THE ATON PROJECT

AIM OF THE PROJECT

The aim of the project is to create a completely automatic computerised system for drying vehicle paint-work inside a spray booth using liquid propane gas fed thermal catalytic panel technology.

These panels, once heated and supplied with gas trigger a catalytic combustion with heat and infra-red ray emission but with no light emission. The use of our panels presents no risk to the eyes or skin. The use of medium wave electromagnetic infra-red rays makes it possible to heat, by irradiation, only the painted part of the vehicle without having to heat all the 80-120 m 2 (depending on the dimensions) of the spray booth (heating by convection).
All this leads to a notable saving of time and above all energy, with an evident decrease in polluting discharges caused by the use of spray booth burners and those due to the discharge of solvents coming from the film of paint, which coming into contact with the surface of the catalytic panels, are broken up into water vapour and carbon dioxide i.e. non polluting products.

To reach the drying temperatures in spray booths recent technology provides heating by convection of the surface to be dried, through a system of heat exchange using boilers fuelled by diesel or gas with a consumption estimated at about Euro 8,00 - 20,00 per working hour (depending on the working method of partial recycle or total expulsion) besides the maintenance costs of the active carbon purifiers provided to limit discharge fume pollution.

The criteria foreseen in our project has the advantage of concentrating the irradiation only onto the painted area and moreover, being a high performance system it allows for the drying of the painted parts with costs which go from a few hundredths of a Euro to Euro 1,50 when it is necessary to dry the whole vehicle.

Our method thus leads to considerable energy saving with the minimum impact on the environment.

The choice of the gas fed catalytic system was made taking into account the notable difficulties which users meet to obtain the necessary electrical energy (circa 60 Kw) to supply pre-existing devices of the same type.

STUDY BY NATIONAL COUNCIL OF RESEARCH

In the thermograph testing carried out in 1995 by the CNR-ITEF of Padova (National Council of Research – Institute for the cold technique) the functionality of a mobile “arch” made up of gas fed catalytic panels was studied.

Through a thermograph system the study demonstrated the visible effect of irradiation obtained by the above mentioned plates on a painted vehicle.

The findings of the study show that on the basis of the revelations carried out, good uniformity of heating was obtained on the axis perpendicular to the movement , and that the emissions of the catalytic panels entered within the band of medium waves.

The report concluded that the technical solution adopted is suitable to carry out rapid systems of heating with notable capacity to regulate the temperature of the irradiated object accurately.

CERTIFICATION

All models are designed and built to conform with EC regulations not only regarding instructions but also suggestions.

The catalytic panels have been tested and certified by authorised bodies.

The prevailing emission of medium waves with an irrelevant ultra-violet component (absolutely no light) enables the device to be used without risks to the eyes or skin and of colour changes.