Industrial ventilation is a process whose purpose is to comply with technological and hygienic requirements in production, including air in the workplace.
Task and Functions
Design and installation of industrial ventilation solve several problems, the main among which is the definition of air exchange processes. After the necessary calculations, specialists determine the conditions of the technical process in the production, the volume and nature of harmful emissions, and, taking into account these data, design a ventilation system.
Accurately determine the necessary data is almost impossible. The erudition and experience of specialists play a lot here: technologists, designers, engineers. If you determine the amount of air removed from the room is incorrect, even the most expensive and modern ventilation will not give the desired effect.
Why is ventilation of industrial premises necessary?
Its main function is to ensure a comfortable stay for employees of this production workshop. In addition, due to proper ventilation, the necessary technological processes and storage requirements for one or another type of product are provided.
It is with the help of ventilation systems that enterprises create optimal conditions in accordance with sanitary standards. They not only increase production efficiency and labor productivity of workers, but also improve the quality of manufactured products, reducing the percentage of rejects.
During ventilation, dust particles and excess moisture are removed from the air in the production room, and the optimum temperature is set. The air is cleaned of combustible, explosive and simply harmful substances to human health.
Harmful substances released in the workplace
Industrial ventilation and air conditioning purify the air and neutralize the negative effects of substances released during production. For example, they successfully cope with excessive heat and moisture, remove substances in vapor and gas form, including various toxins that are harmful to health.
Industrial ventilation solves the problem of excessive dustiness of rooms when dust particles in the amount exceeding the maximum permissible values are released into the air. The same applies to smoke particles and aerosol substances. Finally, during the production process, tiny particles of liquid in the form of fog or hollow droplets of gas bubbles are concentrated in air.
All these "harmful" are airborne. And the ventilation system just determines the necessary air flow, forming temperature fields. It constantly removes contaminated air from the outside, and from the outside it pumps clean, cool air. Such air exchange is carried out by special exhaust equipment.
Design and calculation of ventilation
So, industrial ventilation directly affects work efficiency. Many technical processes depend on its correct calculation and functioning. Therefore, before installing industrial ventilation, specialists carefully calculate the intensity and frequency of air renewal in the room. Here are the factors that are taken into account.
- The area of the industrial premises, its size and height;
- Design features and architectural nuances;
- The purpose of the industrial facility;
- Size and type of installations emitting harmful substances into the air;
- The number of workers permanently in the room and the length of their stay
- Location of jobs;
- The number of pieces of equipment and the level of its workload, as well as much more.
Industrial ventilation in Moscow and other large cities is organized taking into account certain requirements. For example, a small room with an area of less than 20 square meters should receive at least 30 cubic meters of clean air per hour per person.
Equipment in the ventilation system
In the ventilation system, there are two main types of equipment: exhaust and supply. An extractor, or industrial exhaust ventilation, is responsible for the removal of dirty air, and supply air is for supplying clean air. They can work either simultaneously or randomly. However, the amount of forced and discharged air is always the same.
Depending on the method of air injection, industrial ventilation is divided into mechanical and natural. The latter is due to the natural movement of air inside the room, due to different pressures and winds. Mechanical ventilation, respectively, works due to installed fans.
In order to increase the safety of the technical ventilation process, in some cases an emergency or backup system is installed.
Forced ventilation
So, industrial ventilation is used to replace the dirty air discharged from the room, clean, pumped from the outside. It is divided into two types: local and general.
General ventilation
This system purifies the air in the most polluted areas. With its help, air is supplied in quantities sufficient to dilute harmful substances to the maximum permissible values. When it comes to thermal values, the temperature drops to the limit in order to prevent an excess of heat.
Local ventilation
Serves to create specific parameters in a clearly defined room. Technically, it is implemented using special designs, including:
- air curtain - a flat air stream that does not allow harmful substances from the air to enter a specific area;
- air shower - a directed stream of air, for example, on an industrial installation or on a worker;
- air oasis - a system for filling with clean air a certain part of the room.
So, general exchange industrial ventilation only neutralizes excess heat and reduces the concentration of harmful substances in the air. If during the production process there is a significant emission of harmful gases, vapors and dust, a mixed system is used, based on general ventilation, but with local suction.
In enterprises with increased dust and gas emissions, it is not recommended to install a general ventilation system. In this case, the more powerful the equipment, the stronger the harmful substances will spread throughout the production room.
What are the fans in the industry?
Today there are various types of fans. Here are the main ones.
- Axial. The most common variety in modern production. It can be installed not only in industry, but also in domestic ventilation systems. The design of this unit is familiar to everyone and is a casing with blades.
- Roof. As the name implies, it is installed on the roofs: shops, warehouses, and other manufacturing enterprises. Also used in the ventilation system of residential complexes.
- Channel. Often used in offices, mounted under false ceilings or in duct networks, directly in the ventilation duct.
In addition to the usual, there are fans with special functions.
- Soundproofed. They are placed in rooms where even the seemingly minimal noise from the fan needs to be neutralized. For example, in medical institutions or libraries.
- Heat resistant. They can operate in a wide temperature range - from minus 20 to plus 100 degrees. They are made of especially durable materials and coated with a special fire-resistant paint.
- Explosion proof. They are used at enterprises whose activities are associated with the production of explosive gases. They are made from a special material silumin resistant to corrosion and especially durable.
- Resistant to aggressive environments. Indispensable in chemical plants or laboratories where chemically aggressive substances are present in a gaseous state.
- To remove smoke. Such fans can often be seen in emergency ventilation systems. They perfectly cope with the task of venting gassed air and reducing smoke in fires.
Industrial ventilation systems are an important part of any production, and competent specialists should deal with their design and installation.