Citrus Dryer Information Hi-Temp Refractory Crematory Repair Citrus Dryer Repair Heat Treating Oven Repair Daniel Bleich Crematory Rebrick cremator Pet Crematory Human Crematory Firebrick Dan Bleich

• Maintaining Refractory Materials in Citrus Dryers

       •Fans Not Working Properly

                  Check for any holes in the suction box, so as not to allow excess
         air in—not heeded, this will cause a compression of air, especially if
         the evaporator fan cannot pull this excessive air out of the chamber.

        •No Quick Startups

                   Quick startups cause excessive expansion and spaulding of the
         material. This moves the hot surface material too fast, leaving
         behind the cold bottom material. This spaulding is caused in the
         fire chamber, and in the air duct where the insulating Firebrick
         6” thick lining is. The Firebrick will split in half, 2” to 3”, sometimes
         not showing immediately, but it will be there, ready to fall.

       •Keeping Dust Collector Clean

                Debris in the Citrus Dryer will cut the insulating Firebrick to
          to pieces. To prevent this, any time the furnace is shut down,
          clean out air and fire chambers. This is a must, because a
          clean furnace will save time, money, and equipment.

       •No Airlocks or Compressions

                The Fan at the front, inside the fire chamber, has 5” holes
          directed at a 30 degree angle. This fan serves to create a
          tornado like spiral, pulling off heat from the chamber firebrick
          and pushing it into the main stream. If there is an airlock or
          compression, nothing will move the heat out of the fire chamber,
          which results in too much build up of heat on the Refractory.

      •All Systems Go

                 All systems must work properly for the best results in
          Refractory materials. When peel is plentiful, everyone is
          tempted to push their citrus dryers to the max, with the heat
          wide open. The results in the furnace, will be a literal melting
          of the Refractory materials lining the citrus dryer.

     •Chemical Reactivity

                  The type of fuel utilized for your dryer also plays a significant
          role in the maintanance of the Refractory materials. Just as crude
          oil has toxic chemicals; such as sulpher, ect.; citrus peel also
          has toxic compounds wit its acid. All such things can effect the
          type of Refractory materials utilized in the fire box and air duct.
          As these things change, you have to consider which material
          best suits the circumstance. We are consultants in the field of
          Refractory. Contact us for a consultation concerning what will
          best work for your set of conditions. You can contact me, Jimmie
           J. Bleich, personally, by dialing (813)-949-6594 or 1(877)-633-8580.
           I can be found on the world wide web at www.hi-temprefractory.com
           and www.crematoryrepair.com. I look forward to hearing from you.

• 1)   For best results, drying of newly
      installed materials should be started
      as soon as possible after the instal-
      lation is completed.

• 2)   Remove all free moisture at a
      temperature of not over 250 degrees
      F, not letting this vary too much for
      2— 4 hours.

• 3)    Then raise the temperature 100
      degrees F per hour until the desired
      operating temperature is reached.
      Hold at this temperature until heat
      balance through the material is
      established to obtain the ultimate
      ceramic bond.

• 4)    This should be approximately 3 —
      4 hours at this point, if the furnace
      is to be cooled down. Refractory
      manufacturers recommend to hold
      operating temperature from 4 — 5
      days or begin normal operations of
      drying feed for this time. NOTE:
      even though Refractory has been
      cured out.

• 5)    If a furnace has been cooled down,
      never fast start it so as to heat
      surface of material faster than
      the under portions of Refractory.
      This causes spaulding and a split-
      ting of material.

• 6)   It is recommended that a slow
      start and an increase in heat be
      in proportion; in order to have
      operating temperature in about
      6 — 8 hours. This would not apply
      to a furnace only down for a short
      time, and has not cooled.

• 7)   NOTE: The Refractory material
      used in your citrus dryer should
      be the same type used in the
      original installation designed by
      engineers to get the most out of
      your citrus dryer. The insulating
      Firebrick is to hold in the heat as
      it is carried to the drying drum.
      When considering repairs, if this
      material is altered or changed to
      a heat conducting material, loss
      of heat will result, thus inefficiency
      and more fuel consumption will
      be the result.