a1-cbiss Engineer a Brewery Carbon Dioxide Monitoring System for Health & Safety Compliance
a1-cbiss were recommended by an air monitoring survey to tender for the supply and install of a Carbon Dioxide monitoring system in two major breweries in the UK.
The BACKGROUND
Due to the physical size and complexity of the two breweries, an external air monitoring survey was commissioned to provide the necessary experience and knowledge to ensure informed judgements and additional control measure requirements were recommended.
Certain areas have been identified as having (or potentially having) elevated levels of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) and require modification to remove the problem altogether for health and safety reasons.
The CHALLENGE
A Health & Safety pillar had been introduced across all brewing sites which included the detection of CO2 in which the Engineering Compliance Manager is responsible for implementing at UK sites.
During the fermentation process, yeast consumes oxygen and expels large amounts of CO2. CO2 has a density that is heavier than air and as a result, it collects in small toxic pockets low on the floor and can build up in confined spaces in and around the process.
As CO2 is a mild asphyxiate, these pockets of CO2 can be hazardous to personnel. Operating around the process machinery can be dangerous.
At exposure levels above 5% vol, personnel will begin to feel fatigued to the point of exhaustion merely from respiration and severe headache.
a1-cbiss were chosen because of their gas detection experience working with breweries and their ability to design and build a system suitable for the clients’ needs.
a1-cbiss were challenged with designing and integrating a gas detection system to meet the needs of the health and safety pillar.
The SOLUTION
The a1-cbiss proposal consisted of a proven solution within the brewing industry.
To ensure a safe workplace, a fixed gas detection system for CO2 and Oxygen (O2) was specified to provide visual warnings, communication to extraction or ventilation systems once alarm levels are reached and integration to data acquisition and reporting software.
Each detection zone provides two alarm levels (5,000ppm & 15,000ppm) with sufficient outputs from the gas detection system to interface with the alarm beacons/klaxons providing internal alarm notification. A safe entry system was installed at each entrance to the zone thus providing a warning to workers.
The beacons on site will be of the traffic light variety, illuminated green when healthy/no alarm, amber on low-level alarm and red on the upper-level alarm.
Oldham CTX-300 (for CO2) and OLCT100 gas sensors (O2) are positioned around all the hazardous areas within the packaging cell, and cold yeast storage room which will be cabled back to a central Oldham MX43 control panel.
CDAS data acquisition & reporting software has been integrated on a local PC or into SCADA.
The PC screen used by health & safety will be configured to show a graphical view of each zone, including traffic light coded indication of current status and alarms.
The TESTIMONIAL
Having gone through a thorough tender process involving two independent companies, we choose a1-cbiss to supply and install a full Carbon Dioxide monitoring system that will cover all site processes. The project installation has three phases and is planned over a three-year period.
Stage one installation has been successfully completed and covers all the areas within the packaging cell, and cold yeast storage room.
My initial assessment of a1-cbiss is very positive. During the initial tendering process, they were extremely knowledgeable and were professional in presenting a monitoring system that was suitable for our requirements. Also, a1-cbiss were flexible in supporting our three-year project plan in line with our capital budget requirements.
The a1-cbiss installation team worked to a very good standard, and more importantly, Health & Safety standards were adhered to at all times.
