EFC

Electronic Flow Control minimizes compressed air use for blowoff, drying, cooling, conveying and static elimination operations! Dramatically reduces compressed air costs by turning off the air when no part is present!

---

What is The EFC?

EXAIR's EFC is user-friendly electronic flow control for compressed air that is designed to minimize compressed ai use on blowoff, drying, cooling, conveying and static elimination operations. The EFC combines a photoelectric sensor with a timing control that limits compressed air use by turning it off when no parts is present. The timing control permits easy turning to the application requirements while providing flexibility in sensing distance. The EFC also has eight programmable on and off modes.

Why The EFC?

For most companies, the air compressor uses more electricity that any other type of equipment. One simple operation that uses compressed air can easily waste thousands of electricity dollars per year if not properly controlled. The EFC has been designed to improve efficiency by minimizing compressed air use, and as a result, reduce compressed air costs. It turns on the air only when a part is present and provides just enough air to complete a specific task or operation.

The EFC has an easy electrical connection for voltages from 100 to 240VAC, 50/60Hz making it suitable for applications throughout the world. The compact photoelectric sensor has a sensitivity adjustment and detects objects up to 3' (1m) away. The sensor has superior immunity to noise and inductive loads that are common to industrial environments and installs easily in tight spaces with the supplied mounting bracket. The control system provides flexibility with numerous valve operating modes and timing delays. The polycarbonate enclosure is suitable for use in a wide range of applications including those located in wet environments.

Applications:

• Auto body blowoff
• Package cleaning
• Part drying afetr wash
• Dust removal
• Scrap removal
• Filling operations
• Cooling hot parts
• Neutralizing static
• Cleaning molded parts

Advantages:

• Easy electrical hook-up; 100-240VAC, 50/60Hz
• NEMA 4/IP66 environments
• Compact sensor for mounting in tight spaces
• Eight function analog timer for on/off, pulsing and delay control
• Timer setting from 0.10 sec. to 120 hrs.
• Sensor withstands water and dust for accurate readings
• Sensor has superior immunity to noise and inductive loads
• Sensor has long distance sensing up to 3 feet (1m)

Here are some case studies:

$5,012.28 Annual Air Saving For Pre-Paint Bumper Cleaning

A manufacturer of car bumpers installed a 60” (1524mm) Super Ion Air Knife in the down draft cleaning area prior to their paint booth. The bumpers enter that area in the same orientation as they would when mounted to the automobile, moving at 10’ (3m) per minute with a 12” (305mm) space between bumpers. The bumpers are under the blow off for 10 seconds. 6 seconds pass with no bumper in the ionized airflow. The operation runs around the clock with three shifts.

Old Method:

EXAIR’s 60” (1524mm) Super Ion Air Knife was supplied at 40 PSIG to clean the bumper.

At 40 PSIG, EXAIR’s 60” (1524mm) Super Ion Air Knife consumes 102 SCFM (2,887 SLPM).

Non-stop blowing of 1,440 minutes (24 hours) per day x 102 SCFM = 146,880 SCF (4,156,704 SL) air usage per day.

Before the EFC installation:

Most large plants know their air cost. If the actual cost is unknown, $0.25 per 1,000 SCF (28,329 SL) is reasonable.

146,880 SCF/1,000=146.88 x $.25 = $36.72 air cost per day

New Method:

The EFC was installed to shut off the compressed air for the 6 seconds where no bumper was present - an on cycle reduction of 37.5%.
1,440 minutes x 37.5% = 540 minutes of off time per day

With the EFC installed:

146,880 SCF X 62.5% on cycle = 91,800 SCF/1,000 = 91.8 x $.25 =

$22.95 air cost per day

$36.72 (old air cost) - $22.95 (new air cost) =

$13.77 savings per day x 7 days per week =

$96.39 savings per week x 52 weeks per year =

$5,012.28 savings per year.

The timer was set to the “interval” setting when detecting the bumpers. The sensor was mounted next to the Super Ion Air Knives. When it detected a bumper, it turned the air on immediately and started the 10 second timing sequence for closing the valve (shutting the air off). In the event the conveyor stopped, the air would no longer cycle on again until the next bumper was detected (the conveyor was turned on again).

 

$3,393 Annual Air Savings On A TAnk Blowoff Operation

A company that refurbishes large pressurized tanks runs the tanks through an oven to burn off the old paint. Only one tank at a time can be processed. The single tank is loaded onto the conveyor and the system is turned on. The conveyor starts to move and the series of Super Air Knives used for blowoff at the exit of the oven is turned on. At 80 PSIG, the four Super Air Knives consume 348 SCFM (9,848 SLPM). The blowoff runs for 5 minutes waiting for the first tank to make it through the oven and approach the airflow (wastes 1,740 SCF/49,242 SLof air). It takes one minute to pass through the airstream. Once the blowoff is complete, the conveyor stops and the air is shutoff. The stripped tank is taken off the conveyor and another tank loaded at the other end. They typically run 30 pressurized tanks per day, five days per week.

Old Method:

It takes 6 minutes to complete the process.

6 minutes x 348 SCFM = 2,088 SCFM (59,090 SL)

2,088 SCFx30 tanks=62,640 SCF (1,772,712 SL)

Most large plants know their air cost. If the actual cost is unknown, $0.25 per 1,000 SCF (28,329 SL) is reasonable.

62,640 SCF/1,000 = 62.64 x $.25 = $15.66 air cost per day.

New Method:

The EFC was installed to shut off the compressed air for the 5 minutes where no tank was present (one minute of air on).
1 minute X 348 SCFM = 348 SCF x 30 tanks = 10,440 SCF (295,452 SL)

With the EFC installed:

10,440 SCF/1,000 = 10.44 x $.25 = $2.61 air cost per day

$15.66 (old cost) - $2.61 (new cost) =

$13.05 savings per day x 5 days per week =

$65.25 savings per week x 52 weeks per year =

$3,393 savings per year.

The timer was set to “on/off delay” when detecting the tanks. The best place to mount the sensor was at the oven exit that was 1 minute away from the blowoff station. Once the tank started to exit the oven, the timing sequence began and turned on the air just as the tank reached the blowoff station. The duration time of the blowoff was set at one minute.

If you need more info, please Contact Us

---

---