Patent Grant
9266128
The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for systems for electrostatic powder coating that exploits the use of a carrier fluid constituted by air deprived of undesirable substances, together with ionization and heat conditioning of said carrier fluid.
In greater detail, the invention relates to a method and an apparatus for coating that uses as paint-carrier fluid a mixture rich in nitrogen/oxygen/argon obtained continuously from compressed air during coating.
As is known, the current state of the art in powder-coating systems envisages a corona-effect electrostatic-spray system, where positioned in the terminal part of the guns are one or more needles that yield a charge to the powder to be attracted onto the products to be coated, or else with the system known as “tribo” with which the powder is charged by rubbing in a purposely provided tube.
In either case, the operating coating steps envisage entrainment of the powder, movement of the fluidized bed, atomization/nebulization of the powder, and sending of the electrostatically charged powder onto the substrate to be coated. It is also known that peristaltic recovery of the dispersed powder is commonly obtained with compressed air produced by a normal compressor.
One of the known drawbacks is represented by the fact that the compressed air used entrains along with it elements that are harmful for a perfect, distribution penetration, and flow of the powder over the substrates to be coated, such as, for example, humidity, particles of hydrocarbons due to the compression of the air and particles in suspension present in the atmospheric air.
Even though the coating operation is carried out in purposely designed spray booths or protected environments, the substrates to be coated undergo the effect of the relative humidity of the environment. This problem is much felt in so far as it gives rise to microbubbles that form between the substrate and the film of coating, and over time cracks may arise in the film itself with consequent problems of quality and detachment of the film.
In this connection, it must in fact be recalled that, according to the reference tables of the U.S. International Standard Atmosphere, environmental air is made up as follows:
From these premises there follow the problems typical of conventional powder coating, which uses air without any treatment as carrier fluid for the steps of management of the powder fluidized bed, entrainment, nebulization, and peristaltic recovery.
The contamination by humidity, the vesicular pollution from the hydrocarbon residue (that is, pollution from the hydrocarbon residue in the form of vesicles), as likewise the oily organic substances, moreover yield as a consequence formation of aggregates and accumulations of powder, difficulty of entrainment thereof in the distribution ducts, and non-homogeneity of nebulization and perfect spreading of the powder and lack of uniformity in the thicknesses with consequent difficulty in flow of the coating.
Furthermore, typical of electrostatic powder coating or liquid coating is the formation, in the corners or at the ends of perforations present in the product to be coated, of the Faraday-cage effect, which does not allow uniformity or a perfect distribution, penetration, and flow of the powder, in certain cases causing the absence of coating product, such as for example in the corners or fins typical of electric motors or of heating bodies such as radiators or components of electrical household appliances and steel structural work in general.
Also known are the difficulties in currently available systems of electrostatically charging very fine powder in order to obtain high-quality finishes. It is in fact difficult to get fine-grain powder and nanometric powder to be charged and to maintain the charge prior to impact on the products for a perfect nebulization and homogeneous distribution over the surfaces or products of various nature under the effect of the electrostatic charge.
Also known are the problems in systems for fine-powder or nanometric-powder coating that use as carrier traditional compressed air, which entrains along with it pollutant elements (amongst which particles of hydrocarbons, particles of water, and pollutant dust of various nature) that render difficult perfect distribution, penetration, and flow of the powder over the surfaces.
In spite of all the aforesaid drawbacks, known systems in any case use as carrier fluid for the powder mere compressed air even though it entrains along with it particles of humidity, particles of oil vapours, and volatile particles present in the atmosphere, thus causing the problems referred to above.
A first purpose of the present invention is thus to propose an apparatus and a method for electrostatic powder coating that will be free from the aforesaid drawbacks of known systems.
The above and further purposes have been achieved with a method and an apparatus for electrostatic powder coating according to one or more of the annexed claims, which envisages use, as carrier fluid, of a mixture of nitrogen/oxygen/argon obtained continuously, during the coating process, from compressed air that is modified and then used for movement of the fluidized bed, entrainment of powder, nebulization, peristaltic recovery, electrostatic pre-charge with positive or negative ions of the powder starting from the fluidized bed.
In greater detail, the air is “modified” in the sense that, starting from the natural composition of the environmental air referred to above, to implement the invention the latter is almost totally deprived of oxygen and totally freed of other undesirable substances present in the natural composition, thus obtaining a mixture made up exclusively of nitrogen/oxygen/argon in the preferred percentages referred to hereinafter, which also favour a synergistic effect with ionization and heat conditioning of the carrier fluid described hereinafter.
As preferred, but not indispensable, solution for implementing the invention, said mixture is obtained by means of hollow-fibre osmotic separation membranes or by means of carbon molecular sieve (CMS) using the pressure-swing-absorption (PSA) system.
A first advantage of the invention lies in the fact that, using, as carrier, air thus modified enriched in nitrogen/oxygen/argon, the velocity of thrust increases considerably and creates a less turbulent and faster flow, which is less affected by atmospheric agents such as humidity and thus enables a better and more uniform distribution of the product on the surfaces.
A second advantage is represented by the fact that the mixture obtained from air modified in nitrogen/oxygen/argon is substantially anhydrous, and hence free from humidity and particles of hydrocarbons that are at the origin of vesicular pollution of coating products.
A further advantage is represented by the fact that, using the nitrogen/oxygen/argon mixture and with pre-charging, keeping at a suitable temperature both the fluidized bed and the spray guns, it is also possible to diversify two or more outlets kept at different outlet temperatures that can be optimized for different areas of coating of the product and reduce the coating times in any circumstance. This in fact enables a higher velocity of the reciprocator device that moves the guns for supplying the powder in order to obtain greater uniformity and larger thicknesses in shorter times, and major advantages are achieved in saving of the coating powder and higher productivity in particular in robotized systems.
A further advantage is represented by the fact that, since the nitrogen/oxygen/argon mixture has a higher velocity, an impact that enables better adherence of the powder on the products is created, thus achieving a better adhesion/penetration and flow of the powder, there being impressed on the spray fan a perfect nebulization without dispersion of the powder at the ends of the fan, limiting the rebound effect thanks to the possibility of using smaller nozzles mounted on the guns as compared to the use of traditional compressed air.
The above advantage is particularly felt in the case of robotized systems since it reduces the negative effect of the movement of the spray guns.
Yet another advantage is represented by the fact that the use of air modified in nitrogen/oxygen/argon guarantees a perfect homogeneity of the movement in the fluidized bed given that said mixture is itself, anhydrous and consequently optimal entrainment of the powder in the distribution ducts as far as the guns is achieved.
Yet a further advantage of the invention is the possibility of using waste residual powder, pre-treated in previous coating cycles.
Currently, in fact, the residual powder can no longer be used in a percentage that ranges between 15% and 30%, and its recovery leads to considerable saving from an economic and environmental point of view.
According to a further advantageous use of the invention, the nitrogen/oxygen/argon mixture obtained from compressed air that will be used for moving the fluidized bed and entraining the powder and for atomization/nebulization is pre-charged with positive or negative ions upstream of the fluidized bed, or else is made to be statically neutral (namely, in the plasma state, created by annulling the positive and negative charges in a purposely provided de-ionizing chamber) in order to impose a pre-charge on the powder prior to its outlet from the gun by acting on the particles of argon and of residual oxygen present in the mixture used as carrier in order to annul the Faraday-cage effect.
Advantageously, the fact of moving the powder and imposing a pre-charge with positive or negative ions already in the fluidized bed using anhydrous mixtures of nitrogen/oxygen/argon leads to a better nebulization and a distribution with greater uniformity of the thicknesses owing to the combined synergistic effect between pre-charge and final charge that is exerted by the guns in the nebulization stage.
Yet a further advantage of the invention is the elimination of the above-mentioned problems regarding systems for fine-powder or nanometric-powder coating that use traditional compressed air as carrier.
According to yet a further advantageous use of the invention, the carrier fluid may be heat-conditioned both by heating and by cooling using purposely provided devices, for example, a chiller or other cooling devices, such as with an ultracompact plate heat-exchanger formed by an air-air exchanger equipped with evaporator and a slow-flow separator for example, a demister, with the function of keeping the temperature of the flow at a value of roughly between −15° C. and 45° C., preferably 5°-20° C. throughout the year in order to obtain in any environmental condition a perfect atomization/nebulization of the powder.
In particular, the higher temperatures, close to 45-50° C. or higher, favour the step of drying of the powder-coated products in an oven.
According to a further aspect of the invention, the carrier fluid is heat-conditioned both by heating and by cooling and then mixed to a liquid paint in a spray painting apparatus to keep a desired temperature.
The above and further advantages will be better understood by any person skilled in the branch from the ensuing description and from the annexed drawings, which are provided merely by way of non-limiting example and in which:
With reference to the drawings, an apparatus and a method according to the invention are now described.
In the example of embodiment illustrated, a source 3 of a fluidifying fluid is provided, which gives out into a container 2 containing an amount of coating powder 4.
The fluid has the function of maintaining in dispersed and non-agglomerated form the powder that is to be sprayed on a substrate to be coated 1.
The container 2 communicates downstream with an atomizer device 18, which in turn communicates with a source 13 of atomization/nebulization fluid and a source 5 of a carrier fluid under pressure, which, via an appropriate pipe 6, is to convey the flow of carrier fluid and atomized powder to a spray nozzle 7 of a gun 17, capable of delivering a coating fan 16.
Moreover provided upstream of the nozzle 7 are means 8, in themselves known, for electrostatically charging the flow of carrier fluid and powder.
In different embodiments, the means 8 may be constituted by an electrode 8 supplied at a high voltage 12 set in the proximity of the nozzle 7 (
According to the invention, the sources 3, 5 and/or 13 of fluid are sources of a mixture of nitrogen/oxygen/argon made up of nitrogen in a range of 80-98 vol %, oxygen in a range of 1-19 vol %, argon in a range of 1-2 vol %, more preferably nitrogen in a range of 90-96 vol %, oxygen in a range of 3-9 vol %, argon in a range of 1-2 vol %.
Thanks to the invention it has been found (Table 1) that, whereas the velocity of the compressed air at a pressure of 1 bar (as in conventional systems) is of 7.24 m/s with a turbulence of 43.41%, using the mixture of nitrogen and oxygen with 0.9% of argon the velocity increases from 7.24 m/s to 13.17 m/s, reducing the turbulence to 35.79%.
Advantageously, the coating powder, if pushed by a less turbulent and faster carrier fluid, is less affected by atmospheric agents, such as humidity, and thus enables a better and more uniform distribution of the powder over the surface of the substrate 1.
According to a further advantageous aspect of the invention, the source 3 of fluidifying fluid is a source of a mixture as described above, which enables, thanks to the anhydrous nature of nitrogen, a better fluidity of the powder in the container to be obtained, preventing the presence of humidity and the formation of agglomerates.
As further characteristic of the invention, the apparatus moreover comprises means 11 set upstream of said container 2 for electrostatically charging said flow of fluidifying fluid, constituted preferably by the mixture described above, prior to its entry into the container.
Advantageously, this solution enables an increase in the pre-charge of positive or negative ions of the powder in a simple way and without the use of ionization systems integrated in the fluidized bed.
In addition to improving the conditions of the fluidized bed, the pre-charge advantageously enables an increase in the electrostatic charge of the flow of mixture and powder prior to its outlet from the spray nozzle and hence elimination or considerable limitation of the Faraday-cage effect for coating points that are difficult to access, such as corners or recesses in metal bodies. According to a further characteristic of the invention, there is envisaged the use of one or more heat conditioners 10, 19 set preferably upstream of the container 2 and/or of the gun 17 in order to maintain said mixture and the flow of mixture and atomized powder at a desired temperature, for example a temperature of between −15° C. and 45° C., preferably 5°-20° C. Moreover, according to the invention there is afforded the possibility of conditioning and regulating the temperature of the flow of fluid and atomized powder upstream of the spray guns in order to optimize the temperature according to the environmental conditions and the substrate to be coated. Preferably, regulation of the temperature is obtained by a heating device, for example a reservoir with electrical resistances traversed by the fluid, possibly connected to the guns via a conveying tube 60 equipped with means for heating the fluid, for example electrical resistances of a helical shape for a better heat exchange and time of contact set inside the tube.
Preferably, the working mixture is a mixture of gases obtained from air modified in nitrogen/oxygen/argon produced with hollow-fibre membranes (see diagram of
With reference to the preferred embodiments illustrated in the attached drawings, operation of the apparatus according to the invention envisages supplying a working fluid constituted by the mixture described above in the container 2, into which an amount of coating powder 3 has been introduced.
Introduction of the mixture, which is electrostatically pre-charged, determines formation of a fluidized bed constituted by powder and mixture.
Inserted in the container 2 is a tube 14, which at the other end communicates with an atomizer 18. Extracted through the tube is a flow made up of working fluid and powder recalled into the atomizer by the mixture entering the atomizer from the source 5 and exiting towards the gun 17 through the pipe 6.
From the container there is moreover provided a discharge outlet 15 for the mixture and the residual powder.
In the case of
Once again in the case of
At the same time, the substrate 1 to be coated is kept at a neutral voltage (earthed) in such a way that the flow of mixture and atomized powder impinges upon it and forms the coating layer.
Preferably, the mixture entering the container and/or the flow of mixture and powder reaching the gun 17 are thermally conditioned to maintain a temperature of between −15° C. and 45° C. irrespective of the conditions of external temperature and the period of the year.
Illustrated in
The invention thus achieves the important advantages listed below.
A. Since the mixture described above, obtained from air modified in nitrogen/oxygen/argon is anhydrous, it is thus free from humidity and particles of hydrocarbons that lie at the origin of vesicular pollution of coating products, with a velocity of 13.17 m/s.
B. Since the carrier fluid is heat-conditioned via purposely designed heating and/or cooling equipment, it achieves the purpose of obtaining a perfect atomization/nebulization of the powder and ensuring a constant temperature throughout the year, for example by means of a chiller capable of maintaining the temperature of the fluidized bed at a value of between −15° C. and 45° C.
C. The mixture of nitrogen/oxygen/argon obtained from compressed air that is used for moving the fluidized bed in the container and/or entrainment of the powder and atomization/nebulization thereof is pre-charged with positive or negative ions in order to impose a pre-charge on the powder prior to exit thereof from the nozzle of the spray gun. The electrostatic pre-charge, by acting on the particles of argon and residual oxygen present in the carrier mixture eliminates the Faraday-cage effect described above;
D. The nitrogen/oxygen/argon mixture is faster than the compressed air used conventionally and creates an impact of the powder that thus adheres better to the products, creating a better adhesion and flow of the powder, impressing on the spray fan a perfect nebulization without any dispersion of the powder at the ends of the fan as a result of the movement of the guns, as occurs for example in robotized systems.
E. The use of air modified in nitrogen/oxygen/argon guarantees a perfect homogeneity of nebulization in the fluidized bed given that the mixture is anhydrous, and also perfect entrainment thereof in the tubes for distribution to the guns.
F. The nitrogen/oxygen/argon jet eliminates the relative humidity present in the products, which prevents perfect adhesion of the powder and creation of microbubbles.
G. The use of the nitrogen/oxygen/argon mixture eliminates any problem regarding formation of masses or aggregates of powder in the fluidized bed, given that the latter is anhydrous, i.e., free from humidity.
Advantageously, according to the invention it may moreover be envisaged that the flow of the working mixture is distributed for use via tubes coated with conductive polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) with glass-fibre filler, for example the material marketed under the trade name Teflon®, in so far as with said solution the ions that are conveyed within the tube are not dispersed.
Teflon consequently eliminates the problem of dispersion of the ions of the carrier mixture along the path within the tube.
Described schematically with reference to
Apparatus 40 comprises a source 41 of a pressurized carrier fluid capable of being ionized. Preferably the carrier fluid is a gas mixture made up of nitrogen in a range of 80-99.9%, preferably 80-98%, oxygen in a range of 1-19 vol %, argon in a range of 1-2%.
The carrier fluid is sent through conduits 42 to a spray gun 43 to be mixed with a liquid paint contained in a reservoir 48 and to form a painting mixture to be sent onto the support 50.
Before reaching the spray gun, the carrier fluid is heat conditioned by a thermal conditioning device 44 able to both heat and cool the carrier fluid to maintain a painting temperature between −15° C. and +45° C., preferably between 5° C. and 20° C., irrespective of the environment temperature conditions.
Preferably the heating means of device 44 comprise electric resistance devices and the cooling means comprise a chiller or other cooling devices, such as with an ultracompact plate heat-exchanger formed by an air-air exchanger equipped with evaporator and a slow-flow separator for example, a demister.
The thermoconditioning device 44 is controlled by a control unit 45. Temperature sensors 46, 47 may further be provided to sense the temperature of the carrier fluid and/or of the environment and to adjust in response the heating and/or cooling of the carrier fluid to reach and to maintain the desired painting temperature.
The apparatus 40 further comprises a ionization unit 51 for ionization of the carrier fluid with positive and/or negative ions according to the desired final charge, whether positive, negative or neutral, or in the plasma state, also in relation of the static nature of the support 50, by example whether support 50 is made of a metallic or plastic material.
The present invention has been described according to preferred embodiments, but equivalent variants may be devised, without thereby departing from the sphere of protection of the invention.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| FI2012A0205 | Oct 2012 | IT | national |
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5061510 | Nussbaumer et al. | Oct 1991 | A |
| 20140356545 | Milli | Dec 2014 | A1 |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20140099448 A1 | Apr 2014 | US |
