To remove any possible gas bubbles from a system, quality improvement products are widely used in cryogenic engineering. Think of phase separators, automatic gas vents, degassers, and subcoolers. These products separate liquid gas from any gas bubbles to ensure that they can leave the system. The liquid gas thus remains pure and of high quality.
There are several risks involved in draining gases from the system. While the extracted gas leaves the system, it is often still freezing. Consequently, when it comes into contact with ambient ‘warm’ and humid air, the water vapor in the surrounding air will freeze-up directly onto the pipe’s cold surface, resulting in ice build-up.
Ice build-up can reach enormous proportions and even lead to dangerous situations when the ice breaks off. This can cause personal injury from falling ice or damage objects that lay underneath. In addition, ice build-up can also lead to congestion in transfer lines and systems.
To avoid ice build-up, many of our customers use a de-icing unit. The de-icing unit is installed at the end of a gas line, where the cold gas leaves the system. An internal heating element keeps the end of the pipe warm, thus preventing ice build-up.
Specifications
The de-icing unit is a ready-made product and can be easily installed at the end of a vacuum line. Together with our customers, we check the site-specific requirements and place a de-icing unit that fits the systems’ infrastructure. Once connected, the de-icing unit is entirely self-regulating.
De-icing unit application
Our de-icing unit is often used to complement quality improvement products such as our phase separator, automatic gas vent, degasser, and subcooler.
Examples of applications that often require access to high-quality liquid nitrogen and therefore require quality enhancing products include filling stations, the medical industry, and the pharmaceutical industry and cold-boxes in the automotive industry, and cooling trays in the food industry.
Accessory products
A de-icing unit is not necessarily part of a cryogenic infrastructure. It is only essential when extremely cold gases are vented from a system by, for instance, an automatic gas vent, degasser, phase separator, or subcooler. Demaco can supply de-icing units that perfectly match your existing system.