Nozzle Replacement in Pre-Treatment Plants
Imagine the following; poor, non-effective cleaning is occurring in a pre-treatment plant and this is resulting in quality-control rejects or worse still, customer complaints. The actual root cause of the problem is due to worn, clogged or poorly aligned nozzles, but this is unknown at the time. It is decided that the problem must be something to do with the chemicals being used.
Perhaps a new batch is being used just before the problems started, so the problem is 'remedied' by either increasing the flow rate or increasing the concentration of chemical cleaner used and this seems to solve the problem for while. The nozzle continues to wear or becomes even more clogged, so the problem reoccurs some time afterwards. The operating costs have increased as chemical usage has increased and money is wasted.
While it may seem logical to blame a poor batch of chemicals, it would perhaps have been advisable to look at the spray set-up/nozzles as well. Nozzles actually wear out far quicker than most people think - particularly if the manufacturing quality of the nozzle is not to a high enough standard. However, it's often the case that the downtime and inconvenience associated with checking and replacing a nozzle arrays deters many maintenance managers from checking this equipment.
The main reason for a plant maintenance manager being dissuaded from doing a nozzle audit is the length of time and effort required. The nozzles need to be taken out, put back in and then re-aligned, which is of course all down time. This being the case, it can be tempting to blame the chemicals for the problem instead of tackling the possible root cause. If left unchecked, this situation can lead to the real cause of the problems going undiagnosed for considerable lengths of time and possibly leading to more serious problems later.
If a problem with the chemicals is incorrectly suggested then increasing chemical flow rates or concentrations may be a temporary 'solution' to the problem, even if it's actually a nozzle problem. However, this 'solution' will provide false validation of the erroneous diagnosis and, hence, the real issue will remain unaddressed. However, the reality may be that the sheer hassle and effort involved is putting maintenance managers off checking their nozzle array.
Spotting the difference between a 45 and 55deg spray tip is almost impossible at the best of times. If you have been sent the wrong product or they have some how been mixed up in your store room, when would you spot the error? For most the honest answer is 'when it's too late' - when spraying starts. But what if the different spray tips and nozzles where made from different coloured plastics? It's a very simple idea but one that can really make a difference.
Often it's just the nozzle tip that needs replacing, although most nozzles will then require re-aligning. For example, quick tip release system nozzles are available, allowing nozzles tips to be snapped in and out at the exact same angle so there is no need for re-alignment. This dramatically reduces the time and hassle of changing over nozzles. Good practice is to have a complete spare set of tips and nozzle holders that are always maintained in top condition.
These can then be quickly snapped into place. The old set can then be checked, cleaned and any worn ones can be re-ordered so that the spare set is ready to be reused. Ask your nozzle supplier if they can offer any advice on the upstream elements of the spray system. A good supplier will generally have expert advice on, or in some cases can even supply, complete riser systems and pipe work. The cost of the chemicals being sprayed far out weighs the cost of the nozzle.
Even a small degradation on performance quickly eliminates any price differential between the cheaper products and the quality products. Nozzles are a relatively low-cost component but if they do go wrong the knock-on costs can be high. Bete offers over 20,000 different 'nozzle' products and this, combined with their specialist technical knowledge, means they can quickly provide the best solution.
No minimum order values are required so, if you only need one nozzle, Bete will deliver one nozzle. Bete nozzles are used across a range of industries for numerous applications. For example; cleaning processing machinery, screen washing, cooling hot gases, extinguishing fires, neutralising micron-size pollutants, coating delicate electronics, and applying colours and flavourings.
Perhaps a new batch is being used just before the problems started, so the problem is 'remedied' by either increasing the flow rate or increasing the concentration of chemical cleaner used and this seems to solve the problem for while. The nozzle continues to wear or becomes even more clogged, so the problem reoccurs some time afterwards. The operating costs have increased as chemical usage has increased and money is wasted.
While it may seem logical to blame a poor batch of chemicals, it would perhaps have been advisable to look at the spray set-up/nozzles as well. Nozzles actually wear out far quicker than most people think - particularly if the manufacturing quality of the nozzle is not to a high enough standard. However, it's often the case that the downtime and inconvenience associated with checking and replacing a nozzle arrays deters many maintenance managers from checking this equipment.
The main reason for a plant maintenance manager being dissuaded from doing a nozzle audit is the length of time and effort required. The nozzles need to be taken out, put back in and then re-aligned, which is of course all down time. This being the case, it can be tempting to blame the chemicals for the problem instead of tackling the possible root cause. If left unchecked, this situation can lead to the real cause of the problems going undiagnosed for considerable lengths of time and possibly leading to more serious problems later.
If a problem with the chemicals is incorrectly suggested then increasing chemical flow rates or concentrations may be a temporary 'solution' to the problem, even if it's actually a nozzle problem. However, this 'solution' will provide false validation of the erroneous diagnosis and, hence, the real issue will remain unaddressed. However, the reality may be that the sheer hassle and effort involved is putting maintenance managers off checking their nozzle array.
Spotting the difference between a 45 and 55deg spray tip is almost impossible at the best of times. If you have been sent the wrong product or they have some how been mixed up in your store room, when would you spot the error? For most the honest answer is 'when it's too late' - when spraying starts. But what if the different spray tips and nozzles where made from different coloured plastics? It's a very simple idea but one that can really make a difference.
Often it's just the nozzle tip that needs replacing, although most nozzles will then require re-aligning. For example, quick tip release system nozzles are available, allowing nozzles tips to be snapped in and out at the exact same angle so there is no need for re-alignment. This dramatically reduces the time and hassle of changing over nozzles. Good practice is to have a complete spare set of tips and nozzle holders that are always maintained in top condition.
These can then be quickly snapped into place. The old set can then be checked, cleaned and any worn ones can be re-ordered so that the spare set is ready to be reused. Ask your nozzle supplier if they can offer any advice on the upstream elements of the spray system. A good supplier will generally have expert advice on, or in some cases can even supply, complete riser systems and pipe work. The cost of the chemicals being sprayed far out weighs the cost of the nozzle.
Even a small degradation on performance quickly eliminates any price differential between the cheaper products and the quality products. Nozzles are a relatively low-cost component but if they do go wrong the knock-on costs can be high. Bete offers over 20,000 different 'nozzle' products and this, combined with their specialist technical knowledge, means they can quickly provide the best solution.
No minimum order values are required so, if you only need one nozzle, Bete will deliver one nozzle. Bete nozzles are used across a range of industries for numerous applications. For example; cleaning processing machinery, screen washing, cooling hot gases, extinguishing fires, neutralising micron-size pollutants, coating delicate electronics, and applying colours and flavourings.
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