Bespoke Rotary Airlock Replacement for a Steel Works

A steel works approached IPT Engineering about a rotary airlock that was badly worn. The rotor was failing and the shaft seals were leaking, so the unit had to be replaced.

Replacing it was not straightforward. The original airlock was a non-standard size, and no off-the-shelf rotary valve would fit without modification. Altering the connecting chutes to take a standard-size unit was not practical, so the steel works needed a replacement made to fit the existing installation.

IPT worked with the steel works to define the replacement. It had to match the existing dimensions and connections exactly, and it was an opportunity to deal with some of the maintenance problems of the original design.

From the first discussions to the order, the project took about nine months. That time allowed the requirements to be fully established and the replacement design to be agreed before the order was placed.

The steel works received a replacement rotary airlock designed specifically for its existing installation:

• A unit with a failing rotor replaced
• Improved shaft sealing
• Exact dimensional fit with the existing installation
• No modification to the connecting chutes
• Upgraded components built into the new design
• Easier, quicker maintenance in future

Rather than adapting the plant to suit a standard product, IPT sourced a purpose-built replacement that fitted the plant.