Ai-Tec's strategic investment last year in Agram boiler energy and combustion management systems, has significantly extended Ai-Tec's product range and expanded the Group's service to a broader customer base, according to Arnold Retief, a director of Advanced Industrial Technology (Ai-Tec). "The key to minimising fuel usage during production and optimising operating costs is maintaining clean boilers. As a result of reduced soot build-up, there is more efficient heat transfer and steam generation. Coal usage is also reduced by up to 20%.
"Another important advantage of cleaning boilers regularly is minimised unplanned down time and reduced production losses. Wear and tear is also reduced, which means lower repair costs.
"Agram's fully controllable stoker management system had proved to be a reliable method of keeping carbon emissions to a minimum, thereby reducing air pollution. In keeping with company policy to supply only the highest quality products, Agram equipment, with an excellent reputation throughout Africa and abroad, conforms with stringent local and international quality and safety specifications," he says.
Included in Ai-Tec's extensive range of industrial and commercial equipment, are soot blowers, designed to efficiently remove soot build-up from boiler tubes in foundries.
Agram soot blower and combustion equipment systems have been developed to efficiently service the needs of a wide range of boiler equipment, furnaces and heaters. Special projects undertaken recently include cleaning arc furnace outlets ducts of dust build up.
The Agram Trojan deslagger, with a cleaning sweep of 360°, is a highly efficient blower designed for cleaning boiler furnace walls. These soot blowers are also perfect for fire and water tube boilers, as well as economisers and marine boilers. This manually or electrically actuated unit is manufactured with a 10" (250 mm) stroke that enables the heat-resisting nozzle to fully retract out of the high heat zone. The modular construction of these blowers enables specific inlet flange and mounting flange requirements which is especially useful when retrofitting to existing boilers. Single nozzle or multi nozzle configurations are available.
Pegasus long stroke soot blowers are also designed for watertube boilers, fired heaters and furnaces in industrial and petrochemical sectors. This unit, which is fitted horizontally or vertically to the casing of the heat exchanger, is suitable for use with steam, air, or any other blowing medium to clean the tube bank of any soot deposit. This series, which can be easily adapted for any application, has power and control circuits that are quickly disconnected for easy maintenance. A multi-plug mounted on the blower frame enables testing of the system.
Agram's manufacturing facility in Johannesburg, which is supported by Ai-Tec's national branch network, is the only independent manufacturer of soot blowers and combustion management systems in Africa. These soot blowers, which are designed to remove soot build-up from boiler tubes typically associated with fossil fuel burning and power generation, require proper lubrication for optimum efficiency, minimal wear and extended service life.
To ensure efficient performance of Agram soot blowers, the company recommends the implementation of a structured maintenance programme, using specially manufactured Agram high temperature grease, developed to meet the demands of efficient soot blowing. The company also supplies fully automated soot blowing systems that continuously clean boilers without the need for a specialised boiler technician on site.
