Welding Fume Effectively Controlled at Waste-to-Energy Plant

Case Study Overview

In a waste-to-energy plant, boilers, fabric filters, furnaces and ash expellers are some of the key areas that might require welding repair work during plant shutdowns. During its routine shut down maintenance period, a waste-to-energy plant in Ireland required Inconel overlay welding repair work, the furnace needed repairing and boiler pipes needed replacing.

Challenge

Welding fume was officially classed as carcinogenic in 2019 after scientific evidence from the International Agency for Research on Cancer found exposure can cause lung cancer and possibly kidney cancer in humans. With the maintenance taking place in enclosed areas, an effective fume control and ventilation system was vital to protect those carrying out these works. Therefore, RVT were approached for a solution.

Solution

After a thorough assessment of the site, RVT decided that a combination of our Ravex® fume extraction units, paired with powerful Ventex® centrifugal fans, were the ideal solution to the plant’s problem. The Ravex® Fume Extraction Kit, Portable Welding Filter and Mobile Welding Filter were all used on site; this equipment allowed for fumes to be captured at source, as well as achieving the effective extraction at multiple welding points simultaneously without the need to extract to outside. As a result, air quality was maintained and workers were able to carry out repairs safely over the course of the project.