Aluminum air knife Model 110012 Super

blow-offfor the food and beverage industryfor chemical applications

Overview
EXAIR's Super Air Knife™ produces a uniform, laminar sheet of airflow across its length. Designed to minimize compressed air consumption by entraining ambient air at approximately 40:1, it provides effective blowoff, drying and air curtain functions with reduced noise compared to conventional blowoffs. Available from stock in multiple materials and in lengths up to 108 in (2743 mm).

Applications

• Part drying after wash
• Sheet cleaning in strip mills
• Conveyor cleaning
• Part or component cooling
• Web drying or cleaning
• Environmental separation / air curtains
• Pre-paint blowoff
• Bag opening and filling operations
• Scrap removal on converting operations

Advantages

• Quiet operation (typical 69 dBA in many applications)
• Low compressed air consumption via ~40:1 air amplification
• Uniform airflow across the entire length
• Adjustable force and flow using shim selection
• No moving parts (maintenance free)
• Compressed air inlets at each end and bottom for easy mounting
• Compact, recessed hardware for simpler installation
• Stock lengths up to 108 in (2743 mm); system lengths unlimited by coupling

Materials

• Aluminum — aircraft-grade aluminum with plastic shim; suited for general-purpose applications where corrosion/contamination is not a concern; stainless steel screws used in damp locations; temperature limit up to 180°F (82°C).
• Type 303 Stainless Steel — common stainless grade with good strength; suitable for mildly corrosive environments; temperature up to 800°F (427°C).
• Type 316 Stainless Steel — enhanced corrosion resistance and strength; suitable for food, pharmaceutical and surgical manufacturing; temperature up to 800°F (427°C).
• PVDF (Polyvinylidene Fluoride) — excellent chemical resistance (inorganic chemicals, solvents, acids); uses PTFE shims and corrosion-resistant hardware; suited to electroplating, solar cell, battery, solvent recovery, semiconductor and medical device environments; temperature up to 275°F (135°C).

Models / Kits (summary)
Super Air Knives are offered as single knives, plumbing kit variants, kits (shim set, filter separator, pressure regulator), kits with plumbing, and Deluxe Kits (EFC, mounting system, shim set, filter, regulator). Available airflow lengths and example product numbers (by length and type) include 3" (76 mm) through 108" (2743 mm) with aluminum, 303SS, 316SS and PVDF variants and corresponding Deluxe and plumbing kit numbers.

Accessories (examples)

• Universal Air Knife Mounting System (Model 9060) — articulated stainless steel mounting system (recommended quantity varies by knife length)
• Air Knife Plumbing Kits — supply lines, fittings and pressure gauge (installed kits for knives 24" and longer)
• Coupling Bracket Kits — to join two Super Air Knives for longer uninterrupted airflow
• Shim Sets — plastic, stainless steel or PTFE shims to adjust gap, force and flow

Systems / Kit Types

• Super Air Knife Only
• Super Air Knife with Plumbing Kit (installed)
• Super Air Knife Kit (includes shim set, filter separator and pressure regulator)
• Super Air Knife Kit with Plumbing Kit (installed)
• Deluxe Super Air Knife Kit (includes EFC electronic flow control, mounting system, shim set, filter separator and pressure regulator)

Performance (Representative data for 12" Super Air Knife with .002" shim)
Pressure Supply (PSIG / BAR) | Air Consumption per inch (SCFM / SLPM) | Velocity @ 6" (FPM / m/s) | Sound Level @ 3' (dBA) | Force per Inch @ 6" (oz / g)
20 PSIG / 1.4 BAR | 1.1 SCFM / 31 SLPM | 5,000 FPM / 25.4 m/s | 57 dBA | 0.6 oz / 17 g
40 PSIG / 2.8 BAR | 1.7 SCFM / 48 SLPM | 7,000 FPM / 35.6 m/s | 61 dBA | 1.1 oz / 31 g
60 PSIG / 4.1 BAR | 2.3 SCFM / 65 SLPM | 9,600 FPM / 48.8 m/s | 65 dBA | 1.8 oz / 51 g
80 PSIG / 5.5 BAR | 2.9 SCFM / 82 SLPM | 11,800 FPM / 59.9 m/s | 69 dBA | 2.5 oz / 71 g
100 PSIG / 6.9 BAR | 3.5 SCFM / 99 SLPM | 13,500 FPM / 68.5 m/s | 72 dBA | 3.2 oz / 91 g

How it works
Compressed air enters a plenum and is directed through a precision slotted orifice. The primary airstream follows a flat surface producing a uniform, laminar sheet of air that entrains ambient air at approximately 40:1, delivering a forceful airflow with minimized velocity loss.

Technical specifications

• Air amplification: approximately 40:1
• Stock lengths: 3" to 108" (76 mm to 2743 mm); unlimited system lengths by coupling
• Materials: Aluminum, Type 303 SS, Type 316 SS, PVDF
• Typical sound level: ~69 dBA (application dependent)
• Shim adjustment: factory-installed .002" shim; additional shims (.001", .002", .003", .004" etc.) available to vary force/flow
• Available kit options: plumbing kits, filter/separator + regulator kits, Deluxe kits including EFC and mounting system
• Operating temperature limits (approx): Aluminum up to 180°F (82°C); 303/316 SS up to 800°F (427°C); PVDF up to 275°F (135°C)
• Example price shown on page: 282 (USD) — price for a specific configurable item; final price depends on selected options