Below you will find a testimonial for the Enerac products, submitted by a Master Mechanic for Metal Treating Inc., a Commercial Heat Treater in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are both ISO 9000 and NADCAP approved. They are proud to say “some of the worlds finest tools and parts are heat treated in their shop”. In order for them to make this claim, they must provide consistent and repeatable results from their furnaces. Their customers know tht if they send in a batch of parts one week and another batch of identical parts next week or next month, the latest batch of parts will have the same results as the first. In order to achieve this, our furnaces must be capable of repeating the process.
They have 3 batch furnaces with 2 different styles of burner systems, motorized control and high speed pulse firing. 2 of these furnaces have identical burner systems but the furnaces load chambers are different sizes. Without exhaust gas analization, this can easily become a real night mare trying to keep them in tune and achieve the identical results from all 3 furnaces. This is made possible, in part; by keeping their furnace heating systems properly tuned not just for maximum efficiency but for identical heat-up/ramp-up times.
Their furnaces have state of the art, computerized process controls. These controls not only control the temperature, but monitor the time it takes to recover to temperature. If a known load takes too long to recover in temperature, a deviation alarm sounds. When this happens, they have to figure out why. The ENERAC has been most helpful in this respect. Whenever they analyze the gases, they make a printout with it’s built in printer. This printout is compared to the last printout. If the oxygen levels, stack temperature, excess air, CO and CO2 readings do not match, we know we have a burner problem. With the ENERAC, they can then adjust the burners back to their original settings. Once this is done, this new printout is added to our files for future reference.
In addition to these batch furnaces, they have several other furnaces with gas fired burners. Not only has the ENERAC 2000 been helpful in keeping them tuned for maximum efficiency and consistent heat-up times, but we have been able to lower our exhaust gas “CO” levels to near “0” PPM, keeping them well in line with EPA guidelines.
Before purchasing their ENERAC 2000, tuning of their burner was trial and error. This can be a very time consuming job. The time is has saved them in tuning alone, has more than paid for the unit.
While investigating the purchase of their ENERAC, they had the opportunity to compare it to other analyzers. Not only was the Enerac unit better built, it has more “standard features”. When they decided to purchase the Enerac unit, the sales person didn’t just “sell” them an analyzer, he also trained them on how to use it, how to interpret it and how to gain maximum efficiency with it.
They have found the ENERAC easy to maintain even in their less than ideal environment. Replacement of sensors, selection of fuels, printing of data as well as plotting of trends is very easy. Although they are not required to monitor NOX emissions, they know that this to can easily be done by simply adding the proper sensor.
They highly recommend that anyone who is considering an exhaust gas analyzer, do as they did. COMPARE! You will find that feature for feature, the Enerac units are the best value.
Written by Mike Duffens, Master Mechanic, Metal Treating, 1998.