Nozzle Location Matters

Significant performance improvements and energy savings can be achieved in finishing systems utilizing Industrial Washers with Horizon's Torrent Technology™. The Torrent Washer™ modifies the fixed nozzle arrangement of a conventional washer and mounts the nozzles on rotating arms located on each side of the product that is being cleaned and pretreated. 

          Standard Stationary Nozzles                                                                       Torrent Technology™ Nozzles

Spray washers typically use flat spray pattern (V-Jet) nozzles to maximize impingement in the cleaning stage. V- Jet nozzles are available in various flow rates and spray angles at a given nozzle pressure.

In a conventional washer, fixed nozzles are arrayed on spray risers parallel to the vertical axis of the part. Vertical nozzle spacing is determined by the nozzle angle and spaced in a manner to provide full spray coverage over the height of the part. The solution sprayed from a V-Jet nozzle has a “cleaning radius” which is 1.68 times the effective outlet diameter of the nozzle (De). Soils and debris located at a distance greater than 1.68De from the center of the nozzle fan pattern are generally considered irremovable by a specific nozzle.

The fixed nozzle design relies on the conveyor of a continuous moving system to provide relative motion between the nozzles and the part, thereby providing repeated and consistent impingement of the solution on the surface of the part as it passes in front of successive spray risers and nozzles.

Spray riser spacing is typically a function of conveyor speed. The number of risers is determined by the conveyor speed and the required dwell time in a particular process stage. The spray volume (pump capacity) for any particular stage is simply determined:

Pump Capacity (GPM) = No. of Risers x No. of Nozzles per Riser x GPM per nozzle

In order to get full coverage on the vertical axis of the part (nozzles per riser) and the required dwell time (number of risers), the pump sizes for conventional washers can get quite large.

Coming at It from All Angles

The rotating nozzle design relies primarily on the rotational velocity of the spray arms to provide relative motion between the nozzles and the part. The movement of the nozzles also adds a rotational velocity component to the solution being sprayed by the nozzles.

The rotating nozzles offer other benefits.

1.The first is enhanced cleaning through improved spray impingement, improved nozzle coverage, and a spray pattern that is more adjustable to part size and/or geometry.

2. The second and most notable benefit is a significantly reduced spray volume for any given process stage. This decreased spray volume results in smaller pumps and/or motor sizes and more compact solution tanks. A smaller tank results in reduced evaporative losses. Pump spray volume (GPM) is the prime factor in determining required burner size for heated solutions. The smaller pump size requires smaller burner input to heat the solution in the tank.

In addition to improved energy efficiency, the Torrent Washer™ also utilizes improved filter technologies to increase the solution bath life. These filtering methods remove metal fines and chemical precipitates resulting in less water and chemical usage through the life of the washer:

• Oil coalescer with integral oil skimmer
• Magnetic separator to remove metal fines
• Sand filters to remove zirconium precipitates
• R.O. water supply for initial tank fill and make-up water to reduce total dissolved solids in the system

Indexed vs. Continuous Conveyance

A nonobvious but equally important benefit of the Torrent Technology™ rotating risers is the option to minimize facility-space waste by indexing the process in lieu of utilizing continuous conveyance. A singular conveyor running through each washer needs to be bookended by chambers on both sides to prevent water/liquid from draining or spilling out into the factory work area. These booths consume valuable floorspace and provide no incremental production value.

Utilizing Torrent Technology™, the spray does the moving within the washer while the part remains stationary behind closed doors. Washing systems that are indexed can further condense overall space requirements when a single washer performs double-duty, as it can sometimes be designed to switch from a cleaning application to a coating/pretreatment application.

Torrent Technology™ revolutionizes industrial cleaning with its use of rotating arms instead of traditional fixed nozzles. This innovation provides comprehensive spray coverage from every angle as opposed to spray originating from stationary nozzles. Rotational velocity adds extra cleaning power, and a more deliberate process minimizes spray waste, energy waste, and facility waste.