Manufacturing
Built in two sections, the system at the exit of the wash removes surface water from passing trains and runs automatically in unmanned areas, in all weathers.
SolvAir designed and supplied the blow-off system for the exit of an East Coast train washing station. Two 15kW high-speed centrifugal blowers supply the air, and the final manifold carries 26 SV10 Nozzles to cover a 3000mm span. Trains and carriages now leave the wash clean and dry, without water staining or risk of icing.
Rail operators on the East Coast of England were considering proposals for a new train and carriage washing system, and wanted to address problems with their existing washing systems. These included water staining on windows, door seals freezing in cold winter periods and trains leaving the wash still wet. A drying system was therefore needed, so that trains and carriages left the washing station clean and completely dry.
Because the cleaning areas are unmanned, the drying system had to operate automatically and need little maintenance. It also had to keep working through all four seasons and in all types of weather, including temperatures below freezing. With only a limited electrical power supply at the site, the system had to be highly energy efficient, both to suit that supply and to keep costs down.
SolvAir divided the system into two sections, so that no mechanical or electrical connections had to be made overhead or below ground, where they would risk accidental damage.
The air devices also had to sit a safe distance from the train. Linear Air Knives are most effective at a maximum distance of around 100mm, whereas SV10 Nozzles are more effective at longer distances from a surface, so SolvAir specified fixed-position SV10 Nozzles with a full 250mm clearance. They are set in an angled arrangement that removes water from the carriage from top to bottom, and the final manifold carries 26 of them to cover a 3000mm span.
Two 15kW high-speed centrifugal blowers supply air to the Nozzle Manifolds, each housed in an enclosure that protects it from the elements. Aimed specifically at Air Knife drying and blow-off applications, these highly efficient blowers have a simple design, with an electric motor and a high-speed turbocharger connected by a belt drive. Annual servicing is limited to the drive belt and air inlet filter, and each blower is backed by a 3 year warranty.
Because the pipework and mountings are fixed in position and made from stainless steel and galvanised steel, the system can operate 24/7 in a wide range of weather conditions. Its compact layout is easily located in existing train washing set-ups, and trains leave it cleaned and dried without risk of icing or water staining.
“The overall performance of our system, and its exceptional energy efficiency, surpassed even SolvAir’s expectations!”
Chris Davies Managing Director
Could this work on your line? Talk it through with a SolvAir engineer.
Trusted by manufacturers across the globe, SolvAir's Air Knife Systems are proven across the world's most demanding production lines.
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Talk it through with a SolvAir engineer. If compressed air is anywhere in your cleaning, drying or blow-off process, the savings case usually writes itself.
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