Oilseed extractor and soybean processor for a leading global provider in the food, feed and biofuel processing industry.

Illinois Blower needed to design a set of fans for an oilseed extraction process that could handle hexane vapor and meet AMCA B spark-resistant design requirements. This was too challenging for a standard fan. Moreover, one fan had to operate at temperatures exceeding 200°F, requiring a gas-tight design to ensure it could contain flammable gas. They needed the expertise that Illinois Blower has with this type of challenging design.

Illinois Blower designed and delivered three specialized fans with spark-resistant features, including one with an aluminum wheel, a triple carbon ring shaft seal, an explosion-proof motor, and anti-static components to meet the requirements of handling hexane vapor.

The custom design improved safety, high-temperature operation, gas-tight integrity, and safety feature integration, all contributing to a more efficient and secure oilseed extraction process. They also met AMCA B spark resistance, mitigating the risk of potential fire hazards and explosions. For one fan, implementing 3D Finite Element Analysis (FEA) allowed Illinois Blower to engineer an efficient, backward-curved wheel that could withstand temperatures of 210°F, pushing the limits of the aluminum’s normal temperature tolerance. The fans were also tested to 5 PSI and incorporated critical safety features such as explosion-proof motors and internal and external anti-static components.