Air recirculation: a case study

Plant management at a small computer components manufacturing plant in Salt Lake City estimated heating and cooling costs could be cut by $20,000 per year if the exhaust air could be recirculated to the plant. A consulting industrial hygienist (IH) was asked to investigate that possibility. Three ex...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inOccupational Health & Safety Vol. 73; no. 9; p. 28, 30
Main Author Burton, D Jeff
Format Magazine Article Trade Publication Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States 1105 Media, Inc 01.09.2004
Subjects
Air flow
Air Pollution, Indoor
Arsenic
Arsenicals
Computer industry
Gallium
Gallium arsenide
Heat exchangers
Humans
Indoor air quality
Industrial plants
Occupational Exposure - prevention & control
Occupational hazards
Organizational Case Studies
Ventilation
United States > US
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Summary:Plant management at a small computer components manufacturing plant in Salt Lake City estimated heating and cooling costs could be cut by $20,000 per year if the exhaust air could be recirculated to the plant. A consulting industrial hygienist (IH) was asked to investigate that possibility. Three exhaust systems (numbers 1-3) served LED fabrication machines that emitted gallium-and arsenic-containing particles. Pre-baghouse exhaust air contained a concentration of about 500 micrograms/cubic meter (ug/m3) of the gallium/arsenic mixture. Post-baghouse air contained about 50 ug/m3. The IH searched the toxicology literature and contacted the makers of the fabrication equipment. It was determined that gallium arsenide is considered quite hazardous and arsenic is considered a suspected cancer agent. Because suspected carcinogens should not normally be recirculated, the first three exhaust systems were not good candidates for recirculation. The plant looked for alternatives - heat exchangers, lower-cost fuels, and other energy conservation measures.
ISSN:0362-4064
1938-3851