By AZoM
Table of Contents
Introduction
Operation
Safety
Hosokawa Expertise
About Hosokawa Micron
Introduction
Hosokawa
Containment along with a multinational biotech production company
has developed a bespoke contained waste handling system to limit
operator intervention and maintain minimal operator exposure levels to
possible hazardous airborne contamination. The waste containment and
collection system is designed to prevent the airborne contaminants from
being released when the waste collection process takes place.
Operation
The system ensures that the liquid waste is pumped to a dual outlet
fitted inside a laminar air flow booth, wherein each outlet is
connected via a sequence of safety interlocks to an empty IBC (Intermediate
Bulk Containment). The IBC is manually placed on a weigh scale and
connected by an airtight seal. A predetermined amount of waste is
pumped into the IBC and the weighing scales act as a safety back up to
switch off the flow and prevent overfill. Safety sensors ensure that
the flow of waste is prevented when there is no unfilled IBC.
In order to prevent airborne contamination, air is displaced from the
IBC and collected by an extraction system before it is passed via the
HEPA(High-Efficiency Particulate Arresting) filter.
After the flow of waste is stopped and the IBC is filled, a cleaning
process is activated, wherein spray balls wash the chute and an outlet
valve with water to make sure that the top part of the IBC does not
have any waste product contaminates after the seal is removed. Then the
seal on the outlet of the IBC is broken by the operator to install the
sealing cap. To further ensure operator’s safety with regard to
airborne contamination at this stage, air within the area of operation
is extracted by a localized extraction system.
Safety
The Hosokawa Containment system is designed such that
it allows only one IBC to be filled each time. Causing no delay
whatsoever, the next container is filled immediately after the first
one is filled and sealed. The Hosokawa waste collection and containment
system has passed stringent Factory Acceptance Tests before an audience
of project engineers, biological experts from the Health and Safety
Executive and customers.
Hosokawa Expertise
Tight deadlines for the project fixed by the customer were
fulfilled, thus enabling the production of vaccines to begin as planned
in January 2006. Andy Bennett of Hosokawa
Containment explained that safety of operator is a primary factor
in Hosokawa systems leaving the customer satisfied with the solutions
provided. The co-operation and co-ordination between the Hosokawa
engineers and the team from the customer’s side and the close liaison
with the Health and Safety Executive enabled the deadlines to be met.
About Hosokawa Micron
Hosokawa
Micron Limited is a member of the Hosokawa
Micron Group. Formed initially by the amalgamation of Alpine
Process Technology and Hosokawa, later joined by Hosokawa Rietz, LE
Stott and Vitalair.
Hosokawa
Micron UK specialises in Powder and Particle Processing, Hygienic
Filling and Weighing, Containment and Plastics Processing Industries
equipment. We can provide a full design, build, installation and
commissioning service to a wide range of industries in the UK, Ireland
and abroad for typical projects ranging from small R & D packages
to full turnkey installations backed by the global resources of the
Hosokawa Group.
This information has been sourced, reviewed and
adapted from materials provided by Hosokawa Micron Ltd.
For more information on this source, please visit Hosokawa
Micron Ltd.