Lanemark Process Gas Burner Systems Help JCB Optimise Manufacturing Quality
Gas process air burner technology from Lanemark International is now playing a key role in the heating of two painting lines installed at JCB Heavy Products in Uttoxeter, where the company manufactures tracked and wheeled excavators from 11 to 46 tonnes. (Read More)
The ‘Attachment’ and ‘Revolver’ process lines, designed and installed by Lichfield-based George Koch (Europe) Limited, include air handling units and post curing ovens, each fitted with Lanemark high performance burner systems. The air handling units for each of the twin paint spray booths raises the air flow from an external temperature as low as -10°C to 21°C using Lanemark Midco direct fired duct burner systems.
“The Attachment line processes manufactured parts through a series of application stages,” comments Keith Taylor, Sales & Marketing Manager at George Koch. “These include a shot blasting station followed by paint primer application, a flash-off facility, top coat painting and a final curing oven.”
The primer and top coat facilities are heated by a George Koch air handling system which delivers air volume at a rate of more than 62 m³ per second. Air movement is centred on a ducting arrangement that separates the air flow into the two process zones.
The Attachment line is a 2.5 MW rated heating installation which utilises 16 x 12” Midco burner sections, configured as a straight assembly, and operates under a negative air pressure of 175 Pa. This is provided by a centrifugal air fan located downstream of the burner. The adjacent Revolver line features a similar arrangement with a 2.0 MW burner system operating in an air flow of 52 m³ per second.
“We worked closely with George Koch to make full use of our DB calculation software to set minimum design criteria for the system configuration for each of the two air handling unit installations,” comments Lanemark’s General Manager Adrian Langford. “The software calculates the optimum duct dimensions, the burner rating and the air speed and pressure across the burner to achieve a facility which produces highly effective results and is extremely energy efficient. As well as providing the correct heat input under winter operating conditions, the burner systems are capable of a ‘turndown’ which is able to deliver an air temperature rise of only 1 – 2 °C when the outside air temperature is 19 – 20 °C.”
Three Lanemark Forced Draught (FD) oven heating burner systems have also been specified by George Koch within the painting facilities. The first provides process air heating for the flash-off oven within the Attachment line, while on the Revolver line, two separate FD installations supply process air heat for both the flash-off and the curing oven facilities.
Installed as part of JCB Heavy Products’ move from former premises in the centre of Uttoxeter, the painting lines have provided both extra capacity and increased process control. “The latter is a key area in which our burner designs can make a significant contribution to the provision of accurate temperature control,” adds Adrian Langford.
“The decision to opt for direct fired gas heating was centred on a number of key benefits that it offers as an energy medium,” adds Keith Taylor at George Koch. “It is highly flexible, cost effective and offers the opportunity for extremely accurate control. The Lanemark designs made the most of these factors whilst fulfilling the technical compliance parameters that were defined for the installation.”
As one of the major manufacturers worldwide in its field, JCB has a leading reputation for production facilities that reflect both its design capability and the quality of its extensive range of construction equipment. The decision to build the purpose-designed facility on the outskirts of Uttoxeter is testimony to this commitment, and the use of high quality Lanemark burner systems – linked to the process engineering capability of George Koch – has played a key role in maximising the productivity and the success of the plant to date.
Lanemark International Ltd.
Lanemark House
Whitacre Road
Nuneaton
Warwickshire
CV11 6BW
Tel : (024) 7635 2000
Fax : (024) 7634 1166
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Website : www.lanemark.com
