Filtermist company Multi Fan Systems specialises in providing customised air movement and air pollution control systems that deliver optimum environmental conditions for manufacturers in a range of sectors, including automotive.
Ensuring people who work inside production facilities do so in as much comfort as possible is vital, but some projects also require an understanding of, and an empathy with, the wider community.
An ongoing contract with global OEM Federal-Mogul Motorparts Friction Products requires Multi Fan to work with a wide range of stakeholders to ensure the best outcome for all concerned, as Sales Director Kevin Hood explains:
Multi Fan has worked with Federal-Mogul at its site in Chapel-en-le-Frith in the Peak District since 2010. Brake pads and linings for many of the worlds leading brands are manufactured at this plant - growing global demand resulted in the decision to re-organise the site by selling some of the land for a residential development and refurbishing the existing plant. This was when we first started working with Federal-Mogul.
164 homes were subsequently built on the land adjacent to the production facility and so local residents have been a key consideration throughout all aspects of our work with the customer to date.
Multi Fan Systems was initially contracted to relocate and upgrade the existing dust and fume extraction system, as well as installing new abatement systems to meet UK and European emission limits, particularly for VOC, (volatile organic compounds), and odour control.
Kevin continues, Issues such as noise and odour control are of utmost importance on sites which neighbour residential areas. We worked closely with Phil Wilkinson, the companys Environmental Health and Safety Manager, to ensure all of our recommendations caused minimal impact to the local community.
Four Regenerative Thermal Oxidisers (RTOs) were installed for Federal-Mogul to treat a number of similar production processes, such as curing ovens, scorch platens and bake ovens in five different areas of the plant. All of the RTO systems were designed to achieve a VOC abatement efficiency of >95%.
RTOs use ceramic media to accumulate and release heat rapidly to destroy VOCs. A fan is used to draw contaminated air into the RTO through ducting, and the VOCs are heated up until the chemical compound breaks down into water vapour and carbon dioxide which is then emitted into the atmosphere. Operating costs for RTOs are typically relatively low due to the high degree of thermal efficiency involved.
Other projects involved installing extraction for new cells, as well as specifying and installing cooling systems, dust extraction and filtration systems, material recovery using cyclones, laboratory extraction and ongoing routine LEV Testing to ensure all local exhaust ventilation systems are compliant with CoSHH (Control of Substances Hazardous to Health) regulations.
Federal Mogul has worked successfully with Multi Fan Systems since 2010 on the design and installation of multiple dust and fume treatment projects, says Kevin. Multi Fan Systems took demanding process and environmental requirements and developed highly effective project solutions which have resulted in major benefits both to plant operation and the local community.
Visit Multi Fan's Case Studies page for details of other successful installations, or contact the team to find out how Multi Fan can make sure your business can benefit from the best possible working environment.