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Where can I get a drying tank?

I am designing a plating line and need to force dry parts after final rinse. I would like use a "drying tank" using hot air, at the end for drying the parts. Preferably using boiler steam for the heat. I saw somthing like this posted here in the past. Does anyone know of a supplier for this type of dryer?
Thanks

David Darrow
consultant - San Diego, California
December 14, 2009

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Hi, David. These are designed and supplied by the manufacturers of plating systems. You'll find such suppliers in our Capital Equipment and Installation directory. Good luck.

Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
December 15, 2009

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For the frugal plate shops, you can frequently design an adequate unit to be built by a local shop at a much lower price than even a used one. The home built one can be superior because you control the size. Factors to consider are what velocity of the air will the racked parts stand. The higher the velocity, the more water blows off so you need less drying temperature/heat/time.
Ease of loading your racks is a major consideration as time is money.
You need to consider corrosion resistance of both the inside and the outside of the unit.
You need to consider durability and cost of operation.
I would certainly price both new and used units as you may find the perfect unit at an affordable price. Most companies will dicker on price in the current economic environment.

James Watts
- Navarre, Florida
December 16, 2009

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Thanks for the reply, and I will contact some suppliers. I found the post I was referring to, letter 1728. Is that a drawing for a drying tank in your response Ted? And if so could I get a copy?

Regards,

David Darrow
- San Diego, California, USA
December 21, 2009

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December 22, 2009

Hi, David. That was a drawing which I simplified and scaled down to convey the general idea we were discussing. It was a commissioned design which I can't give away or sell, but I have revised it on letter 1728 to a larger scale, so the general idea should now be clear. There is:
- A sheet metal "tank" of about the same dimension as the other process tanks.
- Exterior to the tank is a steam coil (made by companies like Aerofin) which supplies the heat, and a low pressure centrifugal fan or "blower" (made by companies like New York Blower or Chicago Blower) which sucks air through the coil.
- Along one of the long walls of the tank, and connected to the pressure side of the blower via ductwork is a slotted plenum which directs the slightly pressurized air across the face so warm air is distributed across the parts.
- Along the other long wall is a slotted plenum which collects this air, directing it back to ductwork which encloses the steam coil so this recirculated air is sucked back through it and on to the suction side of the blower.

The designs are sometimes simply thrown together, sometimes rather carefully engineered based on calculations and empirical knowledge. Suppliers of plating lines offer these designs, but if you want to design your own you could probably start via discussions with knowledgeable application engineers at the companies I mentioned and then do some engineering study on it. Good luck.

Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey