A new Hi-Core design enabled ACS Group to build its first large desiccant dryers for PET, the AD series — with outputs up to 4,000 pounds of PET an hour.
Hi-Core stands for heater-in-core. The heating elements are placed directly inside the hollow core of the desiccant canisters. That design gives maximum thermal efficiency, according to ACS of Wood Dale, Ill.
The auxiliary equipment maker claims the design lowers energy costs by 10-15 percent, while reducing regeneration time to less than one hour.
During drying, air from the blower enters the canister from the large surface area on the outside of the cylinder. As the air moves toward the core, its pressure and velocity increase, improving the process of absorbing moisture, ACS said. During regeneration, heated air pressurizes the core of the canister. As the air moves outward, it loses pressure and velocity, slowing down and expanding as its contact time increases with the desiccant.
The dryers, from the firm's AEC unit, can be gas-fired or electric, and use a single electrically actuated air valve, which ACS said is more reliable than traditional pneumatic, two-valve design.
Product manager Kaihan Tavakoli said that if PET is not dried properly, bubbles or spots appear on a PET preform, causing problems during blow molding.
Also new from ACS:
c Its Sterling Inc. unit introduced the SCC series of four central conveying controllers. Local input/output controllers are available for configurations of up to one pump/four stations, two pumps/18 stations and four pumps/38 stations. A distributed I/O controller is available for up to seven pumps and 50 stations.
The system features a 10-inch color touch screen with built-in diagnostic and help functions. The controllers are based on the Allen-Bradley DeviceNet technology, which allows for easy expansion and “hot-swapping of components.”
Sterling also is selling a new line of compact vacuum pumps.
c For extrusion, ACS rolled out its EM series of manual screen changers and the EH hydraulic screen changers. Both ensure leak-free operation up to 10,000 pounds per square inch. The two models feature a patented, pressure-activated seal that allows the processing of polymers up to 850°F, and pressure drops up to 3,000 psi. On the EM models, six manual screen changers are available from 1 inch through 4½ inches. The EH screen changers come in sizes from 2½-6 inches.
c ACS said its R series of central chillers use rotational compression technology, with up to 50 percent fewer moving parts than reciprocating compressors, so they are more reliable. Cooling capacity ranges from 30-195 tons.
In sizes from 30- to 100-ton capacity, the chillers use hermetically sealed screw compressors. Semi-hermetically sealed screw compressors are used in systems sized from 54-195 tons.
Up to 100 tons, both styles of compressors are matched to brazed-plate evaporators; from 115-195 tons they match to shell-and-tube evaporators.
c ACS introduced a temperature controller with more advanced features. Options include an integral start-stop, vent, alarm silence and one-touch, auto-tuning push buttons.
Also in temperature control, the company is pricing its economical ECU series of water-temperature controllers as low as $1,395. Features include an immersion-style Incoloy heater and a bronze-fitted centrifugal pump.
ACS is marketing the new I Series granulator, with three models. ISH heavy-duty granulators have a removable third bed knife and oversized pillow-block-type rotor bearings, making it ideal for wet granulating operations. The 1200 and 2800 granulators are smaller, with soundproof enclosures. The three 12-inch models include integrated blowers and cyclones for easy discharge of material.
Tel. (630) 595-1060, fax (630) 595-8924.
