Paint Drying Systems in Automotive Production: Emission Reduction and Energy Efficiency Through Load-Dependent Volume Flow Adjustment (LAVA) – An Exchange of Experience
At the 23rd DFO Automotive Conference “European Automotive Coating”, organised by the German Research Society for Surface Treatment (DFO) and held from 31 May to 1 June 2016 at the Maritim Hotel in Bonn, Olaf Neese of CVET GmbH presented current experience with load-dependent volume flow adjustment (LAVA) on paint dryers.
The presentation was given on the second day of the conference, 1 June 2016, at 9:00 a.m., under the title:
“Paint Drying Systems in Automotive Production: Emission Reduction and Energy Efficiency Through Load-Dependent Volume Flow Adjustment (LAVA) – An Exchange of Experience”.
Alongside Olaf Neese, Jörg Kessler of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, Hanover, attended as the end user.
Full Load Is the Exception – Still a Live Topic in 2016
As set out in earlier articles, paint drying systems in the automotive industry are typically designed for a projected maximum body throughput that is rarely reached in actual operation. “Load-dependent volume flow adjustment (LAVA)” matches the dryer’s air balance to real production conditions in real time, so that the dryer is operated in an energy-optimised state throughout.
The presentation focused on the energy demand, function and implementation of LAVA, as well as — together with the end user Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles — concrete application experience from day-to-day operation.
The contribution underlines that, by this point, LAVA already had several years of operational experience at an OEM behind it and was recognised in the professional community as an established process for improving energy efficiency in the paint shop.
CVET —
Processes must be understood before they can be sustainably improved.