Rotocoat Heerhugowaard operational after zinc kettle replacement
January 2022 - Rotocoat Heerhugowaard is able to galvanise again. In the past few weeks Rotocoat Heerhugowaard put its finishing touches on the replacement process of its zinc kettle.
The zinc kettle becomes thinner during the galvanising process due to reactions with the zinc. To prevent pan breakage, it is replaced every 7 to 8 years.
The burners of Rotocoat's zinc furnaces are in use 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can probably imagine that it is impossible to replace such a pan when the galvanising plant is in operation. Rotocoat's annual summer and Christmas breaks are therefore the perfect time to carry out this type of maintenance. During the Christmas break and the weeks following, Rotocoat Heerhugowaard temporarily stopped its activities to replace the zinc kettle, zinc oven, and dryer. Fortunately, the colleagues in Dieren, Kampen and Wolvega were ready to take over the galvanising work after the winter break.
Replacing the zinc kettle
Replacing a zinc kettle is a big operation. Firstly, the zinc must be pumped out of the old pan. This zinc can be kept at the right temperature using heat-retaining pans or the zinc can be pumped into containers to allow it to solidify. The pan is then lifted out and, if necessary, maintenance is carried out on the zinc furnace, the burners and the flue gas duct. After this, the new pan gets placed, the zinc gets pumped back, the kettle gets covered and the oven gets fired.
Replacing the zinc furnace
This time Rotocoat chose to pump the zinc into containers and let it solidify. Not only the kettle, but both the zinc furnace - which had been operating for 30 years old - and the dryer needed to be replaced. This made the process take longer than a usual kettle replacement.
The old zinc furnace had to be demolished. After this, the new zinc furnace could be lifted into place with a number of heavy cranes, before the new kettle was installed.
The new zinc furnace is armed with a different type of burner system. Compared to the old one, the new furnace will save 15% energy (and therefore also CO2). This way we work towards a sustainable future in surface treatment.
This zinc furnace with its modern burner system is the first to be delivered in Europe.
Rotocoat Heerhugowaard is operational
Because the zinc had solidified, the zinc had to be slowly brought up to temperature again after the maintenance. This week the moment was here: the desired temperature of 450 °C has been reached. Rotocoat Heerhugowaard is ready to galvanise your materials once again!