BOA will also help DOE realize savings through a reduced workforce for asbestos abatement, insurance savings, overall worker safety, and reduced potential of litigation. BOA's abatement head consists of cylindrical housing for the cutters and a locomotor for inching BOA along pipes. The locomotor's set of three clamps lock BOA into place. As the clamps work together on a track, BOA moves along. As BOA moves along, the cutters rotate around the pipe making circumferential cuts that slice and dice lagging and insulation into 2-inch chunks.
Water jets force the material from the pipe.
An encapsulant system wets the removed sections to trap any loose fibers. Water is recycled for cutting, and the removed insulation and lagging is led to the cyclone bagger.