Heating & cooling.

Heating & Cooling

At a show dominated by primary process machinery and large materials suppliers, manufacturers of heating and cooling equipment still were able to show off some new innovations--among them, a highly energy-efficient temperature controller and a new line of air- and water-cooled central and portable chillers from a new supplier to plastics manufacturing.

Conair Tempro, Elgin, Ill., introduced the micro Trac 2 temperature controller, featuring a new valve that reportedly reduces energy consumption by as much as 50%. The valve, manufactured by Barber-Colman Corp., Loves Park, Ill., eliminates "water hammer" usually associated with solenoid valves, Conair says. A solenoid valve, which allows a slug of cold water to enter the process stream when it opens, turns on the controller's heater prematurely in order to compensate for the cold-water injection, causing the unit to work overtime. The new modulating valve on the micro Trac 2 opens slowly and precisely, reportedly reducing heater operation and resulting in less energy consumption. Prices of these new units start at $1950.

AEC, Inc., Wood Dale, Ill., introduced a number of new temperature-control products at this year's show, including new 75- and 200-ton fiberglass-induced draft cooling towers, a brand-new line of portable chillers, and a redesigned tower and process pump tanks. The cooling towers are additions to the company's FG series that already includes 30-, 50-, 100-, 125- and 150-ton models. They have large-orifice ABS nozzles that resist plugging, corrosion and scaling. The new portable chillers, the PortaKool II series, have a small footprint and are available in both air- and water-cooled models. The units feature 30-65 F operation; 0-30 F operation is an option. The redesigned tower and process tanks--the PT-644, PT-664 and PT-1066--are additions to the line of seven previously introduced units that range in size from 150- to 6190-gal pump tanks. The tanks have epoxy-lined steel reservoirs, while the pumps use a centrifugal design with cast iron housings, bronze impellers, and mechanical seals.

A new supplier in this field made its debut at NPE '91. Alpine Industries Inc., Bridgeport, Ind., offers a complete line of air- and water-cooled central and portable water chillers for the plastics industry, a company spokesman says.

Alpha Equipment Co., Fayetteville, Ga., announced the expansion of its line of high-flow filters with the introduction of units that can circulate and filter from 60 to 885 gpm of water. Reportedly, these units eliminate in-plant water contamination and reduce maintenance on large-volume water systems by filtering unwanted suspended solids through a media base. When using dual filters, the above capacities can be doubled, an Alpha spokesman says.

PHOTO : Barber-Colman's modulating valve helps the new microTrac 2 temperature controllers from Conair Tempro use about 50% less energy than controllers with solenoid valves.