TPT May 2015

38 / 92

Technology News
36 May 2015
Continuous in-line steam cleaning
of tubes, pipes and profiles
IN the tube and pipe industry, cleaning
and degreasing are often required
prior to surface treatment or painting,
or simply to provide customers with a
perfect, clean product.
REA Steam Cleaning, a specialist
based in Turin, Italy, has launched
its new concept of continuous in-line
cleaning of tubes and profiles, using the
degreasing and cleaning properties of
saturated steam.
Claimed advantages of the system
include continuous cleaning, with no
interruption of the production flow;
higher degreasing levels (up to a
superficial tension of 38mN/m); no need
for drying; speeds up to 60m/min; low
water consumption; and a very low level
of waste water produced.
Thecompactsystemgenerallyrequires
less than one metre on the production
line. The steam generator and vacuum
unit can be placed out of the production
line. The system provides an environ-
mentally friendly alternative to solvents
and lower water treatment costs,
while being designed for heavy-duty,
three-shift operation. Interchangeable
cleaning chambers allow the treatment
of parts of different shapes and
diameters, with an equipping time of
less than five minutes.
The higher degreasing levels are an
intrinsic feature of steam cleaning due
to the high temperature of the steam,
which hits the part to be cleaned at a
temperature of 150°. Tubes and profiles
are dry after the process because of
the combined effect of vacuum and
evaporation.
One of the distinctive features of
steam cleaning systems is the low
amount of waste water produced, which
consists mainly of the dirt removed and
the water from the condensed steam.
If necessary, detergent is recycled so
that effective consumption is less than
0.5 litres/hr. Specific detergent that
combines cleaning with passivation or
phosphating can be used, especially
before painting.
REA Steam Cleaning Srl – Italy
Email:
Website:
Interchangeable chambers for steam cleaning pipes and profiles
750° gas-fired vertical
conveyor oven
No. 917 is a gas-heated, 750°F vertical
conveyor oven from Grieve, currently
used for sintering Teflon tubes.
Workspace dimensions are 24"W
x 26"D x 53"H, while the secondary
cooling zone on the oven measures
24"W x 26"D x 54"H. 350,000 BTU/
hr are installed in a modulating natural
gas burner, while a 2,000 CFM, 2 HP
recirculating blower provides horizontal
airflow to the workload.
29 trays, each 18" x 5", rise vertically
through the load/unload zone, pass
up through the oven heat and then
down into the cooling zone below the
oven.
A ½ HP motor drive, variable from
0.05" to 9" per minute, moves the trays
through the unit.
This Grieve vertical conveyor oven
features an aluminised steel exterior
and interior, plus 6" thick insulated walls.
Two 12" diameter tubeaxial fans, each
driven by a ¾ HP motor, push/pull air
through the cooling zone.
All safety devices required by IRI, FM
and NFPA Standard 86 for gas-heated
equipment are on board this Grieve
oven, including a 325 CFM, 1/3 HP
powered forced exhauster. No. 917 also
features a digital indicating temperature
controller and 10" diameter circular
chart recorder.
Grieve Corp – USA
Fax: +1 847 546 9210
Email:
Website: No. 917 from Grieve Corp