Letter 37002

Control of the fumes [Philippines] 

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A company has asked us to remove or rather lessen the amount of fumes that are being given off by the plating chemicals during electroplating. Because of the effect of the fumes on the workers, that their workers must have a regular medical check up every five months! Even though they have a scrubbing device and there is some air entering the plaring room there are still large amount of fumes that are given off by the tanks. How can we minimize this kind of problem? what we can do to eliminate this problem?

Thank you very much,

Jessie Cabrera
ABC Inc. - Calamba City, Philippines

Hi Jessie,

Hells Bells, you have a problem on your hands.

Firstly, you say they have a scrubber. Ha! That could be too small, wrong design, badly maintained etc.etc.etc.etc.

Then some plating 'fumes' don't need to be exhausted ... as long as they are not toxic ... but most do.

Sorry, but you've got to go from scratch. Look at the tank sizing, the tank contents (ie process) and then calculate what the necessary airflows are.

The U.S. have an excellent book called INDUSTRIAL VENTILATION which is 98% right ... but unless you are an engineer or a ventilation specialist, it'd sure take some reading !!!

That book will also tell you that, normally speaking, any emissions should have a stack that is l.3 times the height of the building

Lastly, I haven't the slightest clue what ABC Inc does ... t'would have been helpful had you told us, perhaps.

Freeman Newton
- White Rock, B.C. Canada

The exhaust system is either poorly designed or is undrsized or a combination of both. For starters, see if you can get a copy of the metal finishing guidebook. The appropriate article in the 1997 book is better for your needs than the one in the 1999 book. Same author. This is down to earth and understandable. It may take several times thru for a good understanding.
If you can afford it, a good consultant can save a lot of time and errors.

James Watts
- FL

Jessie, this is a big problem indeed.
First, what is the plating process that produces the fumes?
Second, what is your plating room size?
Third, what ventilation system do you have? how many air changes?
Fourth, what kind of fume scrubber do you have? how is the fume sucked by th scrubber?

answer these questions and we will communicate again.

Peter E. de Dios
- Binan, Laguna, Philippines

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