The Heat Treat Doctor hen most of us think about health and safety in the hearrest shop, we tend to focus on things chat are hot, heavy or dangling over- ALA head. The threats we can see, smell, hear of pethape even taste are most often dealt with quickly. The old adage, “whac you can't see, won't hure you,” doesn’ apply in our industry. Let's lear more. Lesson Learned. T recall as @ young engineer that when called upon to inspect the inside ofa cold, wellventilated arch integral-quench or pushertype furnace that had been cun- ring endothermic or exothermic gas at mosphere, | would often experience mild headaches after an hour or so inside. Ire member cartying aspirin with me for just such an occasion. Little did I realize at the time that furnace atmosphere was slowly being released fom che brickwork and tha, in this confined space, Iwas experiencing the carly symptoms of gas poisoning. Dangers of Carbon Monoxide Caibon mone (CO) is an odores, colores, toxic go present in many heat rest shops fom furnace atmospheres and products of (incomplete) combustion. The symptoms of carbon-monoxide- ‘8 poisoning, define as eels of 10% oe higher absorbed ga in the bloodstream, include in desending order of danger * Headaches * Dieziness + Tetabiliry * Confasionfmemery loss «Disorientation + Muscle aches/pdor eaction ime + Balance/coordinatin problems + Nauseo andor vemling + Difculey breathing # Chest pain + Swelling of che brain (cerebral edems) + Convulsions/eiaces + Coma # Death ‘Carbon monoxide has powerful effects (Table 1) even at very low-dosage exposures and often begins with “Audike” symproms such as being teed, having acky muscles, a headache that just ‘wont go away, eyestrain and even a runny nose. 16 Apri 2009- IndustriatHeating.com Daniel H. Herring | 630-834-3017 | heattreatdoctor@industrialheating.com Get dn 100___| lovable fox an posure of several nous ‘ag [torres a vt np te | edn is iat ox pi Seo ec oe Penne Ge 10 Sevan cao [irae ham orgie eena oa oye ai Sa on ‘When catbon monoxide enters the body, it is absorbed into the hlocdstream, preventing oxygen absorption and the transfer ‘of oxygen to vital organs such asthe heart, central nervous system and brain. The heart responds by beating more rapidly and it regularly and by decreasing blood pressure. In extreme exposure conditions, a life-threatening neurological condition eesults due to the destruction of brain call Monitoring the heav-treat environment coupled sth proper festrais ventilation is the key to combating this problem. One of the most important considerations in the treatment for catbon- monoxide exposure i ee immediate recognition of the probl ‘That’ why CO detecrors should be installed in every htarerest shop. Does yours have one? ‘Once detected or suspected, che following actions can be taken: 1 Move the victim) to fresh ai 2. the victim) ate experiencing any gas poisoning symptoms call for tained paramedics and activate your company's emer gency plan, 43. Warn others and ventilate the affected area, Fig. Typical gas-fired furnace with low-NOx burners Ses 2 = ie : i = E i(for respiratory problers 5. Try to ascertain the source and shutdown suspect equipment until trained professionals can assess what is wrong. Dangers of NOx NOx (pronounced “knocks") emissions is the genetic term for 2 sroup of highly eactive gases that contain combinations of nitro ‘gen and oxygen in varying amounts ~ nitrogen monoxide (NO) ‘and nitrogen dioxide (NO) being prime examples, NOx is re- sponsible fora wide variety of long-term health and environmen- tal problems, so itis important for the heat treater to understand thac most combustion processes like those that take place in our agasfived furnaces (Fig. 1), can be 2 source for NOx emissions ‘These pollutants spread out over great distances, which means char problems associated with NOx are not confined to just the heat trea shop. These effects include: * Stnog (cxone) ~ formed when NOx and volatile organic com pounds (VOCs) react in the presence of sunlight. * usc (particulate material) ~ NOx reacts with ture and other compounds to form solid particles that permeate the air we breathe. ‘Acid rain NOx and sulfur dioxide react with other substances in the air to form sulfuric, nitric and other acids that fall back to earth 2s rain, fog snow or dry particles. (Oxygen-depleted bodies of water ~ NOx emissions increase the absorbed nitrogen level in water, upztting the chemical bal: ance of nutrients used to support life “Toxic compounds ~ NOx eaetsin the air with common onganic chemicals and ozone to form a wide variety of toxic chemicals and by-products. * Greenhouse gases Nitrous oxide (N;O),a member of the NOx. farmily, isa greenhouse gas contributing to climate change. * Olobal dimming — Nitrate particles and nitrogen dioxide block sunlight. Concentration (3) | Physiologica tet 183 | Legal minimum concetaten for haan per OSHA ac195 | DPasedebiy to do wrk: inde ay Satins in rans with coronary, uot ocean problems tact | teased pds ate and respon, naire perception ad udoment ota __|filtorncense pus and enraton eases, oor judgment, i ps 8-10 | Mortal ure, ese, fing, voting, uncensoasss ‘on6 | £ PS minde epooue fl vey, minus vps, 50% fata Brita posure, 100% tat a ‘Coma in 0 sons, eonvlors, treaty sop, ath 18 Apr 2009 IndustiatHeating. com roy ony Eg eee Reducing NOx Emissions From Fumaces The amount of NOx emissions isa function of the eype (compo- sition) of the fuel being burned, combustion conditions, burner design are lame temperature. “Thermal NOx" isthe result ofthe ‘conversion of atmospheric nitrogen andi oxygen and is dependent ‘on the reaction temperature, residence time and gas chemistry (toichiometry). Long residence times at high temperature con- tribute to thermal NOx formation as does rapid mixing of com> bustin air (oxygen) with the fuel. “Fuel NOx," by contrast, isthe conversion of chemically hound nicrogen in the fuel with oxygen, also increases with rapid mixing Incomplete combustion preducts can usually bo held co industry minimums by the proper operation of modern burner equipment (ig. 2). There are also several strategies for reducing NOx chat rely on either post combustion treatment of the gas or upgrading to different types of burners. Do you know yout shopis total NOx ‘missions? You should, Here are some methods to berter control how much NOx is being emitted: + Flue gas recirculation (FOR) * Selective catalytic reduction (SCR) * Selective noncatalytic reduction (SNCR) Upgrading burner designs (Fig 2) is yet snother way to main: tain control ever NOx emissions. Options inchide the use of © Staged air burners ‘© Staged fuel burnens ‘+ Ultadow NOx burners *# Low excess-aie burners Other Safety Threats ‘When dealing with any gus (including nitrogen), always be aware ofits inherent dangers and understand the causes of asphyxia. For example, oxygen may be displaced to level of around 16% of the s33/airmisture before syrptomsbegin o appear (Table 2), Health and safety are everyone’ responsibility and avoiding accidents in the heavtreat shop will make ita beter pace forall of us. HH References 1 Metals Handbook, Vol2, Heer recting, 6 Elton, ASM Intern: tional 1964, 2. Garg, Ashutosh Trimming NOx rom Furnaces, Chemical Enginestin, November, 1992. 3. Various websites (ww.carbonmonoxidlils.com, wawreypakcom/ lownoxtech.html, wwm:ccohs.ca/oshanswers/safety.haz/metal \working/hest_teating hemi)