Craig Thomas, JettyRobot ambassador, examines how the (waste air) exhaust systems of metal can packaging companies can be cleaned, why they need to be cleaned, and the benefits to the business owner. The article uses a real-life case study.

The industry need for a more efficient and effective method to clean essentially inaccessible and complicated exhausts/ducts lead to the development of the first JettyRobot in 2008. There was and still is a need to minimise the need for maintenance personnel to work in confined spaces; this was another driving force. Voice of customer research also indicated a desire to have a (robotic) technology solution that was compatible with an environmentally friendly and sustainable cleaning media.

JettyRobot – The pipe & duct insider

JettyRobot offers two robots based on the size of exhaust/duct to be cleaned and the type of cleaning required – the JettyRobot 6 and JettyRobot S. JettyRobot is one of the leading robotic duct cleaning technologies in the world.

The JettyRobot can be deployed to carry-out the high performance/quality cleaning and inspection projects required by a multitude of different industries and environments (shown in Table 1).

The JettyRobot system is characterised by four main (common) components, and the robot can be modified for specific tasks or projects by a series of accessories (see Table 2).

Two specific end user benefits created by the robot’s unique design and worthy of mention are the JettyRobot’s stability in service and its suitability for all duct shapes. The robot is centred in and “propped” (pneumatically locked) against the side of the duct, generating sufficient stability to even allow for the use of intensive or high pressure cleaning methods. Its multi-tracked body allows it to expand (under pneumatic pressure) to the required size of the duct and easily pass through, clean and inspect circular, rectangular or square-shaped ducts in both horizontal and vertical planes; they can also handle slopes, as well as negotiate S-shaped ducting and various turns.

Case study – Ball Beverage Packaging, Czech Republic

A critical area of the production plant at Ball Beverage Packaging Czech Republic s.r.o., a global aluminium beverage can manufacturer, is the paint shop. The paint shop exhaust system forms a complicated network of pipes, varying in diameter, inclination as well as axial and geometric complexity. The exhaust ducts convey the extracted contaminated air from the paint shop to a Regenerative Thermal Oxidiser (RTO), which converts the hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from the exhaust (waste air) stream by means of oxidation into CO₂ and H₂O before releasing into the atmosphere.

The exhaust system uses high performance fans, which create high velocity air flow within the ductwork. Despite the air moving at high speed, recurrent maintenance inspections showed there was a tendency for paint residues to be deposited along the entire length of the ductwork; a phenomenon actually common to all companies with a paint shop. Regular cleaning of the ducts can help to reduce or negate the impact of these paint residue deposits shown in Table 3.

Ball Beverage Packaging understands the importance of regular maintenance. In the past, cleaning was carried out manually with trained maintenance personnel entering the duct system to scrape away the deposited material with spatulas. Working in a confined space is naturally dangerous because of the risks from noxious fumes, reduced oxygen levels, or the risk of fire. And this critical maintenance work did lead to several associated challenges as laid out in Table 4.

Figure 1: Visible scratches in exhaust duct caused by manual cleaning.

Ball Beverage Packaging concluded its manual cleaning process was neither “healthy” nor sustainable, and so decided to seek an alternative high performance cleaning method.

Robotic cleaning technology solution

A more modern and innovative cleaning technique is the use of a tracked robot to carry out critical industrial exhaust maintenance.

The JettyRobot is a uniquely designed and patented belt robot that will clean industrial exhausts and vents, and in fact spaces where cleaning is arduous or impossible without dismantling of the ductwork with an extremely high degree of efficiency and effectiveness. These robots offer many advantages compared to traditional duct cleaning methods and even to standard robotic duct cleaning technology.

Figure 2: The JettyRobot 6 entering a new section of exhaust duct.

An often overlooked feature is the ability of the JettyRobot to extend or retract its arms to clean ducts of different sizes (200-1350 mm (7.9-53.1 inches)), so the robot could offer the capability to clean all the required exhaust ducts identified by Ball Beverage Packaging.

The benefits to Ball Beverage Packaging of using a robot exhaust duct cleaning system included:

After a thorough investigation by Ball Beverage Packaging of the solutions available, JettyRobot was selected. Deploying a high performance, space-engineered robot with dry ice cleaning module has proved to be a highly effective solution to remove the build-up of paint residue deposits for Ball Beverage Packaging. Consequently, this cleaning technology was introduced as part of the company’s regular maintenance procedures from 2020.

Figure 3 left: Exhaust duct containing deposits of paint residue awaiting cleaning by the JettyRobot.

Figure 4 below: Exhaust duct after cleaning.

Bohumil Kratochvil, EHS Manager at Ball Beverage Packaging Czech Republic commented, “JettyRobot is our regular supplier for robotic cleaning and inspection of paint shop exhausts. What we especially appreciate about our cooperation is the fairness of our dealings, the precise and safe work done to meet the timeframe of scheduled downtime and the ability to implement the entire turnkey solution. Robotic cleaning using dry ice blasting technology is a very safe and effective method that is also gentle on the pipe surface.”

A JettyRobot can be purchased directly or rented so that the equipment operator or a maintenance service company can carry out the work themselves. Alternatively, a robotic duct cleaning service can be provided by JettyRobot. And it is the latter specialist service which Ball Beverage Packaging now regularly takes advantage of.

Conclusion

In order to obviate the need to manually clean paint shop extraction / metal packaging company exhaust systems, minimise the need for maintenance personnel to work in confined spaces, and to use an innovative process that delivers controllable, high quality results, there is a strong argument for regular cleaning using a JettyRobot. This is borne out by the critical maintenance strategy adopted by Ball Beverage Packaging.

Dry ice cleaning by JettyRobot will also maximise the efficiency of the exhaust system feeding into an RTO, reduce the risk of explosion from paint residues deposited in complex and extensive ductwork used to ensure a healthy and safe working environment, and alleviate any potential RTO downtime and/or compromised performance caused by damage from fragments of detached residue entering the thermal oxidiser.

About the author

Craig J R Thomas, JettyRobot Ambassador, HVAC/R Coating Specialist & Senior Managing Consultant – The Pipe-Sol Consultancy Ltd.

Craig is JettyRobot Ambassador for the UK, UAE, and Malaysia. He set up his own international consultancy business in 2016, focusing most recently on the HVAC/R market. He has over 20 years’ experience in the field of coatings in the O&G and water industries. Craig has worked with/for 3M, Copon-E Wood, Jotun, Kansai Paint, and Heresite. He is a certified NACE Coating Inspector (Level 1) and an ASHRAE Associate Member.