Discharging station of bulk bags of cadmium in very high containment

Processed powder: cadmium oxide

Supply for battery manufacturing
 

This customer is a battery manufacturer for all types of electronic equipment and uses Cadmium Oxide for its production purposes. This bulk material is delivered in flexible containers and must be vacuumed into production (existing system).

The objective of this installation is to protect operators by avoiding the constraint of hazmat suits, which are poorly accepted by both the teams and the "Health, Safety, and Working Conditions Committee". The plant uses cadmium oxide as a raw material, which is regarded as a deadly poison even at low doses. The AEVs (Average Exposure Value) and ELVs (Exposure Limit Value) are very low on this substance.

Bulk bag unloading station:

In order to ensure the total containment of the area, the bulk bags are transferred via a forklift truck on their pallet in an enclosure of the unloading station and its accessories.

This Palamatic Process housing is equipped at entry with two laminar flow ramps connected to the customer's centralized suction system. This design prevents the release of dust through the only not completely sealed passage area.

Having previously hung the straps of the bulk bag on an automatic receiving lifting device, the handling of this bulk bag is carried out by hoist to the unloading station.

The bulk bag is then positioned on its dispensing tray and the operator unties the bulk bag spout via a dust-tight glove box located at ergonomic height. This glove box is equipped with a transversal light and is connected to the general suction network in order to provide a good view to the person performing the operation.

The whole unit is connected by flange to the outlet port of the pneumatic conveying already in place. Once the operation is completed, the operator moves the empty bulk bag to a bulk bag compactor (still in the contained area).

Once above this bulk bag compactor, the operator activates a push button that synchronously opens the 4 jaws of the lifting device and drops the bulk bag into the compaction lock chamber.

The bulk bag compactor is dust-tight by design: the emptied bulk bags are effectively compacted in a polyethylene sheath with tension and containment rings.

The very simple operating procedure allows the sheath to be changed without the risk of external contamination.

The customer is particularly satisfied with his installation, which avoids containment problems encountered previously while allowing the operator to significantly reduce the difficulties of this workstation.