better airflow

Environment
BETTER AIRFLOW
in the core-shop
T E X T: LARS ÖSTE
PHOTOS: JOHAN ANDERSON
Not just a better working environment but also improved cost
in its cold and warm core-shops
XYLEM’S FOUNDRY
The foundry in Lindås, Småland, with its average annual
production of 11,000 tonnes/year has a respectable 111
years’ experience behind it. Pump components have been
cast here since 1929. The company has been called Xylem
Water Solutions AB for almost two years and manufactures
products for water supply, sewerage, cleaning and draining.
However the operation is focused on management of one
of the world’s most critical resources – namely water. The
USA is the biggest market for the company that is leading
the global market with its submersible pumps. These are
primarily sewerage pumps manufactured under the Flygt
brand in Lindås where on the whole production is 148,000
pumps per year.
abrasion-resistant white iron. The earlier working environment
spaces and inadequate ventilation. That was until three years
ago. The company then decided to expand its premises by
350 m2 (3,767 ft2) and purchase new ventilation equipment.
but they were inferior and had poor capacity. In addition
the machines were so crowded together that we couldn’t
extraction so we could remove the warm, pungent fumes,”
said Ola Lindholm, project manager and responsible for
procurement and operation of the new equipment.
THE FIRST INSTALLATION
Picture 5
Flygt pump
24 GJUTERIET nr 8 2012
In the warm core-shop, six people take care of the three core
machines, where with the help of shell sand casting a number
included extraction, hoods for both work benches and
machines and heat exchangers to recycle heat. In addition
to a healthier work environment, the new equipment
has produced a total saving of
270,000 kWh a year in heat recycling.
THIS YEAR’S INSTALLTION
In terms of improvements, the cold
core-shop was in luck during the
summer. Acidic scrubs that wash away
the pungent smell of gas fumes, so
called amino acids, were able to hold
out until the end as production had
gradually increased. The acidic scrubs
were connected to four machines and
which resulted in an unsatisfactory
work environment. The need became
clear at the core machines, at which
the work situation eventually became
unsustainable. The sand got caught up
units and sand collecting in piles also
became unsustainable.
“We had a problem with the sand in
the core machines which came out
with the scrubbers. But sand would
and wore out the pumps and valves,”
explains Ola Lindholm. “With new
is removed entirely. The new scrubber
was installed during summer along
improve ventilation. Extraction is done
directly from the core machines to
particles from the gases. The gases
then go through the heat recycling
and fan to the scrubber which takes
care of things using the amino acids.”
means a substantial improvement
in productivity
in the form of less maintenance and
wear and tear as the gases which enter
the scrubber are free from sand.
“Previously we would bring in vacuum
trucks four times a year to clean the
Ola Lindholm, who also maintains
that the core machines are also
“We’ve now reached the level we
that we have a great work place
at the foundry,” says Ola Lindholm.
Picture 2
fans and heat recycling
for the warm core-shop
Picture 3
Filter installation for
separation of sand particles
for the cold core-shop
Picture 4
Extraction in the
warm core-shop
GJUTERIET nr 8 2012
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