Damaged nozzles
Nozzles are essential to many industries because they allow very precise and powerful work to be cost-efficient. However, damaged nozzles can slow down your activity without you even knowing it. We will see today how nozzles can be damaged and how important it is to take care of nozzles and replace them from time to time. Nozzles are very small industrial pieces. They are relatively fragile and need to be taken care of. Even if the clues showing your nozzles are damaged are really not obvious, the consequences can be very detrimental to your production process.
Risks from using damaged spray nozzles:
- Uneven spraying pattern
- Increased water use
- Increased chemical use
- Pressure loss
How do nozzles get damaged?
A lot of factors come into consideration when picking the right nozzle. In fact, each application necessitates a thorough study to determine which type of nozzle, which material, which spray pattern fits. Picking the wrong nozzle will lead to bad results and also accelerate the time when nozzles are damaged.
Several criteria change the lifespan of a nozzle :
- The material: steel, ceramic, plastic, each of them has specific characteristics and resistance features. For example, Stainless Steel has better resistance than PVC, but PVC is more suitable to spray acidic liquid.
- The average length of use: if a nozzle is used every day for an application, its longevity will be lower. It will also strongly depends on the application and the liquid sprayed.
- The chemicals: if the nozzle sprays chemicals, the level of corrosivity can increase the damage to the nozzle and force you to change it more often.
- The maintenance process: if the cleaning or the maintenance process is too rough, it can permanently damage the nozzle.
- Wrong utilization: if you use a nozzle for something else than the approved application, it will probably damage it.
Clues of nozzle deterioration
- Uneven spray pattern and distribution: if you notice an uneven distribution of spray pattern, such as lines of water in the spray or water dripping, it could mean the nozzle is clogged.
- Bad results: if the results of your application significantly decrease, this might mean that your nozzles are no longer functional.
- Increased water expenses: if your water expenses related to the use of nozzles is increasing, this is a sign that your nozzles are not working properly.
- Pressure loss: if your system suffers pressure loss, it might mean that there is something wrong with your nozzles.
- Scratched nozzle: the orifice of your nozzle can be scratched during maintenance. This irreversible damage will disturb the proper functioning of the nozzle. You must be very careful during the maintenance process of your nozzle and clean it with a softer material.
Consequences and financial loss due to damaged nozzles
Damaged nozzles are not only underachieving, thus lowering the quality of your end product, but they also can be a financial hole. There are three main costs which will increase if you keep using worn-out nozzles:
How to improve the lifespan of your nozzles?
Depending on your application, you should set up a maintenance program and stick to it. Nozzles are precision pieces and you should be very careful when cleaning them. For example you could brush them with a softer component than its materials. Or use an ultrasonic washing device to remove small clogged particles.
The best way to keep your nozzles in good shape for the longest time is to pick the best nozzle for your application (series, material) and to do a proper maintenance every 2 weeks or month.
If you ever detect a malfunction with your nozzle, contact us or use replacement nozzles.
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