power hammer being used in a sword forging process.  I was thinking to myself about how intricate machines are, and how viewing machine components as singular items can be mind boggling.  For example, considering the process of mining various metals and then combining them in just the right “recipe” to produce a specific component of a machine, which is then used to create something entirely different – it’s a rabbit hole of a thought.

But, it does lend weight to the complexities and intricacies found in manufacturing, which is something we encounter every day in Application Engineering at EXAIR.  Case in point, the photo above shows an EXAIR Vortex Tube being used in a steel production facility.  This application needed a way to cool a camera used to check the thickness and quality of steel plates produced in the plant.  Due to temperature and space constraints, a compact and industrial solution was needed.

So, we turned to a High Temperature Vortex Tube, using the cold air produced by the Vortex Tube to cool the camera housing.  Without proper cooling the camera faced an overheating condition, creating a shutdown of the visual inspection, and a subsequent shutdown of the quality control process.  By installing an EXAIR High Temperature Vortex Tube, this quality control disturbance was corrected.  And, due to the maintenance free nature of EXAIR products, consistent cooling performance is guaranteed with a supply of clean, dry compressed air.

In a given day we can encounter applications needing cooling, cleaning, conveying, static removal, or a litany of other specific solutions.  If you’d like to discuss your application with an EXAIR Application Engineer, give us a call.  We’ll be happy to help.

Lee Evans
Application Engineer
LeeEvans@EXAIR
@EXAIR_LE

EXAIR Has Solutions For Skin Problems (Really)

Published on by Russ BowmanLeave a comment

The EXAIR Chip Trapper filters solid debris from your coolant that can not only clog the supply lines to the tooling, but also provide a LOT of surface area for the growth of bacteria. This can really foul the air in a machine shop, and sometimes, it can mess with your skin, causing a rash or infection. Honestly, this isn’t a HUGE problem…I’ve fielded a handful of calls about it over the years, though, so when I got the call from a machinist last week who wanted to talk about a possible solution for a skin problem, I immediately thought of the Chip Trapper.

Well, immediately after I thought about this old commercial (I’ve written before about how I watched way too much television growing up. Don’t judge.)

Turns out, though, his problem wasn’t bacterial – it was an allergic reaction he was having with a specific additive in the coolant used on a particular machine tool. He mentioned that it was a mist coolant application, so I immediately thought of the Cold Gun Aircoolant System.

Of, course, right after I thought about this commercial (seriously; stop judging.)

To my knowledge, it’s the first time we’ve ever applied a Cold Gun to solve a skin problem – we’re almost always looking at them to avoid the mess of coolant spray, or to increase tool life in situations where traditional machine tool coolant is impractical (or impossible) to use.

With four distinct models to choose from, we've got a Cold Gun System to meet your needs.
With four distinct models to choose from, we’ve got a Cold Gun System to meet your needs.

If you’d like to find out how EXAIR products can save you from:

*Excessive compressed air consumption
*High sound levels
*Static charge problems
*Heat damage to your electronics
*Labor intensive “bucket and ladder” bulk conveyance operations
*Trips to the dermatologist (no, really)

Then give me a call.  We can even talk about vintage TV commercials (I won’t judge either.)

Russ Bowman
Application Engineer
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Wearing Out Your Sole

Published on by John BallLeave a comment
3925 Adjustable Spot Cooler
3925 Adjustable Spot Cooler

A shoe manufacturer had a special abrasion test that was required by his customer to test special rubber compounds. The set up was to run a small chain across the bottom of the rubber sole.  The chain was looped to continuously rub against the sole of the shoe.  As they began their wear testing, they noticed that the chain was getting hot from the friction.  The heat would get high enough to change the composition of the rubber and cause a premature failure.  To properly test for wear, they needed to cool the chain.

As they discussed their application with me, they required the chain to be at a specific temperature. I suggested the model 3925 Adjustable Spot Cooler System.  This system comes with a dual point hose kit, a magnetic base, a filter separator, and two additional generators.  The generators of the Adjustable Spot Cooler are a piece which controls the total volume of air through the cooler. They can be switched in and out to produce more or less cooling capacity of the Adjustable Spot Cooler. The main concern was to keep the chain temperature constant.  With a temperature control knob and the additional generators, they could dial in the cooling capacity to keep the chain at the desired temperature.  If the chain was too cold, the sole would not wear properly, and if the chain was too hot, it would change the composition of the rubber material.

They mounted the Adjustable Spot Cooler to the abrasion machine with the dual points blowing on each side of the chain. They quickly noticed that they could keep the chain cooler than the specified temperature.  As a trial, they replaced the generator to the 30 SCFM (850 SLPM) flow rate.  This increased the cooling capacity of the Spot Cooler.  With the higher cooling capacity, they could increase the speed of the abrasion machine to shorten the failure cycle.  This was a great benefit to have as they were testing different rubber compounds to determine the best product; a pronounced advantage in research and development.

If you find out that heat is causing problems in your application, you can contact an Application Engineer at EXAIR for help in finding the correct cooling product. In this instance, friction was the culprit and the Adjustable Spot Cooler was the solution.

John Ball
Application Engineer
Email: johnball@exair.com
Twitter: @EXAIR_jb

Multiple Choice

Published on by Russ BowmanLeave a comment

My oldest son got his driver’s license last week.  There was a popular commercial for an insurance company, a while back, that touted how “life comes at you fast,” and that’s been the story of my week:

Friday: Son passes driver’s exam, first time, 100%. Proud Dad moment.
Saturday: Dad & Son go used car shopping. Pride has a price tag.
Sunday: Dad & Son bond while detailing new (to us) car. Son learns what to do when engine in 10 year old car stalls while backing out of driveway cold. Pride usually is followed by lesson in humility.
Monday: Mom adds Son to auto insurance policy. Insurance agent no longer concerned about funding retirement. Pride is getting expensive.
Monday part 2: Son learns valuable lesson about leaving lights on when parking at school in pre-dawn hours. Dad’s portable jumpstarter finds new home in trunk of Son’s car. Lessons in humility have caused pride to approach pre-licensing levels.
Tuesday-present: Enjoying what we can of a return to incident-free normalcy (and I hope I didn’t just jinx it by putting that in writing.)

We had quite a few choices, looking at cars in our (limited) budget range. Having these choices allowed us to choose the features that most appealed to us. They were pretty much all small-to-mid-size used cars with automatic transmissions and fuel efficient (read: small) engines. The one we settled on was the same model (and a year newer) as one I’d owned previously. It was one that had proved reliable, and safe…I was in an accident in that one where the air bag deployed, and I walked away with no injuries. Safety is a big selling point for me, especially where my family is involved.

When we speak with customers at EXAIR, many times, we too, can offer multiple choices to provide a solution.

I had the pleasure of helping a caller with a chip removal application recently. The application was to solve a problem with stringy chips wrapping around a plastic cylindrical part as it was turned on a lathe. The initial thought was to use a Super Air Nozzle to blow them away. Our Model 1100 1/4 NPT Zinc Aluminum Super Air Nozzle was discussed…inexpensive, low air consumption, easy to mount (we also talked about Stay Set Hoses and Magnetic Bases,) and super quiet.

EXAIR Model 1100 Super Air Nozzle is commonly used in point-of-cutting debris removal applications.
EXAIR Model 1100 Super Air Nozzle is commonly used in point-of-cutting debris removal applications.

The second thought was to use a small Line Vac to convey the debris away. Small footprint, easy to install, collection of waste in a receptacle away from the machine, still easy on air use & noise level.

Model 6080 3/4" Line Vac is also used in point-of-machining applications, removing debris from the site altogether.
Model 6080 3/4″ Line Vac is also used in point-of-machining applications, removing debris from the site altogether.

The third option came up when discussing tool life. Turns out, one of their machinists was familiar with our Cold Guns, and how they had been used to markedly improve tool life while eliminating the need for coolant at a previous job. This turned out to be all it took for them to try the Model 5215 Cold Gun Aircoolant System.

EXAIR's Cold Guns not only blow debris away, but also provide cooling for tool life improvement.
EXAIR’s Cold Guns not only blow debris away, but also provide cooling for tool life improvement.  With (4) Models to choose from, we’ve got the right one for your needs.

Any of the three options – Super Air Nozzle, Line Vac, or Cold Gun – should have solved this application successfully, with different benefits. They simply chose the one with the benefits that appealed to them the most.

If you have an application regarding compressed air product use that you’d like to discuss, give me a call. We’ll cover all the bases, and get the one that works best for you.

Russ Bowman
Application Engineer
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