Eemax

The Challenge
A chemical facility that rail transit authorities use for periodic train car cleaning requires a washdown cycle using 30 gallons per minute of hot water, heated from 60°F to 120°F efficiently, with the goal of cutting the cycle's duration in half. That demands 900,000 BTUs per hour, or 263 kilowatts. Natural gas would normally suit this kind of heating task, but gas-fired boilers pose a serious explosion risk near heavy-duty train cars, and the labor and materials needed for safe piping wouldn't be cost-effective. Steam was another option, but administrators were nearly as wary of steam heat costs.

Eemax SpecAdvantage™: The Best Solution
Based on the customer's needs, Eemax engineers chose tankless electric water heaters from the SpecAdvantage PhD line. This line was selected for several key features:
– SpecAdvantage heaters are our most powerful models, ideal for high-flow applications.
– They can deliver hot water output up to 140°F.
– They include freeze protection and a fused disconnect switch.

How the Product Helped
To meet the facility's hot water distribution needs, our engineers designed and installed an efficient piping system with a clear schematic for easy future maintenance and troubleshooting. The design placed three SpecAdvantage heaters in a parallel arrangement, each handling 10 gallons per minute, avoiding any significant drop in pressure. Operation was straightforward, with a basic gate valve turning the SpecAdvantage units on or off. The LCD control board let workers lock in specific temperatures easily, much like cruise control in a car. The facility's electrical grid handled the added power load without issue.