July 2010
In This Issue...
Resources
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Infrared Application of the Month:
Reduction of Moisture on Fishing Nets
A producer of high-strength fishing nets for commercial deep-sea fishing operations faced a problem: during transportation from the manufacturing facility to the end users, mold formed on the nets, rendering them a health hazard for fishing workers, and a posing a potential contamination risk to the catch. The manufacturer installed mediumwave infrared heaters from Heraeus Noblelight into the tail-end of the production line; the IR lamps reduced moisture and helped greatly reduce the conditions that would allow mold to grow during transport.
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Infrared Application of the Month:
Drying Water-based Inks in Flexo Print Operation
A user of high-speed printing presses employing flexography required a fast, thorough, efficient and cost-effective method of drying the water-based inks during the process. The company worked closely with the application experts at Heraeus Noblelight and found that carbon infrared lamp technology is an excellent solution for applications that use water and paper. Carbon infrared lamps provide the heat, and ambient room air carries the remaining vapor away from the paper. No hot air is required for the system.
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Tech Center Spotlight:
Carbon Mediumwave Heaters
High heating efficiency and rapid cool down make the mediumwave carbon heater from Heraeus the only medium-wave heater to offer you shortwave response times. Suitable for all medium-wave applications, this heater also offers the capability to match temperatures to the optimum absorption wavelength for each application. Together, these features eliminate overheating and contamination of sensitive substrates.
A particular large portion of medium wave radiation is absorbed in water, solvents and plastics and converted into heat. This allows significant benefits: carbon heaters dry printing inks, with less stress for the paper because the radiation acts more intensively on the ink. The high power heater increases print drying speed and reduces drying time. It also heats plastics in a targeted manner, with less heating of the surrounding environment.
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Special Designs:
Ring Heater
Designed for horizontal use, this shortwave ring heater, internally focused for intense rapid heat-up of rods, stakes etc. is made of quartz glass, has a diameter of 8 mm, a two-sided connection, and is available with or without the Heraeus gold reflector.
A wide assortment of ring heaters are in stock at Heraeus. Click HERE to for details.
Technical Learning: Advantages of IR Technology, Part 4
Low Environmental Impact Both Inside and Outside the Plant
Electric IR heating can help manufacturers respond to more stringent environmental regulations. Many manufacturers and finishers are replacing solvent-based paints with water-based paints and powder coatings to satisfy the emission restrictions imposed by new air quality standards. It generally takes longer to cure water-based paints and powders than those that are solvent-based. Because electric IR can increase the heating rate of the coated surface, manufacturers can recover the production efficiencies lost in the switch to water based paints and powders.
Compared to forced-air convection ovens, electric IR heating units draw less air from surrounding space. The environment in and around the electric IR oven is cleaner, because coatings (such as powder) stay on the product. This means less make-up air and a lower space conditioning bill if the manufacturing facility is conditioned. IR units also deliver less waste heat to their surroundings, which can be a significant benefit in warm climates, and they are much quieter, with no burner or large blowers. They do not produce any on-site NOX or SOX emissions.
Value for Investment
Because of its relatively low capital cost, easy installation, reliable operation and efficient use of energy, electric IR heating provides an excellent value for your investment.
Summary of Benefits
In summary, electric IR units offer many advantages to manufacturers:
- Heating rate can be controlled from very low values to very high values
- Higher heating rates mean faster production using less floor space
- Heating rate can be switched on or off in a matter of minutes or seconds, meaning no off-cycle losses
- Heating rate profile through the oven can be varied to optimize product processing
- IR ovens can be zoned to apply heat only where needed without heating the entire product
- Electric IR is an environmentally friendly process, with no on-site NOX or SOX emissions, far less thermal emissions than convection ovens, and virtually no noise emissions
- Electric heating is inherently cleaner than fossil fuel heating; thus, less clean-up is required
- Electric IR can dry/cure coatings very rapidly when the radiation penetrates the coating and heats from within
- In some cases, a coating can be dried/cured in an electric IR oven without heating the entire product, thus protecting heat-sensitive areas and saving energy
- In many cases, drying/curing of coatings with IR results in higher quality finish
- Electric IR is efficient because the energy is transferred directly from the heat source to the product.
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That's it for this month's issue of Application Notes for IR Heating. Feel free to encourage your colleagues to subscribe. Just click HERE to send them an invitation to subscribe. It's quick, easy, FREE, and no-obligation.
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