Babcock Wanson treads carefully
ERJ staff report (TP)
Chevilly-Larue Cedex, France – Retreading tire specialist Vacu-Lug has installed a second Babcock Wanson ESM2000 Steam Generator complete with flue gas economiser to serve its curing process.
A long standing customer, Vacu-Lug has operated three Babcock Wanson dual fuel VPX 2000RR Steam Generators from 1989 as part of its curing process for retreading tires – which are used for applications varying from delivery vans up to large earth moving dumper vehicles. The Babcock Wanson Generators have retained their original coils for 25 years – a “testament to the quality of the equipment and the water treatment regime carried out by Vacu-Lug’s maintenance department”.
With the VPX-RR units reaching the end of their working life and with the opportunity to make energy savings, Vacu-Lug has opted to update its equipment by installing two Babcock Wanson gas fired vertical ESM2000.
A coil type Steam Generator, the ESM2000 provides high operating efficiency coupled with low emissions.
Peter Connolly, Production Engineer at Vacu-Lug, said: “The ESM 2000 installation, together with an ongoing programme of process plant lagging and steam trap maintenance, has enabled us to significantly reduce our gas usage and cushion the company against rising gas prices.”
With many manufacturers moving from steam to thermal fluid heating, Connolly said: “The curing process is a critical element of the retread process and requires three variables – heat, pressure and time. Steam provides the heat element of this process. The steam generators have proven to be reliable items of plant.
“Since Vacu-Lug is able to process a wide range of tires from those that fit onto delivery vans up to very large tires which can be as large as a delivery van, the curing process can lead to a highly variable steam demand. We have found that steam generators can react to variable steam demands as they can very quickly proceed from standby through to steam generation within minutes.”
Babcock Wanson offers a complete range of products and services for boiler houses and other process heating needs, from steam boilers, thermal fluid heaters, rapid steam generators and hot water boilers to VOC and odour treatment by thermal oxidation, water treatment or process air heating solutions.
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Press release from Babcock Wanson
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