Atlas Copco's one-for-two switch at foam maker Celotex
3 Nov 2011
Hadleigh, UK – Celotex, based in Hadleigh, Suffolk, manufactures PIR (polyisocyanurate) insulation materials for the construction industry. Dry compressed air is an essential factor in Celotex’s continuous production process for insulation board assembly, which sandwiches PIR foam between two layers of aluminium foil or mineral glass tissue facer.
The installation provides the completely moisture-free air blanket required for the production process and, because of its variable speed drive feature that matches output to production demands, is a major factor in reducing energy consumption.
With these requirements in mind, Celotex has replaced two existing Atlas Copco ZT37 fixed speed, oil-free compressors and associated refrigerant dryers with a single air-cooled ZT75VSD FF machine incorporating an IMD heat-of-compression technology dryer.
Atlas Copco said its compressor was supplied as a pre-wired and pre-piped solution, ready for use ’out of the box’. By integrating the IMD dryer with a variable speed drive enables the compact package to supply high quality dry compressed air at the lowest cost, the company claims.
The IMD adsorption dryer eliminates the moisture before it enters the air net to ensure a reliable process and a contamination-free end product, Atlas Copco also pointed out. No external energy, it added, is needed to dry the air, and as the dryer needs no purge air, no compressed air is wasted.
“The pressure drop through the dryer is minimal, which again cuts down its operating cost. The overall effect is to generate substantial savings in comparison to conventional types of dryer operation,” said Atlas Copco.
