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# OAR Box 

# 1814

Prepped by Ollie Stewart



### Document

Number: 

# 47 ) ll-B-2 5

Docket Number: 

# A-88-0 2

Printed 11/7/20087:22:08AM

Sheet 47 of 63INTEROFFIC E COMMUNICATIO N P. 2 TT-G-Z S 

### A-88-0 2 

# FIL E COP Y

MIDWES T RESEARC H INSTITUT E

Ma y 7 , 198 7

To : Projec t Fil e 7717- K

From : Charle s I . Heste r Subject : Visi t t o Chromiu m Electroplatin g Plant s 1 nMilwauke e

I . Introductio n
O nJun e 4 an

d 5 , 1986 , A

l Vervaer t an

d I visite dth e followin g fou r decorativ e chromiu

m electroplatin g facilitie s 1nth e Milwaukee , Wisconsin , are a t o investigat e th e suitabilit y o f th e plant s fo r emissio ntesting : Brigg s & Stratton , Milwaukee ; E . F . Brewe r Company , Menomone e Falls ; Milwauke e Platin g Company , Milwaukee ; an d G . E . Medica l Systems , Milwaukee . Eac ho f th e plant s visite dha d bee ncontacte dpreviousl y b y telephon e an

d ha d bee njudge dt o b e a candidat e fo r furthe r Investigation . Ou r goa l wa s t o locat e a decorativ e platin g shop , captiv e o r Job , tha t woul db e a goo dsit e fo r emissio ntestin g t o determin e th e performanc e o f fume suppressant s fo r controllin g chromi c ad dmis t emissions . T o qualif y a s a potentia l tes t site , th e plan t woul dnee dt o hav e a typica l decorativ e platin g tank , a ver y efficien t captur e system (n o visibl e fume s escaping) , adequat e ductwor k configuratio nfo r testin g purposes , an effectiv e add-o nemissio ncontro l device , an d th e capabilit y t o operat e wit han

d withou t a fume suppressant .

II . Brigg s & Stratto n

I t wa s determine ddurin g th e plan t visit s tha t th e onl y sit e tha t migh t mee t th e evaluatio ncriteri a wa s Brigg s & Stratton . Th e platin g sho psuperviso r expresse dsome reluctanc e t o operat e th e tank withou t th e fum e suppressan t becaus e h e fel t tha t th e captur e syste m wa s no t adequate t o kee pchromi c ad d fume s aroundth e tank a t a saf e level . Brigg s & Stratto nagree dt o operat e th e tank s o na Saturda y morning , withou t th e norma l additio no f th e fume suppressant , an d us e personne l samplin g equipmen t t o se e i f unsaf e chromiu m level s occurre di nth e wor k place . Thi s Investigation , alon g wit ha complet e proces s descriptio nha s bee n documente di na separat e tri preport , date dFebruar y 5 , 198 7 b

y Ms . Robi n Barker , MRI . Th e plan t contac t i s Mr . To m Drews , an

d th e addres s 1 s 333 3 W . Goo dHop e Road , Glendale , Wisconsin , telephon e (414 ) 259-5589 .
III . E . F . Brewe r Company

E . F . Brewe r Company

manufacture s specialt y furnitur e and accessorie s fo r th e medica l Industry . Chairs , tables , racks , an d variou s type s o f stand s ar e produce da t thi s plant . Th e chromiu m platin g tank 1 s a 1,300-gallo ntank tha t i s 6 fee t (ft ) long , 4 5 inche s (1n. ) wide , an d 5 f t deep . Th e chromi c aci dconcentratio ni n th e tank i s maintaine da t

M M 1

/P. 3

4 0 ounce s pe r gallo n(oz/gal) . A fume suppressan t manufacture db y Bradle y Chemical s 1 s adde dt o th e tan k a t a rat e o f 1 poun dpe r 10 0 pound s o f chromi c add . Double-side ddraf t hood s runth e lengt ho f th e tan k an d hav e slot s tha t ar e 4 1n . wid e alon g thei r entir e length . Th e airflow rat e o f th e syste

m 1 s designe da t 40,00 0 standar dcubi c fee t pe r minut e (scfm) . Exhaus t gase s fro m th e tw o draf t hood s ar e combine d1na manifol d a t th e bac k o f th e tank an dImmediatel y

ente r a nelbow

tha t turn s th e airflo w 9 0 degree s befor e i t enter s a we t scrubber . Thi s ductwor k configuratio ncontain s no straigh t section s suitabl e fo r testin g betwee n th e hood s an

dth e scrubber . Th e fume suppressan t appear s t o b e very effectiv e (ther e wa s n o visibl e mis t ove r th e tank) , an dth e captur e syste m an dscrubbe r ar e probabl y adequat e t o contro l chromi c ad dmis t withou t th e fume suppressant . However , withou t a suitabl e tes t locatio n a t th e scrubbe r Inlet , testin g a t thi s plan t 1 s no t feasible . Th e plan t contac t 1 s Mr . Rober t Smag e an dth e addres s 1 s 1390 1 Mai nStreet , Menomone e Falls , Wisconsi n53051 , telephon e (414 ) 251-9430 . IV . Milwauke e Platin g Company Thi s facilit y

1 s a smal l jobsho ptha t chromiu m plate s hardwar e Item s sucha s hinges , drawe r pulls , an dbeater s fo r electri c mixers . Th e capacitie s o f th e two decorativ e platin g tank s ar e 70 0 ga l an d65 0 gal , an dbot hcontai na solutio nwit h3 2 o z o f chromi c ad dpe r gallo no f water . Bot htank s us e a UdyHt e Zero-M1st TM fume suppressan t an dhav e push-pul l captur e systems . Eac hsyste m 1 s ducte dt o a Dual l packed-be d scrubber . Th e platin g tank s ar e locate d1 nth e basemen t leve l o f th e plant , an

dth e scrubber s ar e locate do nth e firs t floo r directl y abov e th e platin g tanks . Th e duct s connectin g th e hood s an dth e scrubber s ar e rectangula r an

dar e locate dagains t a wal l o f th e building . Becaus e th e ducts , pipes , wiring , an dautomati c controlle r uni t fo r th e tank s ar e locate d1 na ver y

smal l are a betwee nth e tank s an dth e wall , acces s fo r sampling equipmen t an

dpersonne l woul db e nearl y Impossible . I t wa s decide dtha t thi s facilit y woul dno t b e a nappropriat e tes t sit e becaus e o f th e acces s problem , th e smal l siz e o f th e tanks , an dth e relativel y

lo w leve l o f workloa da t th e plant . Th e plan t contac t i s Mr . Alfre d Mattacottl , President , an dth e addres s 1 s 143 4 Nort h4t hStreet , Milwaukee , Wisconsin , telephon e (414 ) 272-3433 . V . G . E . Medica l System s Th e captiv e decorativ e chromiu m platin g Hn e a t G . E . ha s on e 800-ga l tank tha t I s use dt o plat e smal l part s fo r th e medica l equipmen t manufacture da t th e plant . Th e platin g solutio ncontain s a fume suppressan t distribute db y M& T Chemicals . Exhaus t gase s ar e vente dt o a Hel l scrubber . Th e productio nschedul e a t thi s plan t 1 s arrange dsuc h tha t chromiu

m platin g 1 s onl y

performe donc e o r twic e pe r week , wit h nicke l an

dzin c platin g occurrin g onth e alternat e days . I t wa s decide d tha t thi s productio nschedul e woul dmak e th e completio no f a sourc e tes t 1na reasonabl e time difficult . Th e plan t contac t 1 s Mr . Denni s Hussey , Environmenta l Coordinator , an dth e addres s 1 s W-715 , Pos t Offic e Box414 , Milwaukee , telephon e (414 ) 544-3022 .

d. 2P. 4

VI . Summar y

an dConclusion s

I nsummary , eac ho f th e fou r plant s visite dhadon e o r mor e drawback s t o thei r selectio na s a tes t site . Onl y th e Brigg s & Stratto nplan t seem s t o b e a potentiall y

acceptabl e site , an

dfurthe r Investigatio n1 s necessar y

prio r t o makin g a fina l decisio nconcernin g a tes t there . A followu prepor t o nth e site , date dFebruar y 5 , 1987 , prepare db

y Ms . Barker , MRI , give s detail s o f th e result s o f that-investigation .