Vortec_CaseStudy_SteelMill0 pages

Targeted Cooling of Electrical Systems in
Hot & Dirty Environments
Overview
One of the many industries Vortec serves is steel manufacturing. Steel plants require high levels
of heat to shape their product. However, excess heat can fry electrical systems and cause plant
shutdowns. Vortec’s specialized products can deliver targeted cooling where it is needed, enabling
steel plants to maintain production quotas.

The Challenge
When one of Vortec’s steel industry clients built a new
compressor building, plant employees discovered the
compressors’ own radiant heat, combined with the
typical hot conditions of a steel manufacturing facility
and regional high temperatures, resulted in frequent
overheating of the compressor control panels. The
plant manager noted that “We were experiencing
downtime when the compressors became too hot. We
obviously didn’t want to re-engineer the whole building,
so we needed some way of cooling the compressors,
which are very critical to our operation. Because we’re
a steel mill—which is a horrendously dirty and dusty
environment—we also needed some way of keeping
this sensitive electronic equipment clean.”

The Solution
The steel plant manager did some hunting to solve
this problem which was hindering production. “When
I found Vortec’s enclosure cooling product, I knew it
would do what we needed,” he notes. The facility now uses Vortec’s model 787 Vortex Coolers. The
Vortex Coolers serve a dual purpose at the steel mill, both cooling and purging the control panels,
with cold air pressurizing the panel so that dirt cannot get into the panel. “Vortec’s product is very
simple to use, reliable and within our budget,” states the satisfied client.

How Steel Plants Benefit From Using Vortec
“With the Vortex enclosure cooler, we can maintain a cooler operating temperature which means
our compressors don’t shutdown anymore,” notes the steel mill manager who has installed Vortex
Coolers in his plant. “That means we don’t lose production time. Plus, the company’s investment in
the compressors is protected: we know they’re going to last a longer time because they’re not getting
dirt and dust in the works.”

Conclusion
The plant manager, a twenty-year veteran of the steel industry, observes “we have used the
Vortex coolers on a regular basis for several years now. If we need any additional cooling
products, we would definitely go to Vortec. They make a good, made in the USA product that
holds up great and is inexpensive. I absolutely recommend their products to anyone looking for
cooling solutions.”
For more information on Vortex Enclosure Coolers, click here or scan this QR code with your
smart phone.

Vortec, an ITW Company
10125 Carver Road
Cincinnati, OH 45242

1-800-441-7475
sales@vortec.com
www.vortec.com