Iran Occupational Health

  Background and aims

  Today, the environmental pollution caused by fire-proof break producing factories is one of the critical and challenging issues in our country. Aerosols emission concentration of the factory stacks and determining of bag filters efficiency were aims of this study

  Methods

  In this research, the concentration of emitting dust from 6 stacks related to Kaolin preparation, Calcinatory, Shamout, Specific mass, Extrude Furnace and Shuttle Furnace units were measured during 2006-2008. Also, the efficiency of bag filters of Kaolin preparation, Calcinatory, Shamut, Specific mass units were determined in 2008.

  Devices M9096 Particulate Sampling Train and DURAG model (D-RC 80) were used in this research.

  Results

  the rates of dust concentrations in years 2006-9 in Kaolin unit were 284, 112 and 12.5 mg/m³, in Shamout unit were 120, 140 and 73 mg/m³, in Calcinatory were 178, 179 and 173 mg/m³, in Specific Mass were 291, 283 and 60 mg/m³, in Shuttle Furnace were 14.7, 14.3 and 14.8 and in Extrude Furnace were 12.6, 13.7 and 12.7 mg/m³. Efficiency of bag filters was 99.896% for Kaolin unit, 96.499% for Shamout unit, 92.348% for Calcinatory and 99.782% for Specific Mass unit.

  Conclusion

  During 2006 and 2007 the rate of dust emission in Kaolin preparation, Calcinatory and Specific mass have exceeded than the national emission standard but in 2008, the rate of dust emission from Kaolin Preparation and Specific Mass units were extensively reduced to the level lower than national emission standard limit due to proper maintenance and replacing of damaged parts in appropriate time.

  Efficiency of bag filters has been ideal in Kaolin and Specific Mass units but it was low in Shamout and Calcinatory units.