State-of-the-Art Equipment and Extra Safety Precautions Help nexAir

State-of-the-Art Equipment and Extra Safety Precautions
State-of-the-Art Equipment and Extra
Safety Precautions Help nexAir Keep
Atop Cylinder Filling Trends
By Troy Goode
While traditional cylinder delivery remains a large portion of our business,
we’ve seen a lot of customers buying into
microbulk and even bulk gas systems for
lower costs, an uninterrupted supply of
product and on-site customer inventory
management via telemetry. We’ve also
realized the extraordinary benefits of utilizing bulk gas systems for filling cylinder
gases for delivery, and recently installed a
Chart Siphon 100™ Bulk Storage Tank at
our cylinder filling plant in Memphis. This
is just one of the ways we’ve expanded our
capabilities to ensure ease of use for our
customers while also staying atop the industry’s most recent trends.
Newest Argon Bulk Tank
Saves Time and Money
At nexAir, we are constantly looking for
new methods, equipment, or technologies
to improve our efficiency, decrease costs
and increase product utilization. Qualitative measurement of product losses is essential for reducing gas costs, and we’ve
been able to save costs by keeping good
production records and effectively controlling our inventory. nexAir invested in
the Siphon 100 tank mainly to decrease
product losses and save on maintenance
costs.
Used primarily for filling high-pressure
cylinders, liquid cylinders, and transports,
the Siphon 100 tank is unique in that it
allows us to utilize close to 100 percent
of the tank’s contents. By integrating
two technologies — a thermal-siphoning
system within the tank itself and Chart’s
multi-layer Composite Super Insulation™
— we can effectively reduce heat from the
inside and outside of the tank. The thermal-siphoning technology repurposes the
heat from pumping and keeps the pressure
in the vessel low (between 75 and 100
pounds per square inch gauge). The super
insulation is roughly 30-70 percent more
effective in reducing the heat transfer from
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nexAir invested in the Siphon 100 tank mainly to decrease product losses
and save on maintenance costs.
the outside atmosphere. Reduced heat
from within and outside the tank improves
our liquid quality and results in increased
high-pressure pumping capacity, faster
pump cool down, and better gas utilization. We now only see two to five percent
product losses per month as opposed to
the 10-13 percent we were seeing before
— resulting in roughly $4,000 in savings
per month.
The Siphon 100 tank also has a complete
vacuum-jacketed piping system from
tanker delivery to pump, and pump cavitation is reduced by using a vacuum-insulated pod that provides colder liquid to
the pump. Extended tank legs add head
pressure to the pump without increasing
liquid inventory, which also results in
improved pump performance. The tank’s
lower pressure liquid also increases the
life of high-wear parts. Increased pump
life results in savings in maintenance time
August 2015 – CryoGas International
State-of-the-Art Equipment and Extra Safety Precautions
The Siphon 100 tank also has a complete
vacuum-jacketed piping system.
Photo courtesy of Chart Industries.
and cost and spare parts, both of which are
very valuable to us as we consistently try
to ensure that our customers receive orders
on time.
Acetylene Plant
Improvements for Safety
Also, in response to the Compressed Gas
Association and the National Fire Protection Association requirement that all
mobile acetylene trailers (MATs) be under
a sprinkler system, nexAir recently completed a project to enhance its acetylene
trailer storage and safety at our Memphis
plant. We installed concrete fire walls
between the acetylene trailers, a rear
concrete fire wall, new overhead piping
from the trailers to the acetylene cylinder
charging plant, and a new water sprinkler
system. These upgrades will help ensure
our mobile acetylene trailers and the associated storage areas are up to code and
also serve as extra safety precautions for
the entire plant.
At nexAir, we’re constantly trying to
provide our customers with the best products for their needs, all while maintaining
safety at our facilities. The Siphon tank
not only offers industry-leading bulk gas
delivery, but is also a more efficient method of delivering Argon. Exercising caution at our acetylene plant is just one of
the ways we’ve improved our processes
to offer the highest level of safety for our
employees and customers.
Designers and Manufacturers of Pressure and Flow Controls
SELF-LOCKING
LIQUID CYLINDER CONNECTORS
nexAir recently completed a project to
enhance its acetylene trailer storage and
safety at its Memphis plant.
Troy Goode is a plant engineer at the
nexAir cylinder filling plant in Memphis,
Tennessee. To learn more about nexAir’s
plant operations, please visit www.nexair.
com or email Troy at
[email protected].
Stainless Globe Valve for
LNG & Cryogenic Service
• The Rego-Goddard SKB Series globe
valve is designed for the handling of
cryogenic liquids through trailer, bulk
tanks, and piping configurations.
• The stainless steel body allows for welding directly to stainless steel systems
without the need for brazed-in nipples as
required by bronze body valves.
• Easily installs on most threaded cylinder valves
• Suitable for both Industrial and Medical Applications
• CGA Connections manufactured to industry standards
• Cannot be removed without rendering the outlet
connection unusable
• Optional Integral Anti-Back-Flow Check Valve
• OEM Endorsed
www.generant.com e-mail [email protected]
1865 Route 23 South, PO Box 768, Butler, NJ 07405
Phone 973.838.6500 Fax 973.838.4888
August 2015 – CryoGas International
• Time tested spring loaded stem packing
and seat design provide for long life and
easy maintenance.
• Diameters available in socket weld or
butt weld ends from 1/2” to 2”.
HOUSTON
(800) 334-7816
(713) 896-1077
www.gasequipment.com
E-mail: [email protected]
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