Projects

A boat manufacturer is exceeding the personnel exposure limits (PEL) for styrene in their manufacturing facility.
Traditional HVAC ventilation approaches (i.e. air changes per hour) were not meeting the 50 ppmv 8 hour weighted average limit.

PI Elements, Inc. utilizes computational fluid dynamic (CFD) modeling to determine design requirements for the ventilation system.
The modeling indicated that the styrene was flowing out of the boats and on to the floor.
Modeling also indicated areas of heaviest styrene concentrations within the facility.
Modeling dictated bringing in fresh air from the top and exhausting at floor level.
PI Elements, Inc. installed the system turn-key. The system utilized an automatic control system that maintained balance between inlet and outlet flows.
The design was able to achieve an average PEL of 35 ppmv.
The design was installed successfully in two of the company’s locations.

A glass company purchased a thermal oxidizer and dry scrubber to control siloxane and chlorine emissions from a glass coating operation
The supplier of the control system built an up-fired oxidizer utilizing an in line burner design.
Combustion of the siloxane produced particulate (SiO₂) that fell back into the burner plugging it and blinding the UV scanner used for the flame safety system.
The system would only run for 4 to 5 hours before shutting down on flame failure.

PI Elements, Inc. redesigned the burner and waste gas injection system.
A nozzle mix gas burner was mounted tangentially on the bottom of the combustion chamber.
Two UV scanners were installed operating in parallel. One was mounted on the burner back plate and one was mounted in the combustion chamber opposite the burner flame.
A waste gas injector was designed to mix the waste gas with natural gas and combustion air at the point of entry into the combustion chamber. The design also provided for a particulate clean out.
The waste gas injector was mounted axially in the combustion chamber.
This design allowed for continuous burner operation without particulate impact. Particulate fell into the clean-out of the waste gas injector assembly and was able to be cleaned “on the fly”.

Increased market demand required a Georgia foundry to increase production by 50% within two months time.
Air Permit requirements limited carbon monoxide emissions
A production increase would exceed permit limits causing a violation.
Could the facility buy and install a pollution control device in two months to meet the customers supply demands?

PI Elements, Inc. was able to locate a used regenerative thermal oxidation (RTO) system with the required flow capacity.
The RTO was shipped from the Northeast and refurbished on site.
PI Elements, Inc. designed and built a baghouse for installation in front of the RTO to prevent the particulate generated in the sand molding process from plugging the RTO ceramic bed.
PI Elements, Inc. worked with the facility to permit the “new” RTO.
PI Elements, Inc. utilized an alliance contractor to pour the foundations, install the RTO and baghouse, and run ductwork from the process.
Installation was completed within 35 days from notice to proceed.

A nationally know forest products company is exceeding particulate emission limits in the causticizing area of the mill.
The existing cartridge filter house has failed due to overheating and particulate blinding.
PI Elements, Inc. proposes a hot cyclone prior to the bag filter to eliminate large particles of hot lime from entering the baghouse.
The new baghouse must be installed in the same location as the existing cartridge filter.
The installation must be done during a 10 day shutdown.

PI Elements, Inc. designs a hot cyclone/baghouse system for the application.
PI Elements, Inc. reviews all sources of particulate and designs a capture system to ensure all particulate is collected.
PI Elements, Inc. evaluates how to install the new cyclone/baghouse system to meet the installation schedule of the mill.
PI Elements, Inc. designs baghouse so that all the bags can be removed and replaced in one action, minimizing downtime.
PI Elements, Inc. installs the cyclone/baghouse system in cooperation with the mill.

A glass company was installing a coating line that would produce a vent gas containing volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and siloxane compounds.
Air permitting of the process required control of the VOC and siloxane emissions.
Combustion of the siloxane would produce particulate (SiO₂) matter, which also needed to be controlled.

PI Elements, Inc. designed and installed an oxidizer/baghouse system to meet the requirements of the permit.
The combustion chamber was designed to fire vertically downward so that the particulate generated in the combustion process would not interfere with the burner operation.
For reliability, two UV scanners were installed operating in parallel. One was mounted on the burner back plate and one was mounted in the combustion chamber opposite the burner flame.
A unique gas injector was designed to mix the waste gas with combustion air and deliver the mixture into the burner flame.
At the end of the combustion chamber, ambient air is automatically mixed with the 1,500°F flue gas to reduce the gas temperature to 300°F.
The cooled gases enter a pulse jet cleaned baghouse where the particulate is removed.