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  Fluid flowing at high speed through a cenventional tube, conduit, or duct has a thin layer of laminar flow near the wall of the pipe and a wide area of turbulent flow. Efficiency is lowered to energy wasted in creating turbulent eddy currents. Xylan coating reduces the turbulent flow zone! Our colleagues in the field of fluoropolymer coatings have observed a phenomenon that has gone unnoticed until now. We can't say for sure how important it is or even if it will make a significant difference to the coating business. But it could. That's why we are telling you - the users of Xylan - about it now. |
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| "Golf Ball" Effect |
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No one is entirely sure why the as coated surface of Xylan 1010 enables air to flow through a tube or duct with less drag. But in the tests that have been conducted so far, it continues to be the case.  UN-COATED PIPES:Turbulent flow is a mix of roiling eddy currents that move in all directions as they are pushed along the duct. The greater the turbulent flow, the greater the energy required to push the fluid. Thus, engineers working with flowing fluids are constantly trying to reduce turbulence to reduce energy losses. The first known application of deliberate surface roughening is the golf ball; it flies farther because it is dimpled.  COATED PIPES:When a turbulent fluid encounters the surface texture of the coating on a tube ID, some of the side-to-side thrust of the turbulent flow appears to be damped. Thus, the range of laminar flow, from the ID wall toward the center of the flow stream, tends to be more nearly laminar. |
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| Surface Effect |
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The second, and probably lesser, benefit of a Xylan coating on a pipe ID may be in the ability of the coating to absorb the energy excitations of turbulent flow. Just as the coating is sometimes used as a sound damping medium, it may flex slightly from the turbulent forces, and absorb some of this wasted energy. |
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| What's the benefit? |
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That's what we don't know exactly. Early indications that adding a coating of 1010 increases flow in the 1 to 3% range, depending on the degree of turbulence, diameter of the tube, temperature, and other factors. This increase does not seem too great at first glance, but a small increase in efficiency represents huge gains in many industries where an improvement of a fraction of one per cent is considered a major breakthrough. This is particularly true for equipment that operates continuously. |
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| Where To Apply Xylan To Boost Flow |
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We suggested that you try Xylan in applications where air, gasses, relatively thin liquids are being transported under turbulent conditions. This includes the wetted areas of valve bodies, stationary engine intakes, and pipes for gas burners. In addition, consider hot applications such as steam systems (not super heated), food processing equipment, paper/textile drying systems. Impellers are another potential application. The efficiency of centrifugal pumps, supercharges, and other "wind" generating devices may be improved by the addition of a coating that enhances laminar flow across air (or other fluid) handling surfaces. Once you have tried Xylan in this type of application, let us know the results. We will compare your findings to our lab tests. |
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