In the current state of the global economy, every penny counts!

Cost savings from reduction in consumable cost outlay such as the blasting abrasives media and/or blasting productivity increases can make a big difference between a profitable, and a loss-making project. With an inefficient abrasive metering valve, conventional blast hose "slug and surge" upon start up is viewed as normal and part of the blasting process. However, this abrasive slugging is not productive, and in a blasting operation/facility it is a complete waste of good abrasives media.

By using the Corsa II automatic abrasive metering valve in place of a conventional type abrasive metering valve this traditional slugging and surging is completely eliminated. Because of the Corsa II valve's instantaneous opening and closing action (controlled by the blasting operator via a remote control handle) abrasive media accumulation (normal in a conventional abrasive metering valve) in the blast hose upon the operator depressurizing the blast pot is completely eliminated.

Over 24 months of field-testing in various shipyard operations, it was found that overall abrasive media consumption cost savings was between 20 to 22% when using Corsa II automatic systems in place of using conventional manual abrasive metering valves. This equates to substantial cost savings, especially when utilizing large quantities of expensive abrasive media such as aluminum oxide, garnet or steel grit. The report below is representative of a typical field test.

Field Test Report

Background: On 12/12/2009, a PanBlast Corsa II metering valve was installed in a controlled environment to evaluate the durability of the value under certain blasting conditions. The valve provided by a PanBlast distributor was selected from regular inventory and was used under the controlled facility's normal blasting conditions with no preventative maintenance performed on the valve during installation. The valve performed to specification until 03/09/2010 at which time it was removed and returned to the PanBlast distributor for detailed inspection. This report details the findings of that inspection.

Blasting Conditions:  
Abrasive: 120 mesh Aluminum Oxide
Pressure: 90 -120PSI - (620 - 830kPa)
Schedule: Shifts running 24 hours - 7 days per week

Cause of Failure: After complete disassembly and careful inspection, it was determined the failure of the Corsa II valve was caused by the plunger seals wearing out.

Normal Wear and Tear: Aside from the seal failure, the valve was in excellent condition, showing only minimal signs of normal wear and tear. Both the tungsten carbide Plunger and solid tungsten carbide Sleeve showed only minimal signs of wear and tear and were both in perfect working order. The Urethane Seat was completely intact and showed signs of normal wear. The Metering Valves Pipe Nipple was also in excellent condition with only minimal wear visible.

Repair Cost: To return the Corsa II valve to complete working order, all components of the valve were cleaned, moving parts were lubricated, a soft seal kit was installed, and the valve was reassembled and tested. The soft seal kit (P/N: BAC-VA-0333-00) has an approximate price of $30.00. With the Corsa II valve installed for 87 days (approximately 261 eight-hour shifts) the operating cost of the valve is calculated to be $0.1149 per eight-hour shift.

Conclusions: Based on the disassembly and reassembly of this valve, PanBlast finds that the Corsa II metering valve used in this controlled environment represents typical performance that can be expected from the valve. With additional regular recommended maintenance (cleaning and lubrication every 90 eight-hour shifts) it may be possible to extend the life of the seals significantly.

System Configuration Options

A further unique feature of the Corsa II automatic metering valve system is the air blow feature. Automatic air blowdown is a simple add-on option to the Corsa II valve that facilitates removal of any residual dust, or embedded abrasives media after abrasive blasting. Additionally, it may be used in blast room facilities for blowdown of residual abrasive media and dust that may be sitting in cavities or channels of the blast room structure.

To perform air blowdown, the blasting operator simply activates the toggle switch that is located behind the AirStop remote control handle. This action automatically closes the Corsa II abrasive metering valve whilst the blast pot remains pressurized. By giving full control of the blasting start/stop and air blowdown process to a single operator, cost savings and productivity increase from elimination of the human pot tender required in conventional blasting operation setups and additional workplace safety benefits are achieved.

To further improve operator productivity by reducing operator fatigue, the AirStop remote control handle can be optionally upgraded to the QuikStop IIS "hands-free" remote control handle. This upgrade enables the operator to perform blasting without having to continuously hold down the lever of the remote control handle. With the high visibility safety ball and strap secured to the operator's wrist, blasting operation is immediately stopped when the blast hose is disengaged from the operator's hands and falls to the ground.

One Stop Global Partner

Panblast designs, develops and manufactures top quality equipment, accessories and parts for the global surface preparation industry, and are marketed and sold in over 80 countries worldwide via an extensive network of distributors, dealers and OEM partners.

For Information:
Panblast Pte Ltd
2 Woodlands Sector 1
#05-20 Woodlands Spectrum I
Singapore 738068
Tel. +65.6586.1583
Fax +65.6586.1563
E-mail: inquiries@panblast.com
www.panblast.com