BNFL Environmental has introduced a new extract and filtration system designed to overcome the problem of fumes generated by welding or cutting. The system has been installed at Sellafield by HVAC specialist, Senior Hargreaves. The system will be used in the Windscale Advanced Gas Reactor (WAGR) decommissioning project to ensure complete recovery of all airborne particles during the oxy-propane cutting of the remaining reactor shell. All ductwork and major plant items are stainless steel to meet nuclear industry standards. Fabrication in mild steel and other materials is possible for other industries and the process is adaptable to deal with welding fumes from fabrication and other engineering activities. The system includes a duplicate parallel set of separation, filtration and fan units so that extraction continues even when plant modules are serviced. The system will be in use from September 2003 and is expected to run continuously for the foreseeable future.
