About

After years of demonstrated success, plastic manufacturers have come to depend on Techne fluidized baths for safe, efficient and cost effective cleaning of tooling, components, systems and parts (dies, breaker plates, nozzles, tools, tips, spinnerets, extruder screws, manifolds, etc.) Fluidized baths will remove almost all polymers, including plastic, paint, epoxy, rubber and adhesives, as well as other hydrocarbon-based products such as oils, fluids, grease, lubricants and coatings. Parts immersed into a fluidized bath are cleaned by the high temperature (up to 600°C/1112°F) environment within a bath media of fluidized aluminum oxide that instantly starts to degrade plastic to carbon, which then leaves the bath as CO2. This instant heating and minimized quenching results in shorter cleaning times than those of ovens, and when paired with the even and consistent heat of the bath, results in greatly reduced metal fatigue and tool damage.

A fluidized bath consists of a loosely packed mass of solid particles through which an upward flow of air is passed. In the fluidized state, the aluminum oxide particles become mobile and the bath as a whole, displays many of the properties of a liquid. However, since the bath is composed of tiny, inert aluminum oxide particles, freezing, boiling and evaporation are totally eliminated. Heaters on the outside wall of the bath inner container radiate heat into the aluminum oxide; Fluidization acts as the stirring mechanism to evenly distribute heat throughout the bath, resulting in excellent thermal stability and uniformity. These advantages make fluidized baths a cost effective and environmentally friendly safe alternative to oil, salt, ultrasonic and molten metal baths, ovens and furnaces.

Details & Facts

The following pages give complete specifications on the seven models we offer in the Industrial Fluidized (IFB) bath product range. The basic differences are dimensions, capacity, heater power, air supply and power required. For burnoff applications, a gas fired AB-100 Afterburner is offered for incineration, to further reduce exhaust particulate and VOC’s. To assist in cleaning the exhaust when PVC’s and other halogenated polymers are burned off, the SR-100 Scrubber can be employed.

The baths can be fluidized with either compressed house air or an inert gas such as nitrogen or argon. It should be noted that fluidized baths and the action created in the aluminum oxide is not abrasive to items immersed for normal cleaning or heat treatment times. Typical cleaning times range from 30 minutes to 2 hours depending on bath temperature and amount of material to be cleaned. The specific heat of aluminum oxide is 0.21. Typical heat transfer rates for fluidized baths range between 60 to 120 Btu/hr/sq ft/deg F.

Other Applications

The excellent thermal performance of Techne Industrial Fluidized Baths make them a good choice for basic heat treatment, test and calibration as well as reactive analysis. Some of these applications include tempering, shape setting, annealing, Nitriding, distillation, curing, exothermic and endothermic reactions, and thermal analysis of devices, components and materials.