Tag: high force air nozzles

EXAIR Efficiency Lab Does It Again

Published on by Brian FarnoLeave a comment

EXAIR Efficiency Lab

Yet another EXAIR customer has taken advantage of the EXAIR Efficiency Lab.   For those that do not know, the EXAIR Efficiency Lab is a service that EXAIR extends to our customers, to compare their current compressed air process to our engineered compressed air products.  For example, you simply send your existing nozzles to us OR an Efficiency Lab Survey and we will do our best to replicate your conditions.  Then we will cross reference your current product performance to our catalog products and see where we can help you to conserve your compressed air and benefit from an EXAIR product.

This customer was currently using a “Nozzle” in an array of 11 nozzles per line  to blow off debris from their manufacturing process.  The customer was continuously running 2 lines during production which gives a total of 22 nozzles using compressed air.  The nozzle they were using was actually a pipe nipple that had been formed into a somewhat flat shape to disperse the air a little more.  A picture of one of these nozzles is below. 

When the nozzle arrived at EXAIR we first documented what exactly it was then we started to bench mark the customers process.  At the pressure the customer was operating the nozzle was consuming 137.45 standard cubic feet per minute of compressed air.  This allowed the crimped nipple to generate 5.7 lbs. of force from twelve inches away and give off 109 dBA of noise from three feet away.  The other key part of information to this application is that the ambient temperature of the part being blown off was approximately 2,000°F and the crimped nipples were positioned within a few inches of the part.  Because of this we had to consider the temperature greatly in our recommendations. 

Once benchmarked, we then began to test our comparable products at the same operating pressure as the customers existing process, and form a recommendation for the customer.  The recommendation is not only saving them compressed air but also reducing the noise level of the operation and become OSHA compliant.  The nozzle that best fit was the model # 1113SS.  Each nozzle is able to save the customer nearly 46.5 SCFM of compressed air when it is operated just below their operating pressure of 88 PSI.  The stainless steel nozzle can withstand temperatures of 1,000°F and will also lower their sound level from 109 dBA to 96 dBA.  And though the crimped pipe was able to achieve 5.7 lbs of force the 1113SS will produce 4.5 lbs. of force from twelve inches away, more than enough to solve the customers application of removing scale from an extruded pipe.  

The key savings for this customer is the fact that when they implement the 1113SS nozzle into their system they will be saving over 1,000 SCFM of compressed air for their operation.  Using a cost of   $0.25 / 1,000 CF of compressed air, the customer saves $120.00 USD per 8 hour shift or $30,000 per year.  That is a considerable amount of savings and is simply achieved by implementing an Engineered Nozzle into one application in the facility.

If you have an existing compressed air application and want to know if there is a better way, take advantage of the EXAIR Efficiency Lab.  We’ll find the better way for you to utilize your compressed air. 

Brian Farno
Application Engineer
BrianFarno@EXAIR.com

Can You Hear Me Now?

Published on by Brian FarnoLeave a comment

No this blog isn’t about a cell phone commercial, it’s about an application call I received this past week.  The call was from a customer that is trying to do an audit on his facility.  This was not an air audit to find all the leaks or an energy audit, but a sound audit.  The customer ran a production facility that had a regulation implemented to reduce all noise levels to 85 dBA or below.  They had purchased several engineered nozzles and air knives from us but still had open pipes and other devices in their system that they were unsure of the sound level produced.  What I offered to the customer was our Digital Sound Level Meter. 

 

The DSLM will measure sound levels from 35dB – 130dB and has a frequency range of 31.5Hz – 8 kHz, it is also NIST Certified.  The unit is used to monitor what sound levels you may have at your operator stations to make sure you are not exceeding the OSHA maximum allowable noise exposure or to find out if one blow off operation is in fact louder than another. 
With the unit in hand the customer was able to perform his sound audit and discovered that some non engineered nozzles that he thought were under 85 dBA were in fact louder and exceeding his requirement.  These nozzles were all removed and replaced with EXAIR nozzles that meet or exceed OSHA requirements.
The DSLM also allowed him to determine which of his operators were going to be required to wear hearing protection and those that were not.  The company now performs a monthly check on all of their systems to ensure nothing has changed and that none of their equipment needs replaced.  They also send their DSLM to us once a year to have it recalibrated and certified.
All in all the Digital Sound Level Meter can save employees hearing and help you to make sure that your nozzles are all performing at the sound levels you think they are.

Brian Farno
Application Engineer
BrianFarno@EXAIR.com

6 Reasons to Keep Using Open Blow Offs

Published on by Kirk EdwardsLeave a comment

An open blow off is often copper tube or pipe without an air nozzle. It could also be an open pipe fitting or a pipe with drilled holes along its length. Generally they provide a cleaning or cooling function as well as keeping product moving down the production line.

These types of blow offs are very inefficient, loud and dangerous. They can be easily retrofitted to gain efficiency, lower noise an provide safety by outfitting them with engineered air nozzles. But we understand why you have them, here are 6 reasons why you should keep using them.

1. You continually see a reduction in your electricity costs from your utility provider. They are saving money for you, there is no need for you to be proactive.

2. You have never heard of an embolism and are unaware of the danger an open blow off over 30 PSIG may be to someone.

3. You blew out your eardrums at that concert in ’88 and the loud noise doesn’t bother you, why would it bother anyone else?

4. The initial investment is too high – forget about the rapid ROI (often days or weeks) which pays for the engineered nozzles or Super Air Knives. 

5. You are not responsible for lowering the cost of production, that is someone elses job, let them worry about it.

6. You enjoy visits from OSHA and paying fines. After all you have that extra money from your utility provider.

Enjoy your day,
Kirk Edwards
Application Engineer
kirkedwards@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