Pneumatic Actuator Application Guide for The Asphalt Industry

There are two main types of asphalt plants, batch and continuous. Batch plants are the most widespread and offer the greatest flexibility. Single batch mixes can be produced per each customer’s requirements. Individual components are weighed and metered separately every 50-60 seconds to produce a complete batch. Continuous plants produce single mix asphalt in large quantities without interruption. The production system is simplified, which reduces maintenance, but offers less flexibility.

The following Application Guide concentrates on batch plants, although similarities exist between both.

You can read the guide below, or download it from Kintrol USA'a site here.

Kinetrol USA Exhibiting at Process Expo 2017

Kinetrol USA will exhibit it's pneumatic vane actuators for use in foodservice and beverage processing at Process Expo 2017

The exposition will be held on September 19–22, 2017 at McCormick Place in Chicago, IL.

Kinetrol's exhibit is located in the North Hall, booth #2670.

Kinetrol will be promoting it'd new "Blueline" actuator and accessories. The Blueline actuators are intended to be installed in areas where harsh chemical wash-down is required. These areas are very tough on most types of pneumatic actuators because the caustic or acidic chemicals used in cleaning adversely effect the actuator.
Blueline actuator
Blueline actuator.

PROCESS EXPO is the nation’s largest trade show dedicated to bringing the latest technology and integrated solutions to all segments of the food and beverage industry.

Food and beverage processors from small to large companies across the globe attend PROCESS EXPO in Chicago, USA. Attendees cover a range of food production and manufacturing responsibilities including CEO, owner, corporate management, sales and marketing, production, operations, sanitation, maintenance, research and development, quality assurance, engineering, chefs, contract manufacturers, and more.

The attendees also represent a cross section of vertical markets in addition to manufacturers outside the food industry that can benefit from the machines, products, and safety issues covered at PROCESS EXPO. The vertical markets include:
  • Bakery, Grains, Seeds, and Snacks 
  • Beverage 
  • Dairy 
  • Meat, Poultry, Seafood 
  • Prepared Foods, Fruits, Vegetables 
  • Confectionery, Candy, Sweets 
  • Pet Foods
For more information, about Process Expo visit this link. Contact Kinetrol USA at 972-447-9443 or by visiting their website at www.kinetrolusa.com.

Actuators for Ergonomic Moving and Lifting Equipment

Ergonomic manipulators (also know as ergo arms, articulating arms, articulating jib arms, and lift assist devices) are lifting assistance devices used to help workers lift, maneuver, and place items that are impossible to safely lift themselves.

Ergonomic lift assist devices increase productivity while offering an economic solution to material handling needs. They create a better way to work providing a safe and healthy workplace for employees, while increasing efficiency and productivity at the same time.

The Kinetrol vane actuator is an ideal pneumatic drive for industrial ergonomic manipulators due to:
  • Compact size
  • Powerful
  • Wide range of torque outputs
  • Exceptionally smooth control
For more information, visit http://www.kinetrolusa.com or call 972-447-9443.

Why Vane Actuators Are Better - We'll Make This Easy

With millions of actuators performing reliably around the world, the Kinetrol vane actuators' outstanding cycle life, smooth and precise movement, and environmentally rugged design makes it the best choice for all of your valve actuation needs.

The rotary vane actuator design is based upon a single moving part which eliminates additional parts required to convert linear motion to rotary motion. This simple and innovative design provides a highly accurate and extremely reliable actuator for operating valves, drives and dampers, and is perfectly suited for the most demanding process control control applications.

Choosing the Right Valve Actuator for Pulp & Paper Processing

In pulp and paper mills there are many hazardous, corrosive and reactive chemicals used in the chemical pulping process.  This particularly hostile atmosphere demands properly engineered automated valve systems and ruggedized valve actuators, spring units, and positioners.

If you understand the basics of how paper is made, and what chemicals are normally found in the environment, you'll understand immediately why special attention needs to be taken for valve and actuator selection. 

In the early stage of paper production, during the separation of pulp from wood chips, digesters combine high heat and a strong alkaline liquid called "white liquor" to turn wood chips into pulp. The white liquor breaks down the lignin (the material that holds the wood fiber together) in wood chips and mixes with the white liquor to form a by-product referred to as "black liquor".  Another by-product of this process is Hydrogen Sulfide, a poisonous, corrosive, and flammable gas. 

Valve on a green liquor line
8" valve on a green liquor line
with Kinetrol Model 14
Black liquor is then sent to recovery boilers where molten solids - namely Sodium Sulfide, Sodium Carbonate - are formed. These molten solids are sent to tanks and mixed with water to become "green liquor". 

While this phase of the process presents challenges to valve and actuator selection, the use of and exposure to harsh chemicals and compounds is not limited to the wood chip/pulp separation stage. 

Later in the paper production process, the pulp is washed, screened and bleached. During this phase, valve actuators are exposed to atmospheres containing many other aggressive compounds such as Oxygen Chlorine, Hydrogen Peroxide, and Ozone.

Proper selection of valves and actuators is critical for worker safety, plant safety, and for the quality of the paper production. All components - valves, actuators, spring units, and positioners - need to be carefully selected to provide safe operation, redundancy, optimum control, and optimal service life.

Kinetrol products are designed for just such service and have an outstanding reputation in these applications. To find out how and why, visit http://www.kinetrolusa.com or call 972-447-9443.


Kinetrol Product Line Video

A short overview of the Kinetrol product line.

For over 50 years Kinetrol has been providing trouble-free valve and damper actuators to the chemical, biofuel, food & beverage, metal, mineral, oil, gas, pharmaceutical, power generation, paper, textile, water, wastewater, and transportation industries.

Pneumatic Actuators Designed to Handle Food Processing Wash Down

self-foaming general purpose cleaners are applied
Self-foaming, caustic cleaners are
applied to everything in the room.
Cleaning procedures in food processing plants are beyond meticulous. The have to be. The result could be the introduction of dangerous bacteria that can cause sickness, or even death. Regular, painstaking, and methodical cleaning of equipment, piping, valves, actuators, walls and floors is critical for product safety.

Many plants operate two 8-hour shifts, and reserve a third shift for a meticulous cleaning. During the cleaning shift, all equipment is locked out and tagged for safety, and then disassembled to provide access to all the small "nooks and crannies" where food and bacteria can hide. The next step involves a pre-rinse where any visible product debris is removed with hot water. Up next is the soap and scrub phase, where self-foaming general purpose cleaners are applied on all the equipment, walls, floors and drains of the production facility and then scrubbed with brushes and sponges.

It’s important to note that everything in the room is washed with these caustic and/or acidic cleaners.

The next step is typically another hot water wash-down, followed by careful visual inspections using flashlights to ensure all debris has been removed. The equipment is then re-assembled and swabbed with bioluminescence agents that glow when potential problem areas are found. Many processors go one step further and include a final step where they again flood the equipment, walls, and floor with cool water and more caustic sanitizer.

Kinetrol Blueline
Kinetrol Blueline
for foodservice
applications.
It's obvious that this process is extremely tough on equipment and machine components. Any device in this environment must withstand frequent wash downs with foaming acids, self-foaming chlorinated caustic cleaners, and sanitizers. All piping, valves and fittings are stainless steel, which provides excellent cleaniblility and withstands the harsh chemicals. For components (such as valve actuators) that are not produced in stainless steel, the Food and Drug Administration allows for the use of "Resinous and Polymeric Coatings” (properly known as 21 CFR 175.300).

Recently, Kinetrol introduced it's new “Blueline” pneumatic actuator which was tested and meets the requirements of 21 CFR 175.300. This new actuator stands up to the wash down chemicals used in plant cleaning making them available for use in areas where other pneumatic actuators are not approved, or simply can not stand up to the environment.

The Blueline Series provides food and beverage processors all the time-proven benefits of the Kinetrol PLUS provides an affordable option for tough chemical wash-down areas. For more information, visit Kinetrol USA's website or call 972-447-9443.