UK Car Plant Humidity, Dust Control & Cooling Case Study
A Sealpump Engineering Case Study
"Humidity & Dust Control Case Study: UK Car Manufacturer"
Issue:
The many different stages of car manufacturing require accurate and controlled room climate, which includes achieving and maintaining the correct relative humidity.
When a UK car manufacturing plant contacted Sealpump it was because they needed to create a humidity controlled environment in the sanding and inspection bays, however, the main issue they had was from airborne dust created by the polishing and sanding out of imperfections in the car body’s finish. The cars are inspected under white light and any imperfections in the car body are sanded off before the cars go for painting. Due to the dry, warm environment, the dust particles created by the sanding stayed airborne and then settled back down on the car body as the cars moved onto the paint plant.
Once painted, the dust particles were visible on the cars painted finish and therefore, further inspections, sanding and painting were needed, adding time and expense to the process.
Creating the correct humidity level in these areas would allow the dust to be drawn from the air and away from the car bodies while also improving the general air quality.
Solution:
Sealpump engineers visited site to look at the process along with a technician from Merlin Technology Gmbh and it was decided that an Alpha Direct Room Humidification system would be the ideal solution.
There were two sanding bays that needed humidity and dust control, with the potential for other areas to be added to at later dates. The Alpha system can control multiple zones independently and features a high performance water lubricated pump to achive the 70 bar water pressure needed to run the humidifier modules and nozzles. Therefore a 2 zone activated Alpha was installed along with 20 x AER1 nozzle modules in each sanding bay.
Sealpump installed the system over weekends so as not to disturb production and to allow for commissioning and testing prior to production starting up again.
Results:
Following installation and commissioning of the two zone system, the relative humidity was set to 55% rh in both zones. Each zone is controlled independently, with cylced run times for the nozzles in order to accurately control the moisture content in the air.
Airborne dust particles were captured by the fine water particles, settling them to the floor with the aid of the heavier water droplets, the moisture of which evaporates before hitting any surface, therefore making a complete non-wetting system.
Further Benefits: AdiabaticAn adiabatic humidifier is a type of humidification system that adds moistur... ...click for more Cooling:
The temperature in these areas of a car plant can become quite high, especially in the summer months, and a major benefit the Alpha Humidification system has was that it provided adiabatic cooling for the operators working there.
The ultra fine mist particles evaporate, adding moisture to the air and thereore provide extra cooling.
This was such a benefit to the staff, that they requested, the system be extended to other areas to provide localised adiabatic cooling for the staff.
One system…3 benefits! Humidification…Dust Control…Adiabatic Cooling!!!
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