Introduction:
The FumeKiller® being a flagship product of Powertech Pollution Controls, is a unit that has been proven effective time and again. In this post, we look into a project where the FumeKiller® model FK3600EM was used to successfully capture and control fumes from an automatic brazing machine.
The Challenge: Control of Fumes generated during automated brazing process.
The customer, a reputed brand in the manufacturing and engineering industry, required a fume extraction system for the automated brazing machine. Brazing, being a variation of the welding process is one that can be more easily automated but generates a similar, if not the same, quantity of fumes during the process. In this situation, the customer had an automated brazing unit that was equipped with two brazing units positioned side-by-side. The fumes generated were far enough apart that a single extraction hood would be unable to effectively capture the fumes without a very high-powered extraction system. The customer therefore required a custom designed solution that could effectively control the fumes generated from the brazing process.
The Solution: Single FumeKiller® model FK3600EM fitted with two-way split extraction hoods.
The design of the solution in this situation required not only a custom-built system but a compact one as well. After a thorough study of the work site, our team from Powertech suggested the use of the FumeKiller® model FK3600EM to be used as a welding fume extractor. The unit would be equipped with a two-way split fume extraction hood. Each hood would be positioned above one of the brazing points to extract the fumes generated from each point separately. The benefits of this proposal were as follows:
High-Efficiency and Low-Maintenance: One of the most prominent benefits of the FumeKiller® is the high efficiency of the unit(s) with fumes being filtered with over 95% efficiency. Additionally, the electrostatic filter modules require periodic cleaning and little to no other maintenance in the short term and have a lifetime of over 15 years which is greatly beneficial to any user.
Split-Point Extraction: Since the extraction system was split into two separate points, the size of the extraction hoods could be significantly reduced, allowing for a closer placement of these hoods to the fume generation points. For source extraction, the suction capacity required is directly proportional to the square of the distance of the hood from the fume generation point. This therefore, allowed for a significantly lower powered system which not reduced both the initial investment as well as the running costs for the system.
Results and Impact:
The implementation of the FumeKiller® was a success which allowed for multiple benefits to our client:
Improvement in Air Quality: Since the fumes that were generated from the process were being extracted directly from the source, the remainder of the shopfloor remained pollution free. The direct result of this was a safer and healthier work environment for the staff.
Operational Efficiency: The split point design of the fume extractor allowed for a much more efficient system at a significantly lower cost. The high efficiency of extraction of the fume extractor unit ensured that a greater portion of the generated fumes were filtered before being released into the shopfloor. Therefore, the solution provided both operational efficiency and economic benefits.
Regulatory Compliance: The successful implementation of the FumeKiller® as a welding fume extractor resulted in the customer meeting the required air quality standards within the shopfloor.
Conclusion:
The success of the project is a clear example of how we use a unique approach to every single client and provide custom built solution for each requirement. We are committed to providing every customer with the most effective, efficient, and economical solution for their air pollution control needs. With our portable fume extraction system, we were able to address the welding fume issues faced by our customer and help to enhance the air quality and thereby worker safety within the shopfloor. The transformative impact of the FumeKiller® in this project clearly demonstrated its potential to create cleaner and safer workspaces. If you are facing a challenging issue to do with air pollution control, get in touch with us today and we will work with you to find the best possible solution.