Secomak’s Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) Produces Significant Energy Saving Costs
company news from - Secomak Ltd
17 November 2008
Process drying experts Secomak and their KTP partners, The University of Hertfordshire, have produced a total drying solution for the manufacturing Industry, which mirrors the way hybrid cars save energy.
This new drying solution by Secomak is used primarily to dry bottles or cans, and the system can be customised to dry any container, but has potential to dry sheet metal or plastic extrusions. The results promise to be world beating with savings of up to 50% in energy costs. The solution utilised by the collaborative team involves only drying when necessary.
The Powerstrip is equipped with sensors, which can detect when a product needs to be dried. The machine engages stainless steel nozzles that, among other things, shoot compressed air underneath the bottles crowns to dry them. Alternatively blown air can be released through slots on the side of the machine and driven across the surface of the bottles to dry them for labelling.
This product is the result of a government funded Knowledge Transfer Partnership to which University of Hertfordshire Graduate in Aerospace systems, David Palmer has brought his skills in Computational Fluid Dynamics, project management and project planning.
David Palmer stated, ‘The Big advantage of this system is that the machine is equipped with sensors which sense when the product needs to be dried, rather than the dryer working all the time’.
Secomak Product Development Manager, David Dell backs up this notion. ‘The theory behind our machines is identical to the engineering philosophies applied in the hybrid Car. ‘Supply on demand’ on a production line is identical to the stopping of a hybrid car’s engine when stationary. The car runs on petrol and electricity, whilst our machines run on both blower driven air and compressed air and is the first machine of its kind to do this. With the new package able to control noise and energy savings on all of our systems, industrial dryers will know be able to make a real difference to our environment’.
As drying is one of the major energy issues within industry, using the technologies developed between Secomak and the University of Hertfordshire, they can enable intelligent and optimised methods of drying whilst incorporating major savings in energy resources. For more information on Secomak KTP activities, please visit David Dells blog at www.totaldrying.com.
