Full Steam Ahead on the Degreasing Process
Steam cleaning offers many advantages over high-pressure water spray for metal finishers.
By Marie Pompili
One of the most common summer chores we have is to wash our cars. We plug in the hose, adjust the nozzle and proceed to practically submerge the car in water. It's relatively easy to do, even if you drive a monster vehicle, when you are aided by strong water pressure and a nice handle with a lever. However, when the object to be cleaned is a large cabinet and it is located inside a building, the immense overspray is not a desired effect. Quite frankly, it makes a big, unnecessary mess. Electro-Steam Generator Corp., a Subsidiary of Inductotherm Industries, Inc. (Alexandria, VA) has developed several electric steam generators to help metal finishers clean surfaces before finishing in a neat and effective manner.
The Art of Steam Cleaning
Steam cleaning offers several advantages over traditional high-pressure water cleaning, including less overspray and less cleaning solution is used. In addition, during high-pressure water cleaning, the item to be finished is more often than not completely soaked, increasing dry time and slowing down the finishing process.
Steam cleaning begins by heating water inside a special chamber to boiling in less than 10 minutes. Once the steam temperature reaches between 240°F to 250°F, the steam is released via a two-foot wand that resembles the same one often found on our garden hoses. Because it is released at such high pressures (34.5-2500 lbs./hr and 0-100 PSIG for Electro-Steam's Models LB 100-240 and 345-828 lbs./hr and 100 PSIG for their Model LB/LBI), the steam is generally dry and won't soak the part.
Less water is wasted during steam cleaning and therefore less cleaning solution is used. Think about it. If you were able to mix both water and car cleaning solution inside your hose, consider the amount of cleaning fluid being sprayed out along with the water. And, think about the amount of cleaning fluid on the ground due to overspray. Steam is released in such a fine mist that it allows only a certain amount of cleaning solution to hit the part to be finished.
System Design
Electro-Steam's generators are constructed of Schedule 30 or 40 carbon steel (depending on the model) on all wetted surfaces featuring a baked enamel finish. The water chamber, made from an Incolog 800 stainless steel sheath and wrapped in two-inch aluminum-backed fiberglass insulation, works like a hot water heater to generate heat. The heating elements are submerged in the chamber and a water inlet manifold controls high and low pressure.
A high-pressure water feed assembly is comprised of a pump, motor and controls that are wired as a single package for easy maintenance. In addition, a water level and temperature sensing system is made up of gauges and solid-state controls. A dual low-water cut-off with dual-pressure controls is also featured.
Additional Advantages to Steam Cleaning
Because the steam degreases as it cleans, there is no need for the added degreasing step – this saves time. In addition, the risk of fire is greatly reduced due to the elimination of open flames, toxic fumes and combustible fuel. (Another added benefit of this is lower insurance costs.)
The steam generators are portable and can be connected to the utility service wherever you prefer to install them. Traditional boiler installations are eliminated – there are no chimneys, long steam lines, or enclosures to worry about.
Steam Cleaning Testimonial
Pemberton Fabricators Inc., a Subsidiary of Inductotherm Industries, Inc., (Rancocas, NJ), uses Electro-Steam generators to prep the surfaces of very large enclosures, many of which take up about 65,000 weldments or 30 tons. According to Ralph Aspling, vice president, Pemberton was fed up with high-pressure water cleaning for enclosures for such applications as furnace control, food processing and machine control. Through steam cleaning, Pemberton has been able to eliminate the degreasing step as well as reduce its use of cleaning agents by more than 50 percent.
The Pemberton finishing process involves the use of steam cleaning using an Oakite 747 alkaline and iron phosphate solution. Previously, the company used 4 to 4 ½ drums of cleaner in its cleaning process – as mentioned before, this has been reduced more than 50 percent. After surface prep, the enclosures generally are either air-sprayed with the appropriate coating in paint booths or baked.
Steam cleaning has definitely provided an advantage to metal finishing operations wishing to save time and money. The generators' simple design provides shops with an easy-to-use but powerful means of effectively cleaning metal and degreasing at the same time. If you are interested in learning more about steam cleaning, contact
Electro-Steam Generator Corporation, 1000 Bernard Street, Alexandria, VA 22314-1299. Phone (800) 634-8177; Fax (888) 783-2624.