Aquila Pelletizer PE80 User guide

ORIGINAL
Instruction manual for
Pelletizer PE80
By Aquila Triventek
Aquila Triventek A/S · Industrivej 9 · DK-5580 Nørre Aaby · Tel. [phone] · [e-mail] · www.aquila-triventek.com
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Aquila Triventek A/S · Industrivej 9 · DK-5580 Nørre Aaby · Tel. [phone] · info@ aquila-triventek.com · www.aquila-
triventek.com
Table of contents
1 INTRODUCTION 4
1.1 What is dry Ice? 4
1.2 The Dry Ice Pelletizing Process - How does the Pelletizer function? 4
1.3 Pellet Sizes, Denominations and Applications 5
1.4 Storage Tank for Liquid CO2 supplied to the pelletizer 5
2 SAFETY 6
2.1 Safety data for Carbon Dioxide (CO
2
) 6
2.2 Safety data for Pelletizer PE80 8
3 EQUIPMENT FOR OPERATION 9
3.1 Delivery 9
3.2 Equipment 9
3.3 Connecting the equipment 9
3.3.1 Power 9
3.3.2 Hoses 10
3.3.3 Important notice before start 10
4 OPERATING THE EQUIPMENT 11
4.1 Operation panel - Main menu structure of the PLC 11
4.2 Start-up sequence 13
4.3 Re-start sequence 13
4.4 Shut-down sequence 14
5 ALARM MESSAGES 15
5.1 Low inlet CO
2
error 15
5.2 Motor protection error 15
5.3 Power supply error 15
5.4 Emergency stop message 16
5.5 Low oil pressure 16
5.6 Low oil level 16
5.7 Error Co2 16
6 STORING DRY ICE PELLETS 17
7 OPTIMISING PRODUCTION OUTPUT 17
8 CHANGING EXTRUSION PLATES 17
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Aquila Triventek A/S · Industrivej 9 · DK-5580 Nørre Aaby · Tel. [phone] · info@ aquila-triventek.com · www.aquila-
triventek.com
Table of contents
9 AUTOMATION 18
9.1 Power supply protection system 18
9.2 Pressure protection system 18
9.3 Automatic stop when supply of liquid from tank is closed 18
10 MAINTENANCE 18
10.1 Maintenance intervals 18
10.2 Removing the cover and identification of main components 20
10.3 Checking oil level (main oil pump) 20
10.4 Checking oil level (gearbox) 20
10.5 Dismantling and inspecting the solenoid valves 21
10.6 Inspection and renewal of inlet filter 22
10.7 Inspection of the gas separator 23
10.8 Inspection of CO2 liquid supply and level sensor 24
11 CLEANING THE EQUIPMENT 24
12 STORAGE 24
13 RECOMMENDED SPARE PARTS LIST 25
14 TROUBLESHOOTING 27
15 TECHNICAL DATA 30
16 EC DECLARATION OF CONFORMITY 31
17 GUARANTEE 32
18 DELIVERY REPORT 33
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Aquila Triventek A/S · Industrivej 9 · DK-5580 Nørre Aaby · Tel. [phone] · info@ aquila-triventek.com · www.aquila-
triventek.com
Introduction
We are pleased that you have chosen the Pelletizer PE80 by Triventek for your company.
This technology is the subject of several pending patent applications worldwide, including US patent application No.
10/363,762 and European patent application No. 01960192.1.
To obtain long and trouble-free operation of the equipment we recommend reading this manual carefully. All new opera-
tors of the equipment should also familiarize themselves with the content of this document.
1.1 What is Dry Ice?
Carbon dioxide is a chemical compound formed by combining one atom of carbon with two atoms of oxygen and is
expressed by the chemical symbol CO
2
. It can exist in three states: a gas, a liquid or as a solid.
Dry ice is solid carbon dioxide (CO
2
). The unique property of carbon dioxide is that at normal, atmospheric pressure
and temperature, it changes state directly from solid to gas without going through a liquid phase. This process, called
sublimation, makes the ice ‘dry’.
Dry ice is stable at (minus) -7ºC 9/-109ºF, at atmospheric pressure. It expands up to 800 times by volume when it subli-
mes, and this property is exploited for instant cooling of food and pharmaceutical products during processing, trans-
portation and storage. The properties of dry ice are also used for other industrial applications, such as dry ice blasting
(cleaning of machinery through thermal shock).
1.2 The Dry Ice Pelletizing Process
The Pelletizer takes liquid carbon dioxide from the carbon dioxide storage vessel and feeds it into the main pelletisati-
on chamber. Within the main chamber three injection valves are located to allow the liquid into the three compressing
chambers.
The volume of liquid CO
2
injected into the compressing chambers, and consequently the rate of dry ice production, is
determined by varying the valve opening time.
A sudden pressure and temperature drop occurs when the liquid enters the compression chambers, by which approxi-
mately 50% transforms into ’carbonic snow’ and about 50% transforms into gas (known as ´revert´ gas).
The revert gas is usually vented to the atmosphere and lost. However it can be recycled by connecting a Recovery Unit
RE80 to the Pelletizer PE80. Up to 90% of the revert gas can be re-compressed and chilled back to liquid state.
An electrical motor with a gearbox drives a crank shaft and 3 mechanical pistons in order to compress the carbonic
snow that has been retained in the compression chambers. The snow becomes a block of dry ice which is subsequently
pressed through extrusion plates to form ‘spaghetti’ strings. The strings will tend to break at the break line formed by
each compression stroke to make the characteristic ‘pellets’
.
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Aquila Triventek A/S · Industrivej 9 · DK-5580 Nørre Aaby · Tel. [phone] · info@ aquila-triventek.com · www.aquila-
triventek.com
1.3 Pellet Sizes, Denominations and Applications
Pellets can be made in a variety of sizes (diameters) for different applications. The size (diameter) of pellets depends on
the size of the holes in the extrusion plate. A set of 3 extrusion for manufacturing pellets of Ø3 mm (1/8”) is provided
with the Pelletizer PE80 as standard. The nominal production capacity of the equipment has been rated with this format.
Production capacity will be marginally different for pellet sizes other than 3 mm.
Size
Denomination
Applications
Ø 1,7 mm (1/16”)
and
Ø 2,2 mm ( 3/32”)
”Micro- pellets”
For dry ice blasting (cleaning) of ob-
jects and surfaces. They are used for
cleaning of objects and surfaces with
small cavities and fine patterns that
need to be penetrated with smaller
particles. Micropellets are for instant
use shortly after their production.
Ø 3 mm ( 1/8”)
”Rice pellets”
/“traditional” pellets /
just “pellets”
For dry ice blasting and for quick coo-
ling of food and biopharmaceutical
products. Especially used in wineries
during the vintage season, in order to
prevent premature fermentation of the
grapes.
Rice pellets (Ø3 mm) are used for the
vast majority of dry ice blasting / clea-
ning applications and should be used
no later than 3 days after production
in order to preserve the needed quality
and density.
Ø 8 mm ( 5/16”)
and
Ø 16 mm ( 5/8”)
”Nugget”
For cold chain applications (trans-
portation and conservation of food
and biopharmaceutical products).
Nuggets are mainly used for cooling
applications since the reduced ratio
of surface area to mass, reduces the
rate of sublimation. so that the last for
a longer period of time, before they
evaporate.
1.4 Storage Tank for Liquid CO
2
Dry ice manufacturing starts with liquid carbon dioxide flowing to the pelletizer from a storage tank where The liquid is
held under pressures between 14-23 bar (200-330 psi)
The PE80’ Pelletizer’s nominal production capacity is rated at a pressure of 18 bar (260 psi).
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