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Showing posts from August, 2022

How Does Thermal Oxidizer Sizing Impact Melt System Capacity?

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Melt Furnace Capacities Historically, parts producers have focused on dryer and melt furnace capacities as the rate limiting factor when sizing their system. The practical reality, when sizing a system, is that vent stream emissions may be the real rate limiting factor controlling your overall recovery system’s capacity. One of the first steps when evaluating a potential metals recovery project should be to understand the expected fluids and contaminants in the feed-stock. Given these input conditions, a concurrent analysis of the thermal processing load for the drying system and the expected constituents in the vent stream can be conducted. From these calculations, an estimate of the projected emissions loading from the operation can be determined. Based on the findings from the above emissions calculations, the appropriate air pollution control system can be sized.   While thermal oxidation of these vents streams is a proven solution to mitigate the VOC emissions from thes

Thermal Deoiling Replaces Liquid Based Degreasing

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A major manufacturer of automobile air conditioners had been deoiling metal parts in a conveyorized solvent based vapor degreasing line, but the state environmental agency mandated that the line be shut down on a certain date due to the excessive water and air pollution it generated.   The facility uses aluminum parts of various geometry and weight in the fabrication of automobile air conditioner evaporators. The parts are formed in stamping machines in which oil is used as a drawing lubricant. Brazing of the parts is accomplished in a vacuum furnace that requires clean and dry parts to prevent failures of the brazed surfaces. The need for clean, dry parts in manufacturing processes is increasing because of increased emphases on quality and reliability.   At the same time, the costs of compliance with rules and regulations governing industrial hygiene, safety and the environment are forcing manufacturers to reevaluate cleaning methods. In aqueous cleaning and solvent based cleani

Thermal Cleaning Process of Metal Parts

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Epcon Industrial Systems, recently designed and built an evaporative deoiling system for cleaning aluminum fins. Thermal deoiling is a state-of-the-art degreasing system, apt to replace solvent-based cleaning technologies wherever appropriate. Thermal deoiling is pollution-free, energy efficient and cost-effective. Epcon has taken a lead in bringing this technology to the forefront. Small aluminum parts of various geometry and weight are used in building the evaporator of an automobile. During the stamping process oil is used as a lubricant, and the usual practice is to use a solvent such as tetrachloroethylene to deoil the parts, so that there is no interference with braze joint quality performed in a Vacuum or Controlled Atmosphere furnace. The evaporator parts pass through the oven on an I-beam conveyor monorail located inside the oven. The oily evaporator fins nestled tightly together are placed into stainless steel rod and wire mesh baskets, which are placed into a basket hold