Control over airflow with highly accurate measurement equipment from Air Monitor is essential for efficient and effective material drying for manufacturing textiles from natural or synthetic polymers. Proper control of airflow in your fiber manufacturing process will help ensure the optimal quality of the fibers. It can also maximize your process efficiency, and—in some cases—allow for emissions monitoring.
Air Monitor Solutions Can Help
Improve Product Quality
Air Monitor products can monitor both airflow rate and air temperature even at very low flow rates. These factors can impact the formation of the filaments’ surface structure, the production speed and efficiency of the process, and the overall quality of the wound product.Increase Process Efficiency
For process control in dry spinning, the airflow at the inlet and the outlet can be monitored with Air Monitor products to maintain adequate air temperature and monitor airflow for losses due to leaks. Gain efficiency through accurate airflow measurement devices.Allow for Emissions Monitoring
For fiber manufacturing applications that emit dirty exhaust gas —such as dry spinning using solvents—Air Monitor equipment included in continuous emissions monitoring systems are used for reporting compliance with EPA and other air quality regulations.ACCU-flo High Accuracy Stainless Steel Station
The ACCU-flo/NP is a combination precision nozzle and multi-point, self-averaging Pitot air flow measurement station. When combined with an ultra high accuracy transmitter, such as Air Monitor’s VELTRON II, the ACCU-flo/NP provides high accuracy (±0.5%) flow measurement for process monitoring and control applications such as quench airflow in the production of synthetic fibers. The combined effect of the integral flow straightener cell and the nozzle means little or no upstream straight run is needed to achieve the published accuracy.
LO-flo/SS Stainless Steel Pitot Traverse Probe
The LO-flo Pitot Traverse Station is a combination air equalizer-straightener with a self-averaging Pitot tube traverse station. The LO-flo is fabricated entirely of Type 316 stainless steel with all welded construction. It is capable of operation up to 1000ºF and is suitable for applications with corrosive gases such as volatile solvents within the limitation of the 316 stainless steel construction. The LO-flo provides highly accurate measurement of low air volumes of 2 to 2000 CFM for monitoring, indicating, and controlling applications such as quench airflow and quench exhaust, when coupled with ultra-low span electronic differential pressure or flow transmitters such as the Air Monitor VELTRON II.
VELTRON II Transmitter
The VELTRON II Transmitter is an ultra-low differential pressure and flow “smart” transmitter for monitoring, indicating, and controlling applications such as quench airflow and quench exhaust in combination with an airflow measurement station, such as the Air Monitor ACCU-flo/NP. With its ±0.1% of natural span accuracy, it is intended for the most critical and demanding industrial applications requiring the utmost accuracy and long-term stability, including polymer fiber manufacturing.
VOLU-probe/FI-SS
Constructed with stainless steel for use in industrial applications including manufacturing a variety of fibers, this flow measurement device is made of multi-point, self-averaging, Pitot Fechheimer airflow probes with an integral airflow direction correcting design. When mounted directly in the inlet cones or bell mouth of centrifugal or vane-axial fans it can measure fan capacities within three percent of actual flow.
Airflow Measurement in the Fiber Manufacturing Process
Fiber manufacturing is the process of creating and developing fibers from chemicals and raw materials to enhance specific products. Accurate airflow measurement during different steps in the process can ensure the ideal physical properties of the fiber are developed as the newly formed filaments are quenched.
Types and subtypes of fiber manufacturing:
- Solution spinning (wet spinning and dry spinning)—certain polymer materials cannot be melted, so they are dissolved in a solvent, then spun into filaments
- Melt spinning—materials are heated to a melt temperature, then spun
General fiber manufacturing process steps:
- Material is fed into the system (see manufacturing types above).
- Material is pumped or fed into a spin chamber consisting of multiple tiny holes to produce continuous filaments.
- Filaments are quenched by cooling, drying, or setting by air to evaporate the solvent or solidify the molten filaments.
- Filaments are collected/wound into fibers.
Maintaining quality control
The air fed into the system for quenching may be heated to a high temperature. When a spinning tube is used in dry spinning, an adequately high temperature must be monitored and maintained in the chamber through controls to avoid filament integrity issues that result in breakage. The chamber must also be leakproof to maintain the optimum density of volatile solvents in the chamber.
For process control, the airflow at the inlet and the outlet can be monitored with Air Monitor products to maintain adequate air temperature and monitor airflow for losses due to leaks. The air at the outlet will contain solvent vapors which may be monitored for emissions reporting or monitoring of waste air processes.
In melt spinning processes, the thermoplastic polymers are melted and pushed through a shower-like nozzle called a spinneret to extrude continuous filaments. Once the filaments are formed, they are solidified by cooling with quench air to set the form of the melt spun fibers at which point they are wound.
The quenching system uses a low flow of cooling air at a low temperature (usually 60° to 86°F or 15° to 30°C) with low to moderate relative humidity through the quench zone. The uniformity of airflow is extremely important in controlling variations in the filament cross-section diameter.
The cooling system may use one of three methods: cross-flow (most common method), out-flow, or in-flow. In cross-flow, the cooling air flows from one side to the other side of the spinneret. In each of these types of airflow, Air Monitor products can be easily retrofitted into existing systems due to our limited straight-run requirements. Whether the airflow is distributed cross flows or is concentrated in in-flow or out-flows—Air Monitor has the right fit for each system type.
News & Innovation/Resources
Product Brochures & Catalog Sheets
Download product brochures for Air Monitor’s air measurement products, as well as a brochure on industrial solutions, which includes quench airflow and quench exhaust.
Application Guides
Click here to download application guides for industrial air monitoring applications such as process heaters, industrial dryers, and more.
Installation Documents
Here you can download guides for installing the Air Monitor VOLU-probe/FI-SS, the ACCU-flo High Accuracy Stainless Steel Station, and the LO-flo/SS Stainless Steel Pitot Traverse Probe.
