SolvAir's bespoke drying solution resolves significant issues for Arconic's aluminium plate production.

Arconic’s Birmingham plant faced significant issues in its quench zone, which brings the plate down to ambient temperature and must leave it free of process water on both faces. Noise levels exceeded 100dBA, power consumption stood at 130kW and drying performance was substandard. The existing system removed moisture ineffectively, so operators had to take water off the top surface by hand with squeegee bars, which compromised efficiency and worker safety.

SolvAir began with a site visit, bringing demo equipment to run small-scale trials and assess where the process could be improved. The drying system that followed incorporated four 15kW blowers and 3800mm Stainless Steel Air Knives, with two Air Knives above the plate and two below blowing up onto its underside. Whilst the bottom Air Knives are fixed in place, the top Air Knives are height-adjustable, enabling them to be set according to plate thickness, ensuring efficient moisture removal while significantly reducing energy consumption and noise levels.

Each Air Knife is supplied by its own 15kW blower, giving a combined installed power of 60kW against the 130kW previously, a 54% reduction in power usage. Arconic’s Health & Safety Officer set a maximum of 83dBA for the new system, and the sound level tests they carried out recorded it below that limit.