Internal Mix Atomizing Spray Nozzle Used In Feed Additive Process

An agricultural customer was looking to replace the spray nozzle used in their feed additive process. The soy oil/beeswax solution they are applying to the feed, is slightly viscous (close to 100 cP) which seems to be clogging the tight clearances inside the current nozzle, resulting in varying flow rates and an erratic spray pattern. They had tried to contact the current manufacturer several times for a solution but were unhappy with the lack of assistance they were receiving, not to mention the long lead times of 6-8 weeks for a replacement.

After further discussion, they confirmed they weren’t as concerned with the flow rate or spray pattern, as they were with the nozzle potentially getting clogged.  They were able to obtain some internal dimensions of the existing nozzle and after further review, Exair recommended they use Exair's Model # AF1030SS Internal Mix Flat Pattern Atomizing Nozzle as a replacement. This nozzle has larger inside diameters which would reduce the potential for clogging. The Internal Mix Atomizing Nozzles mix the liquid and air inside the air cap and produce the finest atomization. The flow rate can be changed by adjusting the control valve on the nozzle and/or by adjusting the liquid pressure. Internal Mix nozzles are capable of handling fluids up to 300 Centipoise. 

When considering an Atomizing Nozzle for an application, there are some general parameters that can be helpful in making the best selection.

1. Do you have a pressurized liquid source?
2. What is the fluid viscosity?
3. What spray pattern best fits the process?
4. How much flow (GPH/LPH) do I need?

If you have an application requiring a fine mist of atomized liquid spray, please contact an application engineer for assistance.

Vivek Engineers#22, 1st Floor, 1st Cross, Adj. to IIMB Compound, Bilekahalli Indl. Area, 
Bannerghatta Road, Bangalore - 560 076.
Ph : 080 -  2648 1309, 3297 0358, 4170 1145
TeleFax : 080- 2648 1309.
E- mail : sales@vivekengineers.net , durga@vivekengineers.net

CONTACT PERSON :

Mr. Durga Madhab Praharaj - Sales & Operations Manager
Mob : 097404 39220. E -mail : durga@vivekengineers.net

Beat the Heat with EXAIR Cabinet Coolers!

As we begin to approach the heat of summer , we begin to break out the flip-flops, swimsuits, and warm weather attire. If you’re not a fan of the warmer temperatures, this may not be your favorite time of year. For me, I can’t wait to spend some time outdoors and enjoy all of the activities that summer has to offer. Whether you like the heat or not one thing is certain, the electrical enclosures within your facility most certainly do not.

EXAIR’s Cabinet Cooler Systems were designed specifically to rectify these issues within your facility. Utilizing Vortex Tube technology, the Cabinet Cooler produces cold air from an ordinary supply of compressed air. This cold air keeps the enclosure free of debris and moisture and is easily installed in minutes through a standard electrical knockout. The Cabinet Cooler Systems are available with Nema 12 (IP54) ratings and are also available in Aluminum, 303 Stainless Steel, and 316 Stainless Steel construction for Nema 4 (IP66) rated enclosures. For systems that are not able to be mounted on top of the cabinet, we also have Side Mount Kits available in Aluminum, 303 Stainless, and 316 Stainless.


These systems are available with cooling capacities of anywhere from 275-5,600 Btu/hr. To make things much easier for you, Exair offers a Cabinet Cooler Sizing Guide that will allow us to recommend the most suitable model for your cabinet. With a few quick measurements, we’ll be able to determine the exact heat load that we’ll need to dissipate and offer you a quick and easy solution. If you’re experiencing heat related issues somewhere within your facility or remember the troubles that they caused you last year, contact an Application Engineer today and we’ll see to it that this summer your cabinets remain cool!

Vivek Engineers#22, 1st Floor, 1st Cross, Adj. to IIMB Compound, Bilekahalli Indl. Area, 
Bannerghatta Road, Bangalore - 560 076.
Ph : 080 -  2648 1309, 3297 0358, 4170 1145
TeleFax : 080- 2648 1309.
E- mail : sales@vivekengineers.net , p.lochan@vivekengineers.net

Super Air Amplifiers for Cooling Injection Mold

When working with a cooling application, many customers will immediately look to the Vortex Tube and Cold Gun product lines. While this may be the best solution for some applications with smaller areas to cool, cold air from a Vortex tube based solution is not the best method for large parts or larger areas that exceed a footprint of approximately 2″ x 2″. For larger areas, we have other options for many cooling applications. EXAIR’s Super Air Amplifiers and Super Air Knives are also very effective at reducing the temperature of a part without requiring cold air.

Cooling is a relative concept based on the starting and finishing temperature. What feels “cool” to a human being does not necessarily mean the same thing as “cooling” a part or material. Due to the ability of the Super Air Knives and Super Air Amplifiers to entrain large amounts of ambient temperature air, we can move a lot of air volume across the surface of the target part and quickly lower the temperature.

A simple example I like to use is blowing on a hot cup of coffee just as its been brewed. The temperature of the air coming from your mouth is around 98.6°F, the same as your body temperature. Coffee can be as hot as 185°F when fresh. Due to the temperature differential between your breath and the hot coffee, we’re able to achieve a reasonable amount of cooling just by simply blowing across the surface. Typically, when the target temperature of the part or material needs to be around ambient temperature or higher; the best solution for cooling is going to be either a Super Air Amplifier or Super Air Knife.

To illustrate the above concept even more, recently I was working with a customer that needed to cool a silicon injection mold. The mold had two sides and the customer was looking for a method of cooling it down between cycles. The mold cavity surface was approximately 400°F and they wanted to get it down to around 150°F. They were familiar with the EXAIR Cold Gun as they use them across their facility in various secondary or post-molding drilling operations. They had a spare and decided to hook it up and blow the cold air across the face of the mold to see what happens. The volume of air from the Cold Gun was not enough to sufficiently cool the entire mold, so he reached out to EXAIR for assistance.

Based on the dimensions of the mold and understanding the target temperature to be 150°F, we settled on a system of (2) 120224 4” Super Air Amplifier Kits. One was placed above each side of the mold. As soon as the mold opened, they activated the Super Air Amplifiers and were able to pull the surface temperature of the mold down to an acceptable level. Time is money in any manufacturing operation. Companies that produce injection molded parts will look for any way to improve their process. By implementing a procedure to cool the mold more quickly, they are able to boost their productivity gains and become more profitable.

The Super Air Amplifier Kit comes with an Auto-Drain Filter to keep the air clean and dry, a pressure regulator to allow you to dial in the precise level of airflow, and a shim set that allows you to make gross adjustments to the flow. The Super Air Amplifier is available in (5) different sizes with ¾” up to 8” diameter outlets and flow rates from 219 SCFM to 9,000 SCFM 6″ from the outlet. They are capable of achieving an amplification ratio of up to 25:1 from the compressed air supply. The laminar airflow from the unit minimizes wind shear to produce sound levels that are typically three times quieter than other air movers.

Vivek Engineers#22, 1st Floor, 1st Cross, Adj. to IIMB Compound, Bilekahalli Indl. Area,
Bannerghatta Road, Bangalore - 560 076.
Ph : 080 -  2648 1309, 3297 0358, 4170 1145
TeleFax : 080- 2648 1309.
E- mail : sales@vivekengineers.net , p.lochan@vivekengineers.net

CONTACT PERSON :

Mr. Durga Madhab Praharaj - Sales & Operations Manager
Mob : 097404 39220. E -mail : durga@vivekengineers.net

Replacing Unsafe Open Pipes with High Pressure Air Nozzles

   (Open pipes present unsafe working conditions and continuous pressure drops in compressed air systems)

Let’s talk for a minute about pressure drops. Normally when the topic of pressure drops is raised, it comes in a context related to proper plumbing and volume supply.  (If there are significant pressure drops within a compressed air system, especially those which reduce volume flow, problems will arise with compressed air driven devices.)
But, there is another important aspect of pressure drops which relates to open pipe blow-off, a common homemade remedy for blow-off applications. This aspect has to do with the available compressed air pressure at the exhausting point from the pipe or nozzle.  In the case of an open pipe, it requires so much compressed air volume that, there can be a continuous pressure drop from the compressor to the open pipe.  However, when a nozzle is installed onto a compressed air pipe, there is a restriction to the flow and the entire pressure drop takes place across the nozzle.
What this means for the blow-off solution is a higher velocity blow-off and a more powerful force from the airflow, with less compressed air consumption.

To think of it another way, imagine the flow of water from your garden hose. If the hose is open-ended and the water is fully on, the flow will be high and the force will be low.  But, when you install a nozzle onto the end of the hose the flow reduces and the force increases.  This is because the pressure drop in the system is taking place across the nozzle rather than the entire system.

This type of a scenario was taking place in the image shown at the top of this blog. The plastic lines connected to the aluminum manifold were fully open on the end, providing a continuous pressure drop and poor blow-off performance.  This, coupled with the maximum operating pressure of similar types of hose being 35 PSI, led to a poor performance in this application.

The solution for this customer was to replace these open pipe blow-offs with EXAIR model 1126 Flat Super Air Nozzles and 12″ Stay Set Hoses, model 9262. The flat airflow of the 1126 Super Air Nozzles provide a highly efficient and forceful blow-off, and the Stay Set Hoses allow for articulation of the nozzles into any position needed.
By replacing these open pipes this customer saved compressed air, added safety (open pipes present an operating hazard per OSHA Standard CFR 1910.242(b)), and improved the performance of their operation.
Vivek Engineers#22, 1st Floor, 1st Cross, Adj. to IIMB Compound, Bilekahalli Indl. Area, 
Bannerghatta Road, Bangalore - 560 076.
Ph : 080 -  2648 1309, 3297 0358, 4170 1145
TeleFax : 080- 2648 1309.
E- mail : p.lochan@vivekengineers.net

EXAIR Line Vac, Air Operated Conveyors, Expand to Include Sanitary Flange Models

Lightweight and durable aluminum is the most popular choice, but we make them in stainless steel (Types 303 and 316) for heat and corrosion resistance. For extreme heat, the High Temperature option affords protection to 900F (482C) in either 303SS or 316SS.

EXAIR’s Air Operated Conveyor  product line just expanded, making it easier than ever for a wide range of industries to solve an ever growing range of bulk conveyance applications. Before we get to that, let’s look at just how versatile the Line Vacs are:

The standard Line Vac has been making bulk conveyance as easy as it could get for years now. They come in sizes from 3/8" to 5", and all you need is a hose to move material from point A to point B.

When rigid pipe is preferable to hose, our Threaded Line Vacs offer the same performance: 
These come with male NPT threads from 3/8" to 3" . They’re also available in aluminum, 303SS and 316SS, and High Temperature versions, same as the standard Line Vac.

They come in sizes from 3/4" to 3", with options for slip-on hose or threaded pipe. They’re also made of a hardened alloy for superior abrasion resistance.

If you need high power for higher conveyance rates, longer distances, or very dense material, the Heavy Duty Line Vacs are what you’re looking for.

Light Duty Line Vacs are aimed at applications implied by the name…when smaller volumes of low density material don’t require all the head & flow generated by the standard or Heavy Duty models, these are as quick & convenient as the rest, and come in sizes from 3/4" to 6".

The newest additions to the Line Vac family are the Type 316 Stainless Steel Sanitary Flange models: Also known as Tri-Clamp or Tri Clover, these connectors have a variety of advantages beneficial to certain industries: Quick to make up & take apart. No nooks or crevices, so they’re easy to clean. Wide variety of fittings, pipe and tubing are readily available.

Vivek Engineers#22, 1st Floor, 1st Cross, Adj. to IIMB Compound, Bilekahalli Indl. Area, 
Bannerghatta Road, Bangalore - 560 076.
Ph : 080 -  2648 1309, 3297 0358, 4170 1145
TeleFax : 080- 2648 1309.
E- mail : sales@vivekengineers.net , p.lochan@vivekengineers.net

High Temperature Line Vac Helps to Recondition Ceramic Balls for a Reactor

It was a talk to an operation manager about his fixed-bed reactors.  These reactors are large tanks filled with different layers of material.  The main component of the bed consisted of catalyst pellets which were placed in a centralized layer in the middle of the tank.  Above and below the catalyst pellets, they used different sizes of ceramic balls to create a gradient buffer.  This was important to disperse the gas to utilize the entire catalyst bed and reduce the possibility of channeling.  The tanks were designed with a dump flange mounted at the bottom; so, when the catalyst material was used up, they could dump all the material from the tank and replenish.  In recycling the reactors, they could reuse the ceramic balls after they have been reconditioned.

As per discussion the details further about the reconditioning process, the material from the reactor was dumped into drums and separated manually.  The catalyst material was discarded; leaving the ceramic balls.  The ceramic balls came in three different diameters, 6mm, 13mm, and 25mm.  To separate these, they would slide three empty wire-meshed trays into the oven, and placed a specific diameter into a corresponding tray.  Once the oven was filled with the ceramic balls, they would heat the oven to 400 deg. C.  This would burn off any dangerous material that was collected on the surface from the process within the reactors.  After the heat cycle, they would have to wait approximately one hour until the ceramic balls were cool enough to handle.  After the cooling period, they would use a shovel to remove the ceramic balls from the trays.

The reconditioned ceramic balls were placed in storage drums and kept until they had to recycle another reactor.  The removal of the ceramic balls from the oven would take an additional half hour to complete.  The entire reconditioning process was labor intensive, time consuming, and ergonomically a safety issue.  For each oven, they were only getting two cycles per day to recondition the ceramic balls.  With the number of reactors that they had, they needed to either decrease the downtime for the oven, or purchase another batch oven.


High Temperature Line Vac
After discovering the EXAIR website, they were intrigued with the Air Operated Conveyors (Line Vacs).  If they could remove the ceramic balls at a much higher temperature, then this would allow them to reduce the cycle time.  The EXAIR Air Operated Conveyor is a great product for moving bulk items over a short distance without manually having to shovel it, transfer it, or lift it.  With the customer’s goal to minimize the downtime with the batch oven, I recommended the EXAIR model HT6064 2” Stainless Steel High Temperature Line Vac.  With some standard PPE (Personal Protection Equipment), they could remove the ceramic balls from the oven without waiting for it to cool.  The model HT6064 has a maximum temperature rating of 482 deg. C and a throat diameter of 45mm; large enough to move all three sizes of the ceramic balls.

The Line Vac, or Air Operated Conveyor, operates by using compressed air to generate a vacuum.  It does not have any motors or moving parts to wear, and the inline design makes it easy to attach a transfer hose to the vacuum and exhaust ports.  Personnel could now stand near the oven; stick the high temperature duct into the tray, remove all the ceramic balls, and transfer them to a nearby drum.  By using the High Temperature Line Vac, they were able to reduce the oven down-time to only 15 minutes.  This was plenty enough to reach the goal of increasing the cycles per day. As an added benefit, the back-breaking work of shoveling was removed; thus, increasing the health and safety of the workers.
Vivek Engineers#22, 1st Floor, 1st Cross, Adj. to IIMB Compound, Bilekahalli Indl. Area, 
Bannerghatta Road, Bangalore - 560 076.
Ph : 080 -  2648 1309, 3297 0358, 4170 1145
TeleFax : 080- 2648 1309.
E- mail : sales@vivekengineers.net , p.lochan@vivekengineers.net