OVENS , SPRABOOTHS & PROCESS HEATING
Rotational mould specialist gains from latest Lanemark process gas burner technology
Romold , manufacturers of plastic spill containment products , is now benefiting from the latest process gas heating technology from Lanemark Combustion Engineering . Rotational moulding operations now undertaken by the Livingston-based company feature a Lanemark FDGA forced draught burner system which is delivering clear benefits in terms of both improved operations and greater energy efficiency .
“ We have been happy to provide a maintenance and support service for Romold ’ s existing burner system for a considerable number of years despite it not being one of our own designs ,” says Lanemark Sales Manager , Adrian Cadman . “ Over time , this gas burner had reduced in efficiency and , indeed , some of the spares and consumables it can need had , effectively , become obsolete – so the gains that could be achieved by the new installation were clear cut .”
A Lanemark FD30GAN-3 burner , rated at 1,320 kW , together with a combustion air fan inlet filter , control system and associated pipework upgrade are all now operational at the site . The improvement in efficiency was evident from day one , according to the company ’ s Production Planning Manager , Michael Adams –
“ Our old burner would take some 45 minutes to reach the target temperature of 260 ° C , which has now been reduced to just five minutes ,” he says . “ Heat distribution is also very even throughout the chamber which has a direct operational input on the quality of the product that is at the heart of our reputation .”
The Lanemark burner fires through the wall of a Rotospeed machine within which a multi-directional arm , that supports the mould , moves to achieve the optimum flow of the heated crushed polyurethane pellets that are central to the rotational moulding process .
“ Significantly , the design of the FDGA burner features an electronic variable speed drive which receives temperature control signals from the system temperature controller , interfacing them directly with the combustion air fan motor ,” explains Adrian Cadman . “ When the required process operating temperature has been reached a control signal is sent to the burner controls and the combustion air fan speed slows down reducing the air pressure that it generates . This is then transmitted to the latest generation gas / air modulating control valves so that the gas flow is reduced proportionally .” He adds that this not only helps to maximise efficiency but also eradicates the need for mechanical linkages which can be prone to slippage or wear and tear .
The Lanemark installation at Romold has been supplied complete with the burner
manufacturer ’ s BurnerCare support package which delivers ongoing operational confidence via a combination of factors that include service agreements , spares supply and engineer support .
“ This facility is a vital part of the production process for a company that plays a major role in its industry in the UK and worldwide ,” concludes Lanemark Sales Director Jeff Foster . “ We are very happy to have enhanced our involvement with Romold with this new installation and believe that it will meet the customer ’ s process heating objectives for many years to come .”
Telephone : ( 024 ) 7635 2000 Email : info @ lanemark . com Visit : www . lanemark . com
74 OCTOBER 2020 read online : www . surfaceworld . com