79.HOW TO DRY COMPLICATED PACKAGES

Packaging of goods has gone beyond simple containers, bottles and cans such as the one depicted in the picture above. This particular packaging of pet food needs to be dried after washing. With limited space and a concern for noise, and high maintenance costs, compressed air operated amplification technology is used over noisy, space inhibiting blowers. Compressed air amplification technology minimizes the use of compressed air significantly. Sensors can indicate when the packages on the conveyor stop coming to shut down the air use when not needed.

But most importantly, it is the flexibility of the compressed air technology which provides excellent drying with minimal space requirements. In this application, two air saving nozzles blow off the water trapped at the bottom inside cavity of the packages (see the two cone shaped air nozzles on the left) and then two air knives (see the two gold colored units at the top third of the picture) wipe off the rest of the moisture.

This approach dramatically reduces the need for a long conveyor and is extremely quiet – the air knives in particular. A minimal amount of compressed air is used and maintenance is minimal. The nozzles and the air knives are aluminum and anodized as non-anodized aluminum will deteriorate in finish quickly in such wet environments. The result is an efficient, effective blow-off, with minimal maintenance, minimal footprint, quiet operation, and rugged, long lasting construction.