CHICAGO - While a focus at most any International Air-Conditioning, Heating, Refrigerating Exposition (AHR Expo) is on the latest in coil technology, the 2006 edition of the expo seemed to give even more attention to the newest ways to keep those coils clean.

The Biozone (www.biozonescientific.com) IceZone system is designed to provide continuous cleaning throughout an ice machine. "Purifying plasma" reacts with surface contaminants where they lie so as to reduce machine downtime and overhead.

Blygold America Inc. (www.blygoldamerica.com) provided a corrosion control coating. PoluAl is a one-component, moisture curing, metallic impregnated polyurethane coating that is said to cure well at low temperatures. It is designed for application to aluminum finned/copper tube condenser and evaporator coils and heat exchangers. It is said to have a negligible effect on the pressure drop and heat transfer.

A coil selection and rating program from Coil Co. (www.coilcompany.com) calculates performance of existing coils and assists in selections of options. It has such application possibilities as high-pressure steam thermal liquid, high pressure and untreated water, DX cooling, and preheat/pre-cool coils.

A heat exchanger from Colmac Coil Mfg. (www.colmaccoil.com) has an internally wicked copper tube/aluminum fin heat pipe coil. The company also showed the Dryware fluid cooler (dry cooler) selection software program. It rates a standard or custom fluid cooler and allows the user to customize by varying rows, fins per inch, fin height, fin length, motor horsepower, fan diameter, or fan layout.

A coil-cleaning machine from Goodway Technologies (www.goodway.com) is said to penetrate and clean deep into air conditioning coil beds with Coil Shine foam cleaner. It can be used with a 12-V battery or 115-V A/C.

Heatcraft Aluminum Products (www.heatcraft.com) is offering all aluminum, brazed construction heat exchanger coils. Dust-free designs are available in both conventional round tube finless technology and in flat tube micro-channel technology, for use in applications requiring maximum cleaning capability with what the company said is no clogging. Thermal performance of aluminum round tube designs is said to meet conventional dust-free copper tube designs, but has half the weight.

The Coil Scrubber from Max-Vac (www.max-vac.com) is a pressure washer specifically designed for cleaning A/C coils. It weighs 18 pounds. It siphons from the container and is said to be powerful enough to clean most coil beds.

Nailor Industries (www.nailor.com) showed a fan coil that uses EPICâ„¢/ECM fan motor technology. This technology permits the fan coil to have variable air volume control in both heating and cooling modes.

Nu-Calgon (www.nucalgon.com) had Rx-Acid Scavenger, a neutralizer for air conditioning and refrigeration systems that can be used both for system maintenance and compressor burn-out. One kit can be used with all oils, the company said.

A plate heat exchanger series from Paul Mueller Co. (www.muellerindustries.com) features large connection sizes and optimizes the length and width ratios for the best fit to HVAC thermal and pressure drop requirements. The new AT series is targeted specifically to cooling towers and larger heating and cooling water loops.

A technology from Superior Manufacturing Division (www.superiorwaterconditioners.com) offered a non-chemical water treatment approach to reduce and/or eliminate lime/scale and corrosion in heat transfer equipment.

Tridan International (www.tridan.com) used the expo to note its 40th anniversary. The company offers machines for coil production and automation. Among its products is the Flexpander and HFP series fin presses.

Vapco (www.vapcoproducts.com) showed coil cleaners in powder form, which means they are less heavy to transport and face no potential Hazmat transportation problems, according to the company. Water from a hose is mixed with the powder on site to create the liquid foam. The product line includes Foaminatorâ„¢ P that is alkaline-based, Britenâ„¢ that is acid based, and X Factorâ„¢ that is a non-acid evaporator cleaner. Each comes in packets that when mixed with water create one gallon of cleaner.

Virginia KMP's (www.virginiakmp.com) Foam Maxâ„¢ is a foaming outdoor condenser coil cleaner. The alkaline formula contains cleaners and surfactants that are said to penetrate deep into the coil to dissolve greater and remove baked-on contaminants. The foam expands outward from within the coil, pushing with it the loosened contaminants.

The horizontal direct-drive VersaCoil from Williams Comfort Products (www.williamscomfortprod.com) is manufactured of 18-20 gauge galvanized steel. It features a five-pipe system that allows the technician to rotate the coil from left- to right-hand connections or vice versa.

Publication date: 02/13/2006