Our watertight air motor is 100% water resistant and suitable for use in all kinds of underwater applications. It also offers a highly effective solution for applications used in environments that demand a comprehensively sealed air motor, such as the nuclear or chemical processing industries.
The design team here at modec initially developed our watertight air motor in direct response to a client’s specific needs. The client, a successful global company, runs a variety of operations dependent on the management and movement of clean, unpolluted water. As a certified eco-friendly business, the client had two key requirements for the air motors activating its underwater systems:
They had to be absolutely watertight to prevent any salt water entering and damaging the motor, especially as the company wished to avoid time-consuming regular maintenance of the motors
It was imperative to prevent air bubbles escaping from the air motors which could potentially contaminate the water.
To address the issue of viable long-term waterproofing, we make the motor using top of the range materials, including high performance INOX stainless steel for all the rotating parts that come into contact with the water, for example the output shaft, where there is the most danger of water seeping through sealed joins over time. The seals can resist the effects of output shafts turning at a speed of around 100 rpm and, crucially, remain watertight when the motor is turned off.
Preventing the escape of bubbles from the motor posed a complex technical challenge. As well as completely sealing the motor, it meant finding a way to collect the air at the exhaust point and bringing it back outside the water. This sealing allowed us to use a motor fed with lubricated air which significantly increases the length of time it can operate without requiring maintenance.
As this was a key factor for the client, we carried out targeted trials here at our test centre to ensure our motor met their demands. First, we immersed the motor 6 meters deep in water for one week and were pleased to find that not one drop of water had entered the motor. Secondly, we put the motor in a water tank for a similar length of time and checked that no air escaped into the water.
We believe air motors offer the best solution for underwater applications.
Hydraulic motors often leak oil which pollutes the water, while electric motors inevitably involve an element of risk when used in water. Watertight air motors protect the environment and guarantee safety.
Significantly, our watertight motor can be adapted to meet the precise requirements of other companies operating in the sub-marine sector, and in other industries where an airtight or water resistant motor is of primary consideration. And this is where financial savings can be made - because rather than businesses having to adapt an existing machine to find a solution that works with standard air motors available on the market, we can adjust our motors to find a solution that fits their machine. What’s more, we can do it quickly.
Don’t hesitate to get in touch with us for more information and/or a free initial consultation or to download our case studies !
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