Protecting Future Welders: Clean Air Company Enhances Safety at Burlington County Institute of Technology with Advanced Fume Ventilation
February 4, 2025
Clean Air Company has successfully installed a comprehensive welding fume ventilation system at another educational institution – the Burlington County Institute of Technology. The addition of our efficient and effective welding fume ventilation system is part of the school’s recent classroom renovations. Burlington County Institute of Technology’s welding program offers students practical training, safety awareness, and technical expertise. The program aims to equip students with certifications and entry-level positions in the construction, manufacturing, automotive, and shipbuilding industries. Students learn welding codes, standards, procedures, and welding techniques, including MIG (Metal Inert Gas), TIG (Tungsten Inert Gas), Stick, and Flux-Cored Arc Welding. Clean Air Company’s welding fume ventilation system protects students and staff from the potential hazards of welding fume exposure, providing them with a safe and conducive learning environment.
Improving School and Workplace Safety
Welding fumes contain dangerous particles such as metal oxides, chromium, manganese, and nickel. Particles in welding fumes can irritate the respiratory system and even lead to chronic health conditions like asthma, bronchitis, or occupational lung diseases. Prolonged exposure to specific fumes, including cadmium and hexavalent chromium, can significantly increase the risk of serious illnesses such as lung cancer and kidney damage. As a result, organizations such as OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) have implemented strict exposure limits for harmful substances found in welding fumes. Using effective ventilation systems per workplace safety policies protects against these risks and prevents legal repercussions.
Clean Air Company designed the welding fume ventilation system to provide efficient local exhaust ventilation (LEV) for 30 designated welding booths at the Burlington County Institute of Technology. Each booth is equipped with coral fume extraction arms that effectively capture welding fumes at their source. The extracted contaminants are then conveyed to a dust collector through an industrial ventilation duct system. The dust collector is fitted with sufficient filter media to remove the welding fumes and tiny solid particles from the air.
Creating Customized Ventilation Systems
Welding fumes are comprised of minute solid particles with a diameter ranging from 0.01 to 1 micrometer (10 to 1,000 nanometers). These particles are created when metal vapors produced during welding cool down and condense. The primary particles typically clump together to form larger aggregates ranging from 1 to 5 micrometers. However, the size of these particulates can differ depending on the type of welding method used. For instance, MIG and TIG welding usually result in smaller particles due to high temperatures and fine metal vaporization. In contrast, stick welding (SMAW) may generate larger particulates because of the type of electrodes utilized. Furthermore, the composition of the metals being welded, such as aluminum and stainless steel, can also influence particle size. Materials with alloying elements tend to produce finer particles during welding. Understanding how these factors affect particulate size in welding fumes enables Clean Air Company to create appropriate ventilation systems that minimize welders’ exposure to harmful particles.
To effectively remove small welding fume particulates from the air, it’s necessary to use highly efficient filters, which typically have a minimum efficiency reporting value (MERV) of 15, which means they can capture between 95% and 98% of particles during initial filtration. To further ensure clean air, a secondary high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter is installed, capable of removing 99.9% of any remaining particles before returning the air into the classroom environment. The combination of these filters provides a comprehensive solution for reducing welding fumes in the air and creating a healthy and safe learning environment for students.
Saving Time and Money: Automatic Filter Cleaning System
As welding fumes pass through the filters, they gradually become clogged with particulate matter. This results in restricted airflow and a buildup of pressure within the system. To correct this situation, an automatic cleaning system is implemented. It constantly monitors the differential pressure and initiates the cleaning process when it reaches a predetermined value. The filters are automatically pulsed with compressed air to remove all accumulated welding fumes until the pressure drops to a pre-established low-pressure value. The collected dust falls into a drum for easy disposal. This monitoring and cleaning process continues until the filter’s lifespan is exhausted and new filters need to be installed,
Clean Air Company’s welding fume ventilation system has improved the overall air quality within Burlington County Institute of Technology and provided the school with significant energy savings. Unlike traditional ventilation systems that exhaust tempered air outside, Clean Air Company’s system purifies and recirculates the existing air, eliminating the need to constantly exhaust tempered air. To further improve energy efficiency, automatic dampers, and variable-speed frequency drives can be utilized to control the amount of air that needs to be filtered at any given time.
Complete System Design, Installation, and Service
Clean Air Company understands the importance of designing and properly installing a quality air filtration system that meets your organization’s specific requirements. To help ensure your welding fume extraction system always performs optimally, Clean Air Company offers complete system design, installation services, and service agreements for our welding fume ventilation systems.
If your organization is looking for a trusted source for a dust collection or ventilation system, look no further than the industrial ventilation specialists at Clean Air Company. With decades of experience and a dedication to excellence, our team offers precise, customized design services, accurate installations, and expert maintenance services.
Contact us today to create a healthy work or school environment and save money in the long run.