Telescopic Fume Extractor Arms in Chemical Dispensing Rooms
Haz-Safe Buildings' Fume Extractor System is a separate ventilation system with its own exhaust fan (usually #3) working alongside the buildings' continuously running, low level ventilation systems (dual fans #1 and #2). Fume extraction is required with mixing and dispensing operations where smoke, dust and fumes from fuels, solvents, etc. are known hazards constantly threatening the health of workers. These must not be allowed to diffuse into the air to be breathed. The extraction has to take place at a specific "point" where a worker can manually turn on additional ventilation as the work is being performed. This is accomplished with telescopic fume extractor arm(s) hung from the interior ceiling and stored horizontally (balanced and spring loaded) up near the ceiling and are manually brought down to the work area within a five foot radius.
Example #1 Building with roof top fans: Show/Hide
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| Upper left
photo shows 8' 8" wide x 17' 8" long x 12' high dispensing
building with (3) rooftop exhaust fans. (2) fans are for dual low
level posi-ventilation system and a single third fan for dual "any
point" fume extractor arms, each with oval polycarbonate hand
positioning hoods as seen in lower left photo. Hoods are seen through
open 11' wide x 8' high explosion-proof motorized overhead roll-up
door that has been flush mounted into building's wall. Door allows
for (2) pallet loads of (4) 55 gallon drums or (2) tote tanks to
be placed on fiberglass grate elevated flooring by a forklift that
never enters building. Interior photo on right has the overhead
door almost all the way down to the floor with both flexible exhaust
hoods having their own retractable cabled alligator grounding clips. |
Example #2 Building with side wall fans: Show/Hide
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photo shows 5' deep x 45' long x 12' high multiple purpose building
designed to sit on the edge of a loading dock. Incoming pallets
or tote tanks are placed on galvanized grate elevated flooring by
forklift through (1) 18' wide x 8' high and (1) 9' wide x 8' high
non-explosion proof motorized overhead roll-up doors installed on
exterior surface of building. Users enter through personnel doors
on opposite wall to mix and dispense from containers. Building has
(2) fans for dual exhaust "any point" fume extractor arms
which (in photo on left) are tied to overhead (suspended from ceiling)
ground bar with alligator clips (left photo). User will install
multiple number and sizes of process piping on horizontal bars above
doors. Haz-Safe buildings interior finish is ceramic porcelain enamel
steel sheets bonded to fire-rated gypsum. |
Example #3 Building with up blast fans: Show/Hide
When the Haz-Safe building is located against, or near, an outside wall of the user's existing facility, consideration needs to be applied as to where the exhausted air/fumes are going to enter the atmosphere. Outdoor air intake openings for the main facility need to be a safe distance from the exhausted air/fumes of the Haz-Safe Building. First, the roof top Haz-Safe fans have to be equipped with "smoke" stacks in order to extend the vent outlets at the top of the stacks past the turbulent air boundary. The contaminants, toxic fumes or gases are to be carried away from the stacks no matter what the direction the wind is coming from. Best of all would be to have designed the user's campus so that the hazmat exhaust is downwind (of the prevailing winds) of the facility. Secondly, there should be a minimum of approximately 26' from the Haz-Safe exhaust and any of the facilities' air intake openings and 15' from any property lines. (See ASHRAE Fundamentals 1997, Chapter 15, and the 4th Edition of the Industrial Ventilation, "A Manual of Recommended Practice", starting with paragraph 5.16. Inplant Haz-Safe buildings utilize up blast fans to exhaust fumes up stacks that penetrate users existing facilities roof.
