As anyone who has ventured into the peaks of the Pineleno Mountains in south-eastern Arizona will tell you – it gets pretty cold up there. HotAirTools.com has played its part in ensuring that the Steward Observatory can continue to study the stars no matter how cold it gets in Arizona.
-20C HOT AIR PROJECT
LEISTER HOTWIND SYSTEM
THE CHALLENGE
Overcome the extreme cold weather to protect the Steward Observatory equipment.
CONTROLLED FLOW OF HOT AIR
CONSISTENT EQUIPMENT
THE SOLUTION
Using the Leister Hotwind System to remove cold-related equipment malfunctions.
THE STORY
The Pineleno Mountains of southeastern Arizona can become very uncomfortable for humans and their equipment. That is unless they happen to work at the Steward Observatory on Mt. Graham doing research for the University of Arizona.
While major observatories are used to being located in high altitude, cold locations, the Steward Observatory on Mt Graham, was suffering from the extreme cold, with temperatures dropping as low as –20C. This would cause ice to build up on the masts, causing sensors to malfunction, and large icicles to drop onto the telescope and damage it.
Dating all the way back to 1923, the Steward Observatory is one of the few facilities that can cast the large primary mirrors of the 21st century, and as such, is vitally important to protect. It also helps provide important information for the research arm of the astronomy department at the University of Arizona.
With valuable technology to protect from the elements, the team at Steward Observatories turned to Hot Air Tools for a solution.
THE CHALLENGE
The Steward Observatory is needed to protect its valuable equipment from the elements of the Pineleno Mountains. With temperatures dropping to –20C, important equipment needed to be kept warm and ice-free to ensure accurate readings.
To do this, the team needed versatile hot air tools that could provide a continual stream of hot air throughout the masts and other equipment. The effect needed to be powerful enough to stop ice, forming even on the extremes of the mast, and the team would need to be able to monitor the temperature remotely.
Using their industry-leading knowledge of hot air tools and experience working with large-scale projects such as the Olivenhain Dam, the team at HotAirTools.com identified the Leister Hot Wind System as the perfect tool.
THE SOLUTION
The solution had to give a controlled flow of hot air, keeping the observatory equipment warm enough without overheating, and the Leister Hotwind System was chosen as the perfect option.
This hot air tool was small enough to fit into the tight spaces in the observatory but, at the same time, powerful enough to achieve the desired results.
With multiple Hot Wind Systems placed strategically throughout the observatory, the staff could go about their day-to-day work without having to worry about the effects of the cold weather.
In the end, the perfect solution was found, and the Steward Observatory team could be confident that there would be no more cold-related equipment malfunctions.
HOW WE WORK
At HotAirTools.com, we work closely with our clients to ensure they get the right tool for the job. With experience working on several different projects, from the Steward Observatory to the Olivenhain Dam, we’re there to make sure the optimal tools are available.
We pride ourselves on our customer service and will draw upon our wealth of experience to make sure our clients have the right equipment. Whether it’s a huge job or a small fix, we’ve got the equipment to get the job done.