Induction Stub Heaters

www.eis.co.nz

Introducing EISEIS are the people who provide innovative solutions to industrial sector businesses, enabling our clients to achieve greater efficiencies and ultimately increase their profitability.

We are a multi-disciplined engineering and electrical company, offering a full suite of capabilities including specialist skills in the fields of automation and control systems.

We have extensive experience in managing contract works from conceptual design and specification through to detailed design for installation and finally installation, testing, certification, inspection, ongoing maintenance and operational support.

We work with clients throughout New Zealand and around the world, in a broad range of heavy industrial sectors. Health and safety is a priority for us, and this is reflected in our impressive record of no lost time injuries in over 11 years.

EIS has provided services to New Zealand Aluminium Smelters (NZAS) in Invercargill since 1996. During this time we have helped them to implement innovative systems to become the world’s most efficient smelters producing the worlds highest purity aluminium. Our partnership with them has enabled us to develop and fabricate automatic machines for the smelting industry.

The product EIS’ Induction Stub Heater utilises induction technology to provide a safe and efficient solution for heating anode rod stubs during the aluminium smelting process.

This highly effective and efficient induction heater reduces the requirement for noisy and expensive gas heating. The embedded energy use is low due to the energy being concentrated and only used as required.

The induction heater also delivers health and safety benefits. The stubs are heated completely, raising them to a temperature above 105°C before presentation at the casting station, thereby significantly reducing the possibility of metal explosions during the casting process.

Each induction stub heater is custom designed and built to meet our client’s specific operational requirements. The unit and all of its components are produced to stringent quality and safety standards, delivering our clients superior results, reliability and ultimately, peace of mind.

Advantages of our Induction Stub Heater include:

Dramatic improvements in health and safety, achieved by significantly reducing the risk of metal explosion

Improved operational efficiencies, providing a higher heat in a faster time

Economical to run, providing a substantial reduction in energy consumption and thereby reducing operating costs when compared to gas

Reduced environmental impact, producing significantly less noise and air pollution than a gas heater

Reduced maintenance versus a gas heater, with no water vapour, flame impingement or other issues associated with gas

Provides consistency of heat penetration and better control over the drying process

www.eis.co.nz

New Zealand Aluminium Smelters, Southland, New Zealand

WORKING EXAMPLE

The ClientNew Zealand Aluminium Smelters (NZAS) is New Zealand’s only aluminium smelter and is located on Tiwai Peninsula in the province of Southland. It is renowned for producing the purest aluminium in the world.

The BriefDuring the smelting process, NZAS coats the stubs on their anode rods by dipping them into a water-based graphite solution prior to casting the rod to the anode. The rods then require drying prior to casting.

This drying was previously achieved by passing the rod assembly through a gas heated chamber, with several heaters providing an average temperature of 70°C on the surface of each stub.

However, a significant risk was identified in that the stubs often weren’t completely dry and this could lead to metal explosions during the casting process.

NZAS engaged EIS to provide a superior heating solution that would mitigate health and safety risks for their workforce, as well as reducing their environmental impact.

www.eis.co.nz

The SolutionEIS designed, built, installed and commissioned a site-specific induction heater for NZAS.

This employs leading edge technology to provide fast, efficient and cost effective heating of the anode rod stubs.

The stubs are heated to above 105°C, which removes the risk of metal explosions when the hot cast iron (1450°C) is poured into the stub holes in the carbon anode at the casting station. The total cycle for heating all the stubs on an anode rod is less than 50 seconds.

The ResultsThe heater is operating as per specification and all of the health, safety, environmental and quality objectives set by NZAS have been delivered. As an added bonus, the installation of the new heater has also resulted in improved operational efficiencies in other areas of the rodding room, due to reliable consistency.

NZAS has also seen a significant cost reduction for operation of the induction heater compared with the old gas heater. In fact, the savings made on gas were enough to pay back the purchase and installation of the induction heater in less than two years.

For a verbal reference on the success of the induction stub heater installed at NZAS, please phone Paul Cavanagh on +64 (3) 218 5999.

PHONE +64 (3) 214 2046 MOBILE +6421 287 7323 EMAIL Johnny.mauchline@eis.co.nz

17 Eye Street, PO Box 5, Invercargill, 9840, New Zealand

Please contact Johnny Mauchline, Operations Manager for more information

Your Induction Stub Heater We will partner with you to design, build, install, supply and commission a custom induction stub heater that meets the specific operational requirements of your site, enabling you to increase workplace safety, decrease your environmental impact and ultimately work more efficiently.