New air stream helmets at Aurubis secondary smelter and lead refinery Dr. Ino Bauer Aurubis AG Hamburg Germany www.aurubis.com January 2015 1
Agenda 1. Aurubis 2. Former air stream system 3. Advantages of new system 4. First experiences 5. Success in blood lead values 2
Aurubis, an integrated copper producer Mines and recycling markets Copper production Copper processing Processors and end users BU Primary Copper BU Copper Products Iron silicate CONCENTRATES SULFURIC ACID BU Recycling / Precious Metals SHAPES Flat rolled products CATHODES WIRE ROD Other semifinished products RECYCLING MATERIALS PRECIOUS METALS Other metals 3
Aurubis fully integrated metal production Areas of blood lead monitoring Copper line Precious metals line Lead line Primary smelter (copper) Hamburg, Pirdop Secondary smelter (copper) E-furnace KRS Hamburg Lünen PM materials (market) Secondary smelter (lead) Hamburg Copper tankhouse Hamburg, Olen, Pirdop cathodes Anode slime Treatment Hamburg In Hamburg total 287 workers; in Luenen approx. 200 workers are monitored Copper tankhouse Lünen cathodes doré doré coins Cu-PM bullion Cupellation doré anodes Precious metals refinery rich bullion Anode slime smelting (E-furnace) Lead refinery Maintenance Sampling PM-Laboratory 4
Agenda 1. Aurubis 2. Former Air stream system 3. Advantages of new system 4. First experiences 5. Success in blood lead values 5
Old system (3M) with disadvantages for workers and cleaning teams 6
Disadvantages / problems with old system Weight of helmet (fan and filter included in helmet) Size of helmet problems at works in narrow space Air stream in visor can t be regulated Filterclass P2 (fan and filter inside helmet) Dust deposits inside the helmet due to technical set up (coarse filter fan fine filter) and the positioning inside the helmet Separate battery pack with cable plug Filterclass P3 (fan and filter as backpack) Jupiter system Uncomfortable design problem for forklift operators Heavy weight of backpack Non optimized ergonomic design Fan and filter in the helmet are replaced by a tube same size of helmet Lifetime of rechargable batteries not sufficient (NiCd; NiMh) Spare parts are running out of supply Complicated disassembling and cleaning of parts 7
Old system (3M) complicated disassembling, cleaning and fitting 8
Agenda 1. Aurubis 2. Former air stream system 3. Advantages of new system 4. First experiences 5. Success in blood lead values 9
New 3M helmet Versaflo M-300 and Adflow filter unit 10
Modern and practical design, better sealing 11
Easy and quick disassembling 12
Backpack system with battery, fan and tube NiMh or Li-Ion battery Filter pressure control fan Charge control unit and accustic warning 13
Filter unit Combination filter Fine dust filter Coarse dust filter Electrostatic protection Cover 14
Accessories can be mounted easily Aluminized splash protection Gold covered visor 15
Facts and figures Costs: Weight of battery pack: Runtime of battery pack: Air volume: 800 900 per unit (helmet plus filter unit) 2.5 kg for NiMh approx. 1.5 kg for Li-Ion (new generation) NiMh after a while less than 1 shift!!! Li-Ion no longtime experience Approx. 160 l/min 16
Advantages of new system Better design smaller shape suitable for work in narrow spaces Less weight Larger field of view (larger visor) Better sealing between visor and helmet shell Accustic warning for low battery status and high filter pressure Larger filter surface Pressure regulated air flow Separation of filter unit and helmet no dust in helmet Better ergonomics of helmet and backpack forklift operators can sit much more comfortable Higher filter class (P3) plus combination filter (A2B2E2K1HgP3) protection against carcinogenic elements like As, Cd, Hg, Accessories can be mounted easily Flexible air flow direction by adjustable lid Quick disassembling, easy cleaning Less noise due to removal of fan away from the helmet 17
Agenda 1. Aurubis 2. Former air stream system 3. Advantages of new system 4. First experiences 5. Success in blood lead values 18
First practical experiences + High acceptance high request at the beginning of implementation + Approx. 260 helmets in Hamburg + Fast and easy disassembling, cleaning and mounting + Ergonomic backpack + Gold coated visor and other accessories are welcome + Reduced usage of half masks - High investment (equipment, charging stations, spare parts ) - Lifetime of battery pack (NiMh) - Worn sealing at the connector of tube and filter unit - Worker often open the visor when talking to each other - Cold air at winter risk of comming down with a cold 19
Agenda 1. Aurubis 2. Former air stream system 3. Advantages of new system 4. First experiences 5. Success in blood lead values 20
Blood lead development site Hamburg Blood lead level [μg/l] 700 650 665 670 Begin of implementation 600 500 400 300 200 100 0 520 530 440 470 450 400 415 380 390 380 520 500 400 340 340 320 270 270 240 210 220 225 205 180 160 140 120 85 70 70 75 70 60 60 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 20 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 Range 5% Perzentile Median 95% Perzentile year n= 313 303 313 343 370 422 491 542 643 598
Questions? Thank you! 22