Efficient Air Cooling (EAC) Drying System
Energy Efficiency from Waste Heat
Labotek A/S of Fredrikssund, Denmark, is introducing various products this year that achieve greater efficiency by utilizing lost heat. The lost heat utilized comes from various areas of production and is used for drying granulate.
This External Heat Recovery (EHR) offers a way by which external warm water, e. g., from a cooling compressor, can be used for the extrusion process. By means of a heat exchanger, the thermal energy of the water is transferred to the process air in a drying system. Depending upon the temperature and/or available water flow, the manufacturer claims that energy savings of up to 85 % can be realized.
An additional approach to the use of lost heat is presented by the Efficient Air Cooling (EAC) drying system. This system was developed in cooperation with Battenfeld-Cincinnati GmbH of Bad Oeynhausen, Germany, and utilizes the hot lost air from the extrusion process. It can be employed in all pipe extrusion lines compatible with EAC technology. The standard system is offered in three drying capacities 1,500, 2,000 and 2,500 kg/h of HDPE.
Another improvement in the process of drying granulate is represented by the Gravi-Dryer. The difference, according to Labotek, is that it draws only as much energy as is required for a particular throughput and automatically adapts drying time to material throughput. This effectively prevents the plastics granulate from over- or underdrying. Nominal drying hopper volumes range from 15 l to 10,000 l and deliver 100 m³/h to 8,500 m³/h dry air volume.
Fakuma Hall B3, booth 3115
battenfeld-cincinnati Austria GmbH
Labotek A/S
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