Tag: vortex

Adjustable Spot Cooler from EXAIR

Published on by Jordan T Shouse2 Comments

The Adjustable Spot Cooler is a low cost, reliable, maintenance free way to provide spot cooling to a myriad of industrial applications. Simply turn the knob, and the temperature can be changed to suit the needs of the process. The Adjustable Spot Cooler delivers precise temperature settings from -30 °F (-34 °C) to room temperature.

Adjustable Spot Cooler
Adjustable Spot Cooler

The Adjustable Spot Cooler utilizes the Vortex Tube technology that converts compressed air into a cold air stream. To learn more about EXAIR vortex tubes, click here.

  • It can produce temperatures form -30 °F to +70 °F (-34 °C tp +21 °C)
  • Parts included for flow rates of 15, 25 and 30 SCFM (425, 708, 850 SLPM.) The unit comes from the factory set at 25 SCFM (708 SLPM)
  • It can produce refrigeration up to 2,000 BTU/hr (504 Kcal/hr.)

A swivel magnetic base allows for easy mounting and portability, you can move it from machine to machine as needed. The flexible cold air outlet tubing holds its position and is easy to aim. Most importantly, there are no moving parts or CFC’s, ensuring maintenance free operation.

asc_onlathecmyk
The Adjustable Spot Cooler maintains critical tolerances on machined plastic parts
How the Adjustable Spot Cooler Works

The Adjustable Spot Cooler incorporates a vortex tube to convert a supply of compressed air (1) into two low pressure streams, one hot and one cold. With the turn of a knob, the temperature control valve (2) allows some hot air to flow through a muffling sleeve and out the hot air exhaust (3). The opposite end provides a cold air stream (4) that is muffled and discharged through the flexible hose, which directs it to the point of use. The swivel magnetic base (5) provides easy mounting and portability.

The Adjustable Spot Cooler can produce a wide range of air flows and temperatures as determined by the temperature control valve knob setting and the generator installed. The generator controls the total SCFM (SLPM) of compressed air consumption, and is easy to change. From the factory, the 25 SCFM (708 SLPM) generator is installed, producing up to 1,700 BTU/hr (429 Kcal/hr) of cooling. For less cooling, the 15 SCFM (425 SLPM) generator can be installed, providing up to 1,000 BTU/hr (252 Kcal/hr) of cooling. And for more cooling, the 30 SCFM (850 SLPM) generator can be installed, providing up to 2,000 BTU/hr (504 Kcal/hr) of cooling.

Adjustable Spot Cooler Specifications

Two (2) Systems are available as shown below, and include the 15 and 30 SCFM (425 and 850 SLPM) generators, a filter separator, and either a single or dual point hose kit.

3825_3925 adj spot cooler

If you have any questions on how our Adjustable Spot Cooler can help save you money give us a call! One of our application engineers will be happy to assist!

Jordan Shouse
Application Engineer

Send me an Email
Find us on the Web 
Like us on Facebook
Twitter: @EXAIR_JS

Choosing Max Refrigeration Or Max Cold Temp Vortex Tubes

Published on by Brian FarnoLeave a comment

Vortex Tubes have been studied for over 90 years. These “phenoms of physics” and the theory behind them have been discussed on this blog before. But, when it comes to the practical use of a Vortex Tube it is good to discuss how to correctly select the model that may be needed in your application. The reason being, there are different flow rates and an option for maximum refrigeration or maximum cold temperature.

The tendency is to say, well I need to cool this down as far as possible so I need the coldest air possible, give me the maximum cold temperature. More times than not, the maximum cold temperature model is not the best solution for your application because maximum cooling power and maximum cold temperature are not the same thing.  A maximum cold temperature Vortex Tube is best for spot cooling processes that require greater than 80F temperature drop covering a small area – spot cooling at its finest. Theis very cold air is delivered in a low volume. A maximum cooling power Vortex Tube is the best mix of cold temperature and volume of flow. This cold air (50F-80F temperature drop) is delivered at higher volumes which has the ability to remove more heat from certain processes. If you do not know which is bets for your application, follow these next steps. 

The first step, is to call, chat, or email an Application Engineer so that we can best outfit your application and describe the implementation of the Vortex Tube or spot cooling product for you. You may also want to try and take some initial readings of temperatures. In a perfect world you would be able to supply all of the following information to us, but recognizing how imperfect it all is…some of this information could go a long way toward a solution. The temperatures that would help to determine how much cooling is going to be needed are listed below:

Part temperature:
Part dimensions:
Part material:
Ambient environment temperature:
Compressed air temperature:
Compressed air line size:
Amount of time desired to cool the part:
Lastly desired temperature:

With these bits of information, we can use standard cooling equations to determine what temperature of cold air stream and volume of air is needed in order to produce the cooling and your desired outcome. To give an idea of some of the math we have used, check out this handy educational video of how Newton’s law of cooling was used to calculate the amount of time it takes to cool down a room temp beverage in an ice cold refrigerator. 

If you would like to discuss a cooling application, heating application, or any point of use compressed air application, contact an Application Engineer today.

Brian Farno
Application Engineer
BrianFarno@EXAIR.com
@EXAIR_BF

1 – ThinkWellVids – Newton’s Law of Cooling – Feb. 27, 2014 – retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8X7AoK0-PA

Ultraviolet Curing and Vortex Tube Cooling

Published on by codybiehleLeave a comment

Recently EXAIR worked on a project to cool down parts that were using Ultraviolet (UV) light to cure a surface coating. Ultraviolet curing is a photochemical process that uses UV light to cure/dry certain inks, coatings, and adhesives. Due to the fact that UV light produces a good amount of heat the product would heat up during the curing process and create issues for them down the line which slowed down production in order let them cool. The simple solution to this was the use of the vortex tube to blow on the product to cool it down during the process. By doing so they were able cool the product down to a suitable temperature for the process to speed up.

EXAIR’s Small, Medium, and Large Vortex Tubes


EXAIR’s Vortex Tubes are great for cooling down surfaces to temperatures below ambient thanks to the cold air stream that is produced from the vortex tube. Vortex tubes use a source of compressed air to create both a hot and cold stream of air simultaneously which allows the unit to be used for cooling but also heating applications. The amount of air flow coming out of either end of the Vortex Tube can be controlled; by doing so one can adjust the temperature of the air streams coming out.

There are numerous methods to distribute the cold air flow from a lone, or a series of, Vortex Tubes.

Although the main application for the Vortex Tube is to be used for cooling, it is occasionally used to heat as well. Heating applications are uncommon, but they are still possible. Since a vortex tube creates a cold and hot stream of air; by controlling what the fraction of air is flowing out of the cold end you can create a temperature rise (a rise from the starting air temp) of up to 195F! Now that is hot.

If you have any questions about compressed air systems or want more information on any of EXAIR’s products, give us a call, we have a team of Application Engineers ready to answer your questions and recommend a solution for your applications.

Cody Biehle
Application Engineer
EXAIR Corporation
Visit us on the Web
Follow me on Twitter
Like us on Facebook

Controlling Temperature and Flow on a Vortex Tube

Published on by Jordan T ShouseLeave a comment

A Vortex Tube uses an ordinary supply of compressed air as a power source, creating two streams of air, one hot and one cold – resulting in a low cost, reliable, maintenance free source of cold air for spot cooling solutions.

One of the features of the Vortex Tube is that the temperature of the cold air and the cold air flow rate is changeable. The cold air flow and temperature are easily controlled by adjusting the slotted valve in the hot air outlet.

Vortex Tube Hot Valve Adjustment
Hot Plug Adjustment

Opening the valve (turning it counterclockwise) reduces the cold air flow rate and the lowers the cold air temperature.  Closing the valve (turning it clockwise) increases the cold air flow and raises the cold air temperature.

VT Adjustment Table

As with anything, there is a trade off – to get higher a cold air flow rate, a moderate cold air temperature is achieved, and to get a very cold air temperature, a moderate air flow rate is achieved.

An important term to know and understand is Cold Fraction, which is the percentage of the compressed air used by the Vortex Tube that is discharged through the Cold End.  In most applications, a Cold Fraction of 80% produces a combination of cold flow rate and and cold air temperature that results in the maximum refrigeration or cooling output form a Vortex Tube.

For most industrial applications – such as process cooling, part cooling, and chamber cooling, maximum refrigeration is best and the 32XX series of Vortex Tubes are preferred.  For those applications where ‘cryogenic’ cooling is needed, such as cooling lab samples, or circuit testing, the 34XX series of Vortex Tube is best.

To set a Vortex Tube to a specific temperature, simply insert a thermometer into the cold air exhaust and adjust the hot valve.  Maximum refrigeration, at 80% Cold Fraction, is achieved when the cold air temperature drop is 50°F (28°C) from the incoming compressed air temperature. See the video posted here for measuring and lowering and the cold air temperature.

For those cases when you may be unsure of the required cold air flow rate and cold air temperature to provide the needed cooling in an application, we would recommend an EXAIR Cooling Kit.  The Cooling Kit contains a Vortex Tube, Cold Air Muffler, Air Line Filter, and a set of Generators that will allow for experimentation of the full range of air flows and temperatures possible.

gh_VTcoolingkit_750x696p
EXAIR Vortex Tube Cooling Kit

To discuss your application and how a Vortex Tube or any EXAIR Intelligent Compressed Air Product can improve your process, feel free to contact EXAIR, myself, or one of our other Application Engineers. We can help you determine the best solution!

Jordan Shouse
Application Engineer

Send me an email
Find us on the Web 
Like us on Facebook
Twitter: @EXAIR_JS