ExVelTM Composite for the Glass industry

Increasing safety, reliability and performance in glass production


Quench and cooling applications in glass production are tough on the fans. The need for quick bursts of quench or cooling air requires the fans to either accelerate/decelerate quickly or have quick closing guide vanes to start and stop the air flow at many short intervals and on demand. Each of these methods create significant stressing cycles on the fan impeller and thereby also to the bearings, couplings, and even casings and other components. These stressing cycles can result in higher potential for failures, lower reliability, extra downtime and maintenance, and potentially catastrophic results which may cause damage to equipment, property, and possibly injuries to personnel, not to mention lost production. Likewise, because of the limitations and potential risks of using steel impeller fans, more energy may be consumed than is necessary, and glass production could be limited. 

Howden’s ExVel Composite turbo fans are a game changer for glass producers, helping them increase production, optimize energy usage, and most importantly improving safety. ExVel Composite turbo fans are substantially more resistant to high cycle fatigue due to start/stops, speed changes, and process changes, are able to accelerate and decelerate quickly, reduce the loads to associated equipment, and allow process to be optimized to save energy, cost, and reduce the carbon footprint.

 

Improve Plant Safety

ExVel Composite impellers have a virtually infinite fatigue life which substantially reduces the risk of catastrophic failures and potential damage to surrounding equipment and property and possible injury to personnel.

Reduce Maintenance Costs

Because of the nearly infinite fatigue life as well as the inherent properties of ExVel Composite impellers, there is no need for anything more than an annual visual inspection of the impeller during annual planned shutdown. This eliminates the requirement for more frequent planned shutdowns for non-destructive examinations of impellers made from steel.

Increase Operational Uptime

The superior reliability and fatigue life of ExVel Composite impellers, combined with its uniquely lightweight properties that reduce loads to associated components, such as bearings and couplings, extends their service life. This provides unparalleled total reliability, thereby reducing planned and unplanned downtime and generating longer operational uptime.

Lower Energy Costs and Carbon Footprint

The low weight and inertia of ExVel Composite impellers allow these fans to be accelerated and decelerated quickly with variable speed control, yielding substantial power savings between cooling cycles and therefore lowering the carbon footprint (i.e. Glass quenching and cooling applications).

Improve Production

ExVel turbo fans are unique in all of fan industry and can generate up to four times (4X) the pressure of traditional centrifugal fans. ExVel turbo fans can be selected to provide enhanced flow and pressure rise performance to improve production across different glass recipes, batches, and changing ambient or seasonal cooling air conditions.

Save Energy and Improve Production


ExVel Composite offers users the potential to save energy and lower operating costs, and also achieve higher flow and/or pressure performance to enhance or even increase production.

  • faster start/stop and acceleration/deceleration times
  • faster response times to process conditions or load changes
  • unlimited speed or load changes
  • no mechanical controls required (i.e. no guide vanes, dampers, etc.)

 

Exvel chart
Exvel chart
Exvel chart
Exvel chart

Benefits of carbon fiber technology with ExVel turbo fans

Superior Fatigue Life compared to steel / metals

  • Improve plant safety and reliability
  • Composite materials have nearly unlimited fatigue life therefore substantially improving operational reliability
  • Metals fail after substantially fewer cycles due to fatigue

Drastic Weight Reduction

  • Reduce downtime, operating cost, and maintenance
  • Composite materials are substantially lighter weight than steel therefore consuming less energy and resulting in lower loads and wear to connected components like bearings, couplings, etc.
  • Heavy materials like steel make high performance designs difficult and reduced life and reliability

Corrosion Resistant

  • Extend operational life and reduce maintenance
  • No oxidation / rusting
  • No maintenance or up-keep for corrosion resistance
  • Good for environments subject to corrosive agents

Design Versatility

  • A better fit for your challenging application
  • Composites can be shaped and formed in ways steels / metals cannot
  • Impeller can be optimized to the application

Learn more about ExVel Composite

ExVel Composite turbo fans are the new state of the art in centrifugal fan technology

 

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