Product category:
Gas, Chemical, Radiation and Magnetic Sensors
News Release from: Flocare | Subject: Scalewatcher Electronic Scale Control System
Edited by the Engineeringtalk Editorial
Team on 22 May 2000
Cigar manufacturer gets scale under
control
Cardiff based JR Freeman and Son, the cigar production division of Gallaher, has purchased the technically advanced Scalewatcher Electronic Scale Control System from Flocare Ltd
Cardiff based JR Freeman and Son, the cigar production division of Gallaher, has purchased the technically advanced Scalewatcher Electronic Scale Control System from Flocare Ltd, following a successful initial installation to remove scale build-up from its steam humidifiers Steam humidifiers are used by J R Freeman and Son to maintain the correct atmospheric humidity in its two Conditioning Rooms used to store tobacco whilst it matures prior to cigar manufacture
The humidifiers quickly became encrusted with scale necessitating the frequent replacement of cylinders and the use of chemical and mechanical descaling every 2 to 3 weeks.
The maintenance of the equipment was a long, arduous and expensive task.
Although most of South Wales has soft water, large parts of the Cardiff postal district and the area bordering the Bristol Channel has a calcium hardness averaging 280ppm.
When the pH is raised by heating or water pressure drops, scale forms quickly and adversely effects heat exchangers.
This quickly leads to fouling in pipework, sprays and nozzles.
Looking for an environmentally friendly, non-chemical solution to the scaling problem, Projects Supervisor, David Bonney decided to investigate the Scalewatcher Electronic Scale Control System by requesting an applications' survey by a Scalewatcher engineer.
Initially J R Freeman purchased one Scalewatcher, with a performance warranty, to test it on the humidifier serving one of its two Conditioning Rooms.
Careful monitoring showed that the Scalewatcher System was working successfully and instead of the normal build-up of hard scale on the cylinder there was only a soft deposit of calcium, which was quickly and easily removed.
J R Freeman was so pleased with the result that it purchased another unit for the humidifier in its second Conditioning Room within 3 months of the first installation.
"We are delighted", said David Bonney.
"The Scalewatcher has performed exactly as stated in the literature, resulting in us receiving a payback in just a few months.
Because we are so pleased with the results we have now purchased a further unit for the cold water feed to the canteen and kitchen, and are about to arrange for another to be fitted to our conditioning sprays".
Manufactured in the UK under license from B and D Ingenieursburo, to exacting ISO9002 standards, the Scalewatcher industrial and commercial ranges are based on the patented Scalewatcher technology and incorporate the latest advances in state-of-the-art microelectronics.
Scalewatcher's patented technology works by producing a complex frequency modulated waveform.
Reacting to the varying applied field, the Scalewatcher creates an induced electric field inside the pipe whereby the crystal growth of the scaling minerals in the water is promoted.
As the crystals remain within the flow of the water, they no longer contribute to the build-up of hard pipewall deposits.
Existing scale layers are softened, and loosened scale crystals are removed from the system by the water flow.
J R Freeman and Son is one of the top private manufacturing employers in Wales providing around 300 jobs.
The Cardiff site is one of the biggest and most modern of its kind in the world producing half of all cigars smoked in the UK.
During the last nine years capital investment of £26 million has been made in new equipment producing Hamlet cigars and other brands including Sullivan Powell Private Stock, Sobranie Mild Cigars and King Six.
• Flocare: contact details and other news
• Email this article to a colleague
• Register for the free Engineeringtalk email newsletter
• Engineeringtalk Home Page
Search the Pro-Talk network of sites
