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Wastewater and Other Toxic Hazards In The Food Industry  Producing high-quality,
sanitary food, fruits, vegetables, beverages, dairy and meat items often
requires the use of equipment and processes that may involve toxic and combustible
gases. The danger that these gases pose is not always obvious. Water is
an excellent example.The raw processing of fruits, vegetables and dairy products, as well as meats, requires the use of water. Water is harmless -- right? Some of these food processes, however, require large amounts of water. After the water is used in the primary food process, it must be disposed of or treated for re-use. Wastewater treatment ponds are common in the food industry. They can be a breeding ground for toxic hydrogen sulfide gas and combustible methane gas. Left unmonitored these gases can pose environmental dangers, as well as accidentally harming employees or leading to destructive explosions and fires. To meet EPA and OSHA environmental, health and safety regulations, the food industry depends on wastewater chemical treatment and flare gas systems. The potential cost of regulatory non-compliance and accident liability can be enormous. Installing the proper toxic gas and combustible gas monitoring systems greatly reduces problems. The food industry relies on many other complex processes and types of equipment--from burners to boilers to dryers to ovens and refrigeration—all of which can be dangerous. Proper toxic gas monitoring safety equipment and procedures are necessary to protect employees from ammonia, chlorine, carbon dioxide, oxygen deficiency and more. Chlorine is applied as a disinfectant and antimicrobial agent—from meat to produce to beverages. Chlorine is used as a sanitizer in cleansing employee hands and footwear, in the washing of beef carcasses, in fruit/vegetable spray washing or flume systems, and in the processing of eggs, seafood and much more. You’ll also find chlorine used as a bleaching or whitening agent. Flour mills and commercial bakeries commonly use chlorine to bleach the flour used in white bread. Wherever chlorine is stored in tanks or dispensed with injection systems in heavy concentrations, fixed toxic gas detectors can protect people and equipment. Ammonia is a widely used refrigerant. Ice cream factories and cold storage facilities are big users of ammonia gas in refrigeration lines around their facilities. One of the more common installation sites for an ammonia detector is in the compressor room where the core of the refrigeration system is installed. From there the refrigerant system connects to the cold space where heat transfer occurs in connection with the phase change of ammonia. Carbonating soft drinks and mineral water requires the use of carbon dioxide gas. Because carbon dioxide gas consumption is relatively high, potential gas loss must be monitored continuously over the entire gas line. In the adult beverage industry, grain fermentation processes produce carbon dioxide as a byproduct that can reduce oxygen levels within the air that we breathe. Oxygen detectors are utilized to monitor the fermentation process to protect employees from unsafe, oxygen deficient conditions. In commercial bakeries and in the cooking of prepared foods, large ovens are often powered by natural gas. Unmonitored pipelines and valves are potential sources of dangerous gas leaks. Some food processes also require the use of steam, which again is produced with natural gas fed burners that heat boilers. Pipelines and/or valves should be monitored with combustible gas detectors. Versatile and Scaleable Our MC600 Multi-Channel Controller offers an advanced gas monitoring system that sounds the alarm when toxic and combustible gases are a problem. One MC600 Controller can be hardwired to six of our TS-Series Toxic Gas Detectors, H2S and/or Combustible Gas detectors installed at strategic plant locations. It delivers a complete answer to hazardous areas—high performance, reliability and safety at a low cost per point. Free Demonstrations Free demonstrations of the TS4000 Toxic Gas Detector and the MC600 Multi-Channel Controller are available below. If you’re having a problem with toxic or combustible gas detection in your plant, chances are that our expert Technical Staff has seen it before and can help you with the answers. We’ll visit your plant, take a look at the problem, suggest solutions and bring along an actual TS4000 and MC600 to show you how it works in person. Click here to schedule a TS4000 Toxic Gas Detector demonstration. Click here for an on line MC600 Multi-Channel Controller demonstration. Click here for more information on the TS4000 Toxic Gas Detector. Copyright © 2004 General Monitors, Inc. All logos, brand and product names are registered trademarks of their perspective owners. All rights reserved. Questions or comments to ToxicGas@generalmonitors.com |
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