The Ion Air Wipe: Reduce Static and Save Resources

| October 14, 2019

As seasons change, different problems are bound to arise within any system. Summer brings the risk of overheating and potential heat damage to sensitive electronics, while spring’s increased humidity can lead to lower quality ambient air as well as general wear and tear. In fall and winter, the most common issue is static buildup due to relative low humidity. Static buildup can cause a wide array of difficulties, such as misreadings from sensors or damage to electronics, both of which can lead to malfunctioning of equipment and significant resource waste. In large-scale industrial settings, static buildup can even pose a risk to workers in high-friction areas if unchecked, as the sheer quantity of materials in movement may result in a potentially hazardous static discharge. 

Within industrial systems, there are a few quite effective ways that efficient compressed air can be used to reduce static buildup. From the Ion Air Knife, which is used to cleanse product surfaces of debris and remove static buildup, to the Ionizing Bar, which directs a flow of ions to eliminate static on high-static surfaces like paper, plastic, or films, Airtec offers multiple useful options capable of significantly reducing static in large increments. As important as mass static elimination is, it’s also rather important to remove static where possible throughout the system, rather than only in one place. By spreading the task of static elimination out throughout the system, you can avoid static buildup in only specific areas. For this task, tools like the Super Ion Air Wipe are incredibly handy. 

Exair Ion Air Wipes

The Exair Super Ion Air Wipe is designed to eliminate static while offering all the benefits of a blowoff product, such as drying materials and removing debris and particles. Offering a powerful ionized 360-degree airflow, the Super Ion Air Wipe is the perfect static eliminating blowoff tool for materials such as pipe, cable, wire, tubing and moulded or extruded shapes. Everything that passes through the Super Ion Air Wipe receives a blast of air that provides total coverage, maximizing output while minimizing consumption to better enhance efficiency levels. It’s lightweight, easy to mount, shockless, and has no moving parts, virtually removing the need for any maintenance. 

But how does it work? The Super Ion Air Wipe is actually a very simple design. Using only a small amount of compressed air, the Air Wipe draws in ambient air and expels it inward at high velocity. The expelled airflow is ionized by 2 replaceable ionizing points, which gives this Air Wipe its static elimination capability. 

Improve Product Quality and Increase Efficiency

At Airtec, every product we recommend is proven to increase efficiency levels throughout your system. The Exair Super Ion Air Wipe is no exception. This tool allows you to further your efficiency goals by replacing less efficient and less purpose-built blowoff solutions, saving you money. What’s more, with the uniform ionized airflow, you can be sure that your products and materials will be clear of debris and the static that draws in particulate matter, ultimately increasing your product quality. 

If you are interested in learning more about Air Wipes or Static Elimination, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We offer free quotes on all of our solutions to help you build a better, more efficient system.

Low Cost Conveyor for Materials Up To 900 Degrees °F

| September 13, 2019

EXAIR’s new 2.5 inch and 3 inch High Temperature Line Vac Conveyors convert hose, tube, or pipe into a powerful in-line conveying system for high temperature materials up to 900 degrees °F (482 degrees °C). These air operated conveyors are available with smooth ends, to fit into hose or tube and secured with a simple hose clamp or they are available with NPT threaded ends, to mount onto threaded pipe. They feature large throat diameters for maximum throughput capability.

The High Temperature Line Vac Conveyors eject a small amount of compressed air to produce a vacuum on one end, resulting in high output flows on the other. The response is instantaneous. Regulating the compressed air pressure provides infinite control of the conveying rate. High Temperature Line Vacs are CE compliant and available in seven sizes from 3/4 inch to 3 inch. Construction is durable Type 303 or Type 316 stainless steel to resist high temperature, corrosion and contamination. Applications include sampling hot flue gases, exhausting fumes, conveying soot, ashes, salts and other hot debris. Other models for hopper loading, scrap trim removal, small part transfer and packaging are available.

At Airtec, we pride ourselves on our ability to create custom compressed air solutions for facilities of all shapes and sizes. Part of how we do this is by offering only the finest compressed air products. In addition to product recommendation, we offer comprehensive training sessions where we work with you to better operate an efficient system, as well as compressed air audits, where we pinpoint the best places to deploy compressed air solutions.

If you’re interested in attaining new levels of compressed air efficiency or learning more about Airtec and our recommended product, please don’t hesitate to contact us!

SUTO and the Power of Industrial IoT

| September 6, 2019

Every day, some new technology is created with the goal of solving problems and creating new efficiency within industrial systems. From improving the way that resources are used to malfunction detection and repair, the latest efficiency solutions for industrial settings are proving to be too valuable to be ignored. That’s why we at Airtec recommend the compressed air measurement technology, SUTO.

In a recent blog about SUTO, we gave an overarching view of how SUTO works and what it does. In short, SUTO allows you to monitor your full compressed air system from a single console, giving you the information needed to determine where leaks or other inefficiencies might be within your system. As amazing as this air compressor technology is at first glance, it only gets better the more in-depth you go. 

IIoT and Air Compressor Technology

SUTO provides a nearly textbook definition of IIoT (Industrial Internet of Things). For those of you who don’t know, Industrial Internet of Things refers to a given set of devices and sensors that communicate information to each other throughout a given industrial setting. In the case of SUTO, the devices and sensors in question provide information on compressed air usage throughout the system, allowing for compressed air monitoring that is more comprehensive and consistent than ever before. SUTO’s all-encompassing approach can be used to accomplish many different goals across the industrial process:

  • Assembly
    • Control resource consumption in this phase
    • Be certain that the conditions are correct for production
  • General Allocation
    • See how dry compressed air is at any given phase, ensuring quality
    • See where resources are being lost and view discrepancies with ease
  • Quality Control
    • 24/7 Online Monitoring
    • Gain proveable compliance metrics
    • Analyze usage and see where improvements can be made
  • Lab/R&D
    • Be sure that all compressed air in-use meets even the highest quality standards

By providing these key metrics for guidance, SUTO allows you to make the best decisions for your system with confidence, no more guesswork or lack of certainty on results. What’s more, you will actually be able to see the effect of the changes you implement in your system, as SUTO’s sensors will pick up even the smallest changes. Whether you are working to conserve energy, reduce expenditures, optimize your process, maintain compliance goals, or work toward environmental protection, SUTO can help you achieve and exceed your goals with relative ease.

Airtec’s Approach to Industrial IoT

At Airtec, we are constantly seeking new technologies to help us create better compressed air solutions. Compressed air is capable of creating incredible levels of efficiency when used properly, and solutions like SUTO can take the power of efficient compressed air to new heights. From the moment SUTO is fully implemented, you will begin to gain a better understanding of the way your system uses resources, providing you with everything needed to make it better. 

To learn more about SUTO, how we recommend its use, or any of our other compressed air efficiency solutions, please feel free to contact us at any time! 

We offer consultations and would love nothing more than to help you get started on the path toward your efficiency goals.

The Many Uses of Air Amplifiers

| September 6, 2019

While a fully efficiency-optimized compressed air system might feature a number of different high-tech and high-profile products, sometimes the smallest part can make all the difference in decreasing energy use. For example, well-placed timer drain can significantly reduce the amount of wasted compressed air, a purpose-built no-drip nozzle can cut down on wasted materials, and an air knife can make use of ambient air to reduce energy expenditure. The air pressure amplifier is another small part that has secured its place in this camp of commonly overlooked products that make a major difference in the way that your system uses compressed air. But the air amplifier isn’t just another way to increase efficient compressed air use. In fact, this amazing piece of engineering exhibits an amazing versatility that can be used to accomplish a wide variety of different tasks.

Efficient Compressed Air Throughout Your System

Air amplifiers are among the simplest additions you can make to your system. They have no moving parts and require no electrical power, ensuring maintenance-free operation. Air amplifiers work by using a small amount of supplied compressed air to pull in surrounding air and direct it through a small ring nozzle at velocity in a process called “entrainment”. This flow can be easily controlled by manually adjusting the air gap. Both the vacuum and discharge ends of the air amplifier can be ducted to either draw air from another area and expel air into another area. 

Now that you have an idea of how they work, you may already be thinking of different applications for air amplification in your system. Due to their powerful directed flow, air pressure amplifiers can be used to accomplish an assortment of different tasks. An amplifier might be used to direct a flow of cold air over a product line, quickly cooling materials to a necessary degree, or it might be used during the cleaning process to clear products of shavings and other particulate matter. If the surrounding air is filled with smoke from some part of the production process, air pressure amplifiers can even be used to draw the smokey air in and expel it elsewhere by ducting the discharge end. If small materials need to be transported quickly, you can make further use of the ducting to make small air conveyors that depend only on ambient air to send materials to their proper place. The possibilities are nearly endless when you use an air amplifier. 

Airtec’s recommended air amplifiers include the Exair Adjustable Air Amplifier, which features a highly-adjustable air gap capable of fine-tuning, and the Exair Super Air Amplifier, which has a patented design that maintains critical position of the component parts. 

Airtec’s Compressed Air Solutions

At Airtec, we work hard to create and provide efficient, realistic compressed air solutions aimed at saving time, energy, and money for businesses of all sizes. From large scale manufacturing facilities to machine shops, we offer solutions capable of helping you cut costs, save energy, and reduce your carbon footprint all at once. If you’re interested in learning more about our recommended products or our compressed air efficiency solutions, please feel free to contact us any time!

Compressors and Vino

| August 2, 2019

The Use of Compressed Air in Wineries

Compressed air accounts for a large amount of energy consumption in the wine production process, especially in the production of grapes. A big part of wine-making is a result of the work of equipment and is dependent on its efficiency.

An air compressor should be located in well ventilated, shaded areas, out of direct sunlight. This includes the inlet for the compressed air system which should be located away from heat sources such as the compressed air outlet, refrigeration or air conditioning plant and equipment.

Common Uses of Compressed Air in Wineries

Wineries of all sizes depend on compressed air for powering continuous-duty machines from crushing grapes to bottling, labeling and filling. These machines require a very precise amount of clean, oil-free air to accomplish the following items:

Pressing Grapes: Air compressors are often paired with a bladder press to aid in pushing out the grapes juice through the vent holes.

Crushing Grapes: Sadly, villagers do not stomp barefoot in vats to crush grape harvests anymore. Teaming up with a pressurized bladder, compressed air slowly inflates the tank to press the grapes to the surface.

Heat & Cool Product: Monitoring temperature and keeping best temperature ranges during fermentation is a very critical part of making a great wine. Excesses above or below the ideal range will have a direct impact on your finished wine, including whether or not it finishes at all

Filter & Dry Product: Running a filtration system, which is the fastest and most efficient way to filter your finished wine before bottling.

Aeration: Aeration is an essential process of introducing oxygen to the wine to round out and soften. Oil-free compressors are ideal because they don’t risk contaminating your masterpiece with oil – affecting the quality and the taste.

Bottling: Bottling is one of the most common uses for air compressors in wineries and smaller commercial operations. Pressurized air is vital for moving wine from the conditioning tank or barrels to the bottle, and for keeping lines clean and free of water. Bottling uses a lot of air, so getting the right unit is critical. If you select an undersized or non-continuous rated unit, it will most likely get hot and start “spitting” oil into the lines. Even with a water trap, oil filters, and water filters, contamination will still get through pneumatic lines and wreak chaos on your equipment.

Clean Air = Clean Wine: No matter what size the operation, you will want an oil-free air compressor that is UL-listed, comes with an ASME-certified tank and uses the right combination of air treatment accessories to produce the most contaminant-free air possible. But, if you’re still using an oil-lubricated compressor, you’ll need to incorporate refrigerated dryers and in-line air filters to remove moisture, oil, and other airborne contaminants. Whether you are a large winery coop or an independent, small winery, choosing the right air compressor and accessories will go a long way to protect your investment and the award-winning wine you create.

Please feel free to call or email us if you have any questions or need help deciding which compressor is right for your winery. At Airtec, we are here to help you!

Compressed Air Condensation Management

| July 30, 2019

Protecting Your Compressed Air from Condensation.

When moisture is not removed correctly from your compressed air system, it could travel through your airlines and leave you with unexpected damage and decrease production efficiency. The presence of water will lead to the creation of rust in the air piping system.

However it is quite simple to prevent these issues. All that needs to be done is to regularly ensure that all drains are working and removing condensate from the system efficiently. If possible, make sure all your drains are zero-loss, as you want to get rid of moisture not compressed air that equals wasted energy.

DO NOT leave manual valves slightly open to consistently drain the condensation. Leaving the valve open will eliminate the need for continued attention, and it will be effective at getting the condensation out the system. This is tempting on drain points that have a high volume of condensation. However, this creates an apparent compressed air leak, and even a small continual leak will waste several hundred dollars in annual energy cost.

Benefits of an Air Dryer

The most efficient way to prevent moisture from gathering is by installing an air dryer in your system. Dryers remove moisture so it does not condense and cause those problems. There are two types of dryer (refrigerated and desiccant) and the type you need depends very much on the type of air desired for your operation. You can browse our complete line of air dryers here.

The bottom line is you need to somehow manage the moisture that will develop in your air compressor system and a dryer is the optimal way to make this happen. It will keep your system up and running at its peak and avoid major expenses down the line.

Never under estimate the damage that can be caused by condensation. For questions, please contact our support team at support@airtec.global.

How to Size your Cabinet Cooler?

| July 26, 2019

We’re right in the heat of summer in the Northern Hemisphere, with heat waves rampant across much of Europe. You all know what that means, it’s Cabinet Cooler season!! When working with a new customer for a Cabinet Cooler application, the first step is always going to be the same. Get them to fill out the Cabinet Cooler Sizing Guide so you can determine the appropriate Cabinet Cooler for their particular application.

The information contained on this form MUST be both complete AND accurate. Otherwise, the calculations will be based on false data. The temperatures should be taken with a thermometer or thermocouple, not an infrared temperature gun. These devices merely take a reading of the surface temperature and not the air temperature. It’s important to communicate to your customer just how important these values are. If the temperatures given are lower than the actual temperatures, we’ll undersize the Cabinet Cooler and they’ll be right back where we started during the hottest summer temperatures. If they over-exaggerate the temperatures, we’ll end up giving them a cooler that’s too large and if not operated with a thermostat will consume more compressed air than necessary.

There are different things we see when getting back Cabinet Cooler Sizing Guides. Make sure you’re reviewing the data given so that it makes sense. Here’s a few examples we notice from customers:

1. Current internal temperature given is lower than the current external temperature:

More often than not, this is simply a mistake from the customer. If the internal temperature is cooler than the external temperature, there has to be an A/C cooler or other cooling device already installed. If there is, find out the rated cooling capacity of the A/C cooler as we’ll want to match that with the corresponding Cabinet Cooler. This is the most common clear indication that the values given are not accurate. If you get a sizing guide where the current internal temperature is lower than the external, ask your customer to confirm and inquire about any other cooling method that may be installed.

2. Not indicating if fans are installed:

Cabinet Coolers must be installed on sealed enclosures, this means any fans that are installed must be removed and sealed off. Fans do provide cooling inside the panel, so we must account for this when calculating the necessary Cabinet Cooler.

3. Giving a range instead of actual temperatures:

If a range is given, the customer has simply estimated what they believe to be the temperatures that they experience in the cabinet. The current Delta between the internal and external temperatures is the most critical value in determining the internal heat load of the cabinet. With a range, we have no way of determining what that temperature differential is.

It’s very important to review the sizing guide data given to you before trying to make any calculations. Otherwise, you’re simply wasting your time and will have to go back and do it again. If you’re clear and up front with the customer from the beginning it makes this process much easier. Sometimes, the Cabinet Cooler isn’t going to be suitable for the application.

As another example; on an application with a customer where the Cabinet Cooler wasn’t going to provide enough cooling in order to maintain their target temperature of 35°C inside. At first glance, it looked like it may be alright. Thankfully the customer included a photo of the enclosure in addition to filling out the sizing guide. He had left the field asking about fans blank. In the photo, a large fan was clearly located on the panel. The fan installed was 6” in diameter, providing 260 CFM (441 m3/hr) of airflow. To calculate the heat dissipated from the fan, we multiply the flow in SCFM by the Delta between current internal and external to get the heat load in Btu/hr. In this case, the temperature inside of the cabinet was 123°F (51°C) and the target was 95°F (35°C). With a Delta of 28°F, the fans are already removing more heat than what a Cabinet Cooler could provide.

                        260 SCFM x 28∆T = 7,280 Btu/hr

The largest Dual Cabinet Cooler only provides 5,600 Btu/hr, making this application one that is not suitable for our Cabinet Coolers. Rather than spending both yours and your customers time going back and forth about a potential sale, make sure you have everything up front.

Please feel free to call or email us if you have any questions about Cabinet Coolers or need help calculating the right one. At Airtec, we are happy to help you!

 

 

Compressed Air Particle Counting

| July 24, 2019

Measure Compressed Air Quality Efficiently

It is necessary to measure air quality in modern compressed air systems. One part of this is to measure the particle concentration in the supplied air. The common problem that occurs is that most particle counter operate only at the ambient pressure. This means that pressure needs to be reduced.

Reducing pressure without a major impact on the counted particles is hard to achieve. Users should always consider what solution is offered by the particle counter supplier. 

The ISO 8573-4 regulations state that a standard flow control or ball valve should not be used to reduce the pressure prior to the point of measurement because this could cause a lowered measurement value. Furthermore, it stated that pressure regulators should never be used in front of the measurement equipment. Pressure regulators and their materials are typically not suited to be used due to particle shedding. 

Laser Particle Counter for Compressed Air

The S130 is a new generation laser particle counter optimized for applications in compressed air or compressed air gases. With quality in mind and with the knowledge of customer needs this instrument is designed for continuous 24/7 operation. Depending on the selected model there is sensitivity available from 0.1 … 5.0 m. The S 130 can fulfill the requirements stipulated in the compressed air standard ISO 8573-4.

The measurement values represent the particle counts per ft3, l or m3 or alternatively g/m3. Settings can be done through the integrated display, an external SUTO display or through the service software If you’re interested in learning more about SUTO and how it might impact your operations, or you’re just interested compressed air efficiency in general, please don’t hesitate to contact us anytime! We offer free quotes on our compressed air solutions, and would love to help you achieve your goals of energy efficiency.

Compressed Air for Vehicle Body Painting

| July 19, 2019

Compressed Air for Efficient Vehicle Body Paint Job

Contaminants in compressed air

The compressed air produced by the compressor, contains the same substances as the ambient air. This means, among other things, that the water vapor contained in the air, is compressed and the compressed air therefore has a high humidity. Compressed air from an oil injected screw compressor also contains small oil residues from the compressor lubrication system. The average value, for screw compressors oil content, is about 3pm. When the compressed air is to be used for eg body painting, there is a higher demand for air quality, than in many other applications. The requirements referred to above apply in particular to what is accepted in terms of contaminants such as water, particles and oil.

Removing contaminants for vehicle body painting

We recommend that the humidity is always to be reduced by drying. This is easiest and cheapest done with a refrigerant dryer that gives a pressure dew point of about 3 degrees Celsius. We also recommend installing particle filters, to reduce the amount of particles that come into the compressed air. In addition to particle filters you should also install an oil separating filter, that removes the residual amount of oil, that always comes with compressed air when you have an oil injected screw compressor. If you want to be absolutely sure, that no oil will be included in the compressed air, you can complete the filters above with an activated carbon filter. When supplementing other filters with an activated carbon filter, one achieves a quality called “technical oil-free” compressed air.

Please feel free to call or email us to let us know about your application, At Airtec, we are happy to help you.

Reduce Pressure Drops in Your Plant

| July 18, 2019

Save Energy, Avoid Unnecessary Pressure Drops

Did you know that pressure drops and leaks are the two largest areas of energy loss on your air compressors? It’s easy to understand why a leaking pipe or fittings creates energy loss. Pressure drops are not quite as noticeable, since you cannot hear them.

What are Pressure Drops?

According to Compressed Air Best Practices, “Pressure drop is a term used to characterize the reduction in air pressure from the compressor discharge to the actual point-of-use. Pressure drop occurs as the compressed air travels through the treatment and distribution system.”

Did you know that a small undersized filter would result in unneeded pressure drops in your system? Do not go for the cheap option because you will make up for that cost in energy consumption.

What causes Pressure Drops?

The 3 most common reasons for unexpected pressure drops in your Compressed Air System.

1. Leaks
2. Improper sizing or maintenance of your Filters
3. Piping configuration

How to Reduce Pressure Drops?

1. Unsure of your filter size? Go up a size. It will pay off in the long run.
2. Use OEM filters from your manufacturer. Also, most manufacturers publish pressure drop data- request it to ensure you understand the differences.
3. Undersized piping can cause pressure drops. Make sure your pipe is large enough to handle your flow.
4. Reduce the distance the air travels through the distribution system.
5. Check for leaks! Air leaks can will result in using more power than necessary to supply compressed air & contribute to the system’s air drops.
6. Increasing the size of your pipe, even from 2” to 3” ,can reduce pressure drop up to 50%. Shortening the distance that air has to travel can further reduce pressure drops by about 30%!

Did you know? Air leaks cause machines to cycle more frequently and by doing so can increase the running time of the air compressor. More running time leads to additional maintenance requirements and possible increased unscheduled downtime.

Remember, unnecessary pressure drops will result in poor system performance and excessive energy consumption. Any kind of flow restriction, whether it’s a leak, poor piping configuration or a filter will play a huge role in a system requiring higher operating pressures than are needed, resulting in higher energy consumption.