Waste-minimization assessment for a manufacturer of brazed-aluminum oil coolers. Environmental research brief

Technical Report · Mon Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1991

OSTI ID:5166452

Kirsch, F W; Looby, G P

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has funded a pilot project to assist small- and medium-size manufacturers who want to minimize their generation of hazardous waste but who lack the expertise to do so. Waste Minimization Assessment Centers (WMACs) were established at selected universities and procedures were adapted from the EPA Waste Minimization Opportunity Assessment Manual (EPA/625/7-88/003, July 1988). The WMAC team at the University of Tennessee inspected a plant manufacturing brazed aluminum oil coolers that are used in heavy equipment. After the cooler components are fabricated, they are degreased (with Chlorothene, which is recycled); assembled; brazed to join internal and external coil fin surfaces (involving a molten salt bath and a quench tank whose sludge is disposed of on-site in a sand filter bed); cleaned (with solutions and rinse waters needing treatment and disposal); and painted. The team's report, detailing findings and recommendations, indicated that a significant minimization opportunity could be effected by replacing molten salt bath brazing with vacuum brazing. The implementation cost would be high and the payback years relatively long, but the percent waste reduction (80%) and annual savings would be pronounced. The Research Brief was developed by the principal investigators and EPA's Risk Reduction Engineering Laboratory, Cincinnati, OH, to announce key findings of an ongoing research project that is fully documented in a separate report of the same title available from the authors.

• Research Organization: University City Science Center, Philadelphia, PA (United States)
• OSTI ID: 5166452
• Report Number(s): PB-91-234484/XAB; CNN: EPA-R-814903
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
290300 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Environment
Health
& Safety
32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
320305* -- Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization-- Industrial & Agricultural Processes-- Industrial Waste Management
BRAZING
CLEANING
CONTROL
COST
FABRICATION
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
INDUSTRIAL WASTES
JOINING
MANAGEMENT
MATERIALS
MINIMIZATION
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
POLLUTION CONTROL
RECOMMENDATIONS
RECYCLING
US EPA
US ORGANIZATIONS
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTES
WELDING