Q. Please explain the difference between the phenolic blade and the B3000™.

A. The B3000 composite blade is a high strength, high temperature thermal plastic composite with carbon reinforcement fiber for use in high temperature high wearing applications. It has 3 to 4 times higher bending strength than the thermoset phenolic material. Throughout more than five years of real world testing, every application yielded a life increase of at least 3 times that of phenolics. The B3000 has a melting point of 500-550° F, well above the compressor maximum operating temperature of 350° F, whereas the phenolic will become brittle resulting in low strength and wearability at operating temperatures. The new design also has improved dimensional stability and is chemically more stable.

Q. Is the B3000™ interchangeable with the phenolic?

A. Yes. B3000 blades can replace phenolics for all Ful-Vane^® compressors. They will fit into existing rotor slots, although the B3000 will be slightly thinner and longer due to minor differences in thermal expansion.

Q. Can it be used for applications other than compressed air?

A. Yes. The thermo plastic resin is virtually resistant to chemical degradation in all corrosive gas atmospheres and is recommended for ammonia and all natural gases.

Q. Is it moisture resistant?

A. Yes, it is moisture resistant. The B3000™ will not absorb moisture. Blades do not require air tight sealing or dessicants while in storage.

Q. Is lubrication the same?

A. Yes. The lubrication recommendations described in the operation manual can be used for the B3000™, although field testing shows excellent blade wear rate at 50% reduction in lube rate. At this lower rate the oil concentration in the discharged air is about 15 parts per million. Guidelines for oil reduction are available from FLSmidth, contact Tom Streck at (610) 264-6994 or e-mail thomas.streck@flsmidth.com for more details.

Q. Can the B3000™ run successfully at a higher speed?

A. A series of high speed tests have been completed on virtually all size compressors using the B3000 at 30% speed increase showing promising results. Several installations are now in operation and being monitored.

The outcome can be of considerable advantage to the final user in reducing the number of units or compressor size for a given application, thus reducing capitol cost, shipping and installation cost. The high speed system will have the same total power requirement, although the cost of replacement parts must be evaluated and compared to the lower speed system.