Corona Treater
Corona Treater
Corona Treater
GX 10 / 20
GENERATORS
INCLUDING
GENERATOR & ELECTRODE
MAINTENANCE
2
CONTENTS
1. Introduction
2. Specification
5. Routine Maintenance
6. Description
7. Trouble Shooting
9. Parts List
GX10 / 20
GX10 / 20 SPECIFICATION
Weight 22 kg
TRANSFORMER
HT3 20 kg
Drawing No’s.
SECTION 3
The Electrode Box must be mounted so that its rollers are exactly
in line with the machine rollers. It should be free to open and be
easily accessible for adjustment and maintenance. The H.T.
Transformer must have all round air supply for cooling purposes
and be mounted in the upright positions. (Identification label
uppermost).
Idler rolls, usually mounted on top of the unit for transit purposes,
should be positioned so as to guide the web through the Electrode
Box without obstruction.
All Sherman Electrode units are fitted with safety switches at all
access points. All hoods, windows, etc must be closed before the
generator can operate.
SECTION 4
For single sided treatment, the flexible link that connects the H.T.
Transformer to the unused discharge bar should be removed at
the H.T. end and securely stowed. The length of the electrode
(bar) may then be adjusted so that corona only occurs coincident
with the area of the film to be treated. 'U' section electrodes may
be adjusted by loosening the wing nuts on each adjustable section
and sliding the sections to the required position. Segmented
electrodes may be adjusted to give strip treatment. Segments in
use should be turned fully down and those not in use fully up.
Turn the circuit breaker on the front panel to the on position. The
'Mains On' lamp, 'Up to Speed' lamp and 'Interlocks Closed' lamps
should light.
Press the Start/Stop switch and after a brief delay the 'Treat On'
lamp should light when corona discharge takes place.
If, as the power increased the red 'Trip' light comes on it is possible
that
i. there is a matching problem (Section 8)
ii. there is fault on the dielectric sleeve on the electrode roll
iii. the high voltage connections have flashed over
N.B. ALWAYS use Start and Stop buttons for all normal Starting
and Stopping. Use mains on switch only as an isolator for
prolonged shutdown.
SECTION 5
Routine Maintenance
SECTION 6
The power supply is fed from one torroidal transformer to give two
independent supplies, one for the electronics (E) and one for the
auxiliaries (A). Each supply is floating (i) with respect to each
other and (ii) with respect to the mains input and inverter output.
SK4 Pins A and B are linked. When skip treatment is required the
link should be removed.
The KVA rating of the inverter is twice the rated treatment power
(kW). If the full KVA rating of the inverter is exceeded, the trip light
LP3 will come on. To overcome this problem it will be necessary
to change the tapping on the transformer, or in extreme cases the
value of L1, in order to obtain full treatment power.
N.B. The trip light will also operate if there is a fault on the
electrode system, or with the H.T. Transformer itself.
The main printed circuit card contains all the functions for the
control and protection of the inverter (Drawing A1/100007.05). All
interfacing with the card ensures that the card is electrically
independent from other supplies and signals within and outside the
inverter.
The basic inverter control is performed by IC1, IC4, IC7 and IC5.
The master oscillator is within IC1, which produces the drive
pulses (TP9 and TP20) for output transistors Q1/5 and Q2/6, via
T1 and T2. IC7 produces the drive pulses (TP15 and TP18) for
Q3/7 and Q4/8. The main control amplifier is within IC4 and the
width of the pulse on TP11 determines, via the logic in the IC5 the
phase shift between the switching of Q1/5 and Q2/6 and Q3/7 and
Q4/8. This determines the output voltage from the inverter.
The heart of the control lies on IC4 and the following parameters
are used to achieve it.
The Power Demand is fed in via R67 to pin 2 of IC4. This is offset
by the inverter current feedback through R82 and R83. Under
normal operating conditions the amplifier in IC4 will now control so
that the power demand is met.
Should the inverter output voltage exceed 600 volts ac then the
voltage feedback signal will overcome the zener voltage of ZD1
and feed via R9 into pin 2 of IC4 to limit this voltage thus restricting
the power demand.
All of the above six functions inhibit the output of the inverter via
logic contained in IC9 and IC10, by clamping the amplifier on IC4
with TR1. In addition the contactor will open (controlled by RL1) if:
SECTION 7
Trouble Shooting
SYMPTOM
CHECKS
iv. With inverter isolated, open the inverter cubicle and with a
suitable measuring instrument check continuity of inverter
fuse FS3 (Drawing A2.851002.01 / 03). If open circuit,
consult Sherman Treaters, as there is probably a fault on
the inverter stack. Check both fuses on the Power Supply
card. Replace if blown and investigate cause.
SYMPTOM
CHECKS
ii. Isolate mains supply. Check the two fuses on the power
supply card and the fuse feeding the power supply FS2.
SYMPTOM
CHECKS
Examine the electrode system and the dielectric sleeve for signs of
burning, or other damage.
SYMPTOM
CHECKS
SYMPTOM
Inverter Overtemperature
CHECKS
i. The fan is operating and all air inlets and outlets are clear.
If the fan has failed, check fuse FS1 on Drawing
A2.851002.01 / 02
SECTION 8
With this generator the highest tap where full treatment power can
still be obtained from the generator should be selected (ie, start off
with the generator connected to the highest tap and reduce the tap
setting until full treatment can be obtained). It is possible that if the
electrode gap, or configuration is altered the tap setting on the
transformer will also have to be changed.
Reconnected Wire
NOTE
SECTION 09
Parts List
GX10 / 20 - 240V
CABINET ASSEMBLY
L1 Inductor 111.0087
C1 Capacitor 1500 uf 102.0044
C2 Capacitor 10 uf 102.0055
C3 Capacitor 0.1 uf 1000v 102.0065
CT1,2,3 Current Transformers 111.0085
BR1 Rectifier Bridge 103.0093
Mains Filter 103.0106
Fan 240V 124.0046
Fan Filter 124.0047
RL1,2,3,4 Relay LY4 122.0096
GX10 / 20 - 240V
DOOR ASSEMBLY
RV1 5k Potentiometer/
Power Control 101.0089
Dial Mechanism 202.0049
Section 10
MACHINERY SAFETY
5. Care must be taken to avoid injury from moving parts, such as rotating
rolls, moving electrode assemblies and sensor probes at roll ends.
Where risk is considered high guards are fitted.
These Guidance Notes are published under five subject headings: Medical, Environmental
Hygiene, Chemical Safety, Plant and Machinery and General.
INTRODUCTION
1. This guidance note contains information on the principal hazards to health from ozone
and on potential sources of exposure. General advice on precautionary measures, control
techniques and legal requirements is given.
2. Ozone, O3, is a toxic gas possessing a distinctive odour and is a normal constituent of
the earth’s atmosphere. Ozone is produced deliberately for a variety of industrial purposes
and is also produced naturally from oxygen whenever ultra-violet radiation or electrical
discharges occur, e.g. at high altitudes or by the action of lightning. Such natural occurrence
is unlikely to produce concentrations hazardous to man.
3. Because of its strong tendency to decompose and to release oxygen, ozone is extremely
reactive and is a powerful oxidising agent which reacts explosively with oil and grease.
Nevertheless it can be used with safety in industry. For example, since it readily oxidises
organic matter, it is used as a bactericide and algaecide.
4. Ozone itself is a distinctly blue coloured gas (bp – 111.9ºC) and is about one and a half
times heavier than air (density 2.144g/l). Ozone is used as “ozonised air”, a colourless gas
produced when ozone is generated from part of the oxygen in air (see para 13). Ozone
cannot be stored or transported in vessels because it decomposes spontaneously in the
presence of oxidisable impurities, humidity and solid surfaces. The rate of decomposition
increases with temperature.
EFFECTS OF OZONE
6. Low concentrations of ozone have a significant effect upon textiles, fabrics, organic dyes,
metals, plastics and paints and cause the characteristic cracking of stressed rubber,
commonly called “weathering”. A few substances, however, are resistant to the oxidising
effect of ozone and these include glass and some stainless steels.
1-8
7. The acute toxicity of ozone to man has long been recognised and is well documented .
The symptomatic and clinical effects of ozone at various concentrations are summarised in
Table 1. Ozone is irritant to mucous membranes of eyes and respirator tract, and high
concentrations can cause pulmonary oedema.
EXPOSURE LIMITS
9. The Health and Safety at work etc Act 1974 requires every employer to ensure, so far as
is reasonably practicable, the health of all his employees and others who may be affected by
the work he undertakes. The Act also places duties in respect of health and safety matters on
the self-employed. The Factories Act 1961 requires factory occupiers to take all practicable
measures to protect employed persons against inhalation of fume. The general policy
adopted by the Health and Safety Executive is that exposure to hazardous substances should
be kept at low as is reasonably practicable and in any case exposure should be kept within
published standards by the application of engineering controls or other suitable control
techniques. The Health and Safety Executive publishes, in guidance notes in the RH series,
information on exposure limits applied in the UK.
10. The recommended exposure limit for ozone is 0.1ppm (0.2mg/m³) calculated as an 8-
hour time-weighted average concentration. There is also a short-term exposure limit for
ozone of 0.3ppm (0.6mg/m³) calculated as a 15-minute time-weighted average concentration.
SOURCES OF EXPOSURE
11. Ozone is made using ultra-violet radiation or electrical discharge either intentionally for
the purpose of a specific process or incidentally to a process. It is an unstable substance but
is rate of decomposition varies widely according to temperature and humidity. A given ozone
output yielding a faint trace of ozone in a workroom atmosphere on a humid day may created
an undesirable concentration on a dry day.
INTENTIONAL PRODUCTION
12. Ozone is usually produced intentionally by silent electrical discharge in air. Alternative
means of production such as bombardment of air with ultra-violet or ionising radiation, or
electrolysis of cooled sulphuric acid , are uncommon in practice.
13. There are basically three types of ozone generator in use, working at:
(a) Atmospheric pressure – typically a box through which material to be treated with
ozone is passed, and in which a silent electrical discharge is initiated through the
air be means of metal electrodes. This system is often used for surface treatment
of plastic film.
(b) Reduced pressure – found in swimming pool disinfection plants whereby dried air is
drawn through glass tubes across which is a silent electrical discharge is struck.
The reduced pressure is generated by a sidestream from the circulating pool water
forming a venturi vacuum.
(c) Positive pressure – found in potable water treatment plants and throughout industry
generally. Dried air is blown through glass tubes across which a silent electrical
discharge is struck and this ozonised air emerges at positive pressure.
14. The processes for which ozone is produced are outlined below.
SURFACE TREATMENT
15. Various industries which manufacture or use plastic packaging in its various forms use
ozone to pre-treat the plastic surface immediately before printing.
ELECTRICAL DISCHARGES
16. Ozone is generally produced around high voltage equipment and by electrical discharges
in specific processes e.g.
(a) Arc welding – reactive metals such as aluminium and titanium, and also stainless
steel are arc welded in an inert shield of argon or carbon dioxide. The intense
radiation from the arc produces significant quantities of ozone.
(b) Static eliminators are often used in industry to remove static electricity from
recently moulded plastic articles, and continuous use of them in a poorly ventilated
room could lead to the build-up of an irritating level of ozone above the
recommended exposure limit. The main factor which determines the amount of
ozone produced is the voltage across the collector plates; the higher the voltage
the more ozone is produced.
(c) Electrostatic precipitators are used to remove dust and some airborne
contaminants from the air and they produce ozone also. More ozone is produced if
there are rough or sharp edges on, for example, new metal parts since intense
local voltage gradients are produced.
VENTILATION
17. Areas into which ozone may escape must be equipped with adequate ventilation and
extraction facilities. In ozone plant rooms, it is recommended that ten changes of room air per
hour be achieved to enable dangerous accumulations of gas to be dispersed within a few
minutes.
18. Ozone should be prevented from entering the workroom air by the use of exhaust
appliances placed close to the source of emission. The ozone may then be passed through
appropriate filters before discharge to a safe place in the open air. In the case of ozonators
operating under negative pressure, the process acts as its own exhaust ventilator. In the
case of atmospheric pressure ozonators, effective local exhaust ventilation is necessary
because the ozonators are not enclosed. Cinema projection lamps should present no ozone
hazard provided adequate mechanical exhaust ventilation is fitted to the lamp housing and
the exhausted air is vented to a safe place. Many processes incidentally producing ozone
(e.g. welding, ultra-violet curing inks) will have some ventilation provided to deal with other
problems from process.
19. In order to ensure that plant and processes are properly operated and controlled to
minimise risk to health, satisfactory safe systems f work need to be established and
maintained by means of appropriate training and supervision.
20. All people operating ozone plant should be given full training in all aspects of the
operation of the ozonator and associated equipment and should be trained in emergency and
first aid procedures. Emergency action plans should be prepared for all sites where ozone is
generated deliberately in potentially hazardous quantities.
21. Special care may be required when opening sealed plant for maintenance purposes.
10
Guidance Note GS5 should be consulted for detailed advice on permit-to-work systems and
precautions on entry into confined spaces.
22. Work on ozone plant should only be undertaken by a person specifically authorised to do
the work. Such a person should be trained and be competent to do the work in a safe
manner. When carrying out repairs or maintenance work on an ozonator, the ozonator
transformer must be isolated and locked off, and a permit to work must be issued, to avoid
risks from ozone and from electrical hazard.
23. The cleaning materials used for cleaning ozone units and pipework must be free from oil
or grease.
24. In the event of an ozone leak a plant restart should not be attempted until the source of
leakage has been investigated and rectified. Leak detection by nose is not satisfactory
because even slight leaks cause the sense of smell to be numbed and lead to the false
conclusion that a leak no longer exists.
25. Appropriate warning signs indicating the presence of a potential toxic gas hazard should
be displayed on ozone plant access doors or in passageways leading to the plant room.
MONITORING
26. Ozone detectors may be used to provide audible and visual warnings of ozone leaks.
Such alarm signals may be used to initiate emergency procedures, or to automatically turn on
plant room ventilation and shut down the ozonator. Ozone-in-air monitors are essential in
plant rooms where ozonators and associated equipment operate under positive pressure,
because of the greater risk of ozone leakage outward. The monitors in such situations should
actuate automatic ozonator shut down at 0.3ppm ozone or less, while actuating warning
alarms at 0.1ppm or less.
27. Minor ozone leaks can be detected and located by means of moist starch/potassium
iodide paper which turns blue on exposure to ozone.
28. It is essential to carry out regular testing and calibration of all sensor equipment used.
EXHAUST EMISSION
29. Process gas venting to atmosphere should pass through an ozone destructor device or
be released in such a way as to present no hazard. A destructor is a catalyst filter or other
device which causes ozone to decompose in a controlled manner to oxygen. Provided the
discharge point allows adequate dilution a destructor device may not be necessary. If a
catalyst bed, for example activated carbon, is used as an ozone destructor it is possible that
the bed could become exhausted during a period of operation and this should be borne in
mind when arranging maintenance schedules.
30. Deflection weather caps are not recommended for discharge stacks since these hinder
dispersal. Vertical discharge stacks are recommended with a discharge velocity of 15-20m/s
to aid dispersal and avoid re-circulation into buildings. Stacks and extraction vents should be
carefully sited so that they do not feed fresh air ventilation intakes.
31. The control of ozone input to a process is crucial since excess ozone can lead to high
levels of vented ozone.
FIRST AID
(a) Remove the patient to a warm uncontaminated atmosphere and loosen tight
clothing at the neck and waist.
(c) If the patient has difficulty in breathing, oxygen may be administered provided that
a suitable apparatus and a trained operator are available.
(d) If breathing is weak or has ceased, artificial respiration should be started. The
mouth-to-mouth or mouth-to-nose methods are preferred.
34. Ozone poisoning should be treated symptomatically. This may include bed rest,
analgesics to relieve pain, and antibiotics as may be prescribed by a medical practitioner.
35. Sampling strategies to monitor the extent of exposure to ozone or to assess compliance
with exposure limits should be carefully planned and the advice of an occupational hygienist
may prove useful. Short-term sampling may be used to identify peak exposures and to assist
in the prevention of acute gassing incidents. It may not be valid, however, to use the results
of such sampling for the determination of time-weighted average long-term exposures.
Personal atmospheric sampling is to be recommended when assessing the actual pattern and
duration of exposure. (Further information is contained in Health and Safety Executive
guidance notes on Exposure Limits).
36. The traditional method of determining ozone in air may be used12 but continuous ozone
monitors are now available which use a variety of techniques including onemiluminescence,
ultra-violet photometry and electro-onemical cells. Relatively inexpensive gas detector tubes
are also available. These are ideal for spot check, provided that interfering gases, such as
oxidising agents, are known to be absent.
STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS
37. The general duties of employers, the self-employed, manufacturers, suppliers and of
employees at work are contained in the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. Other
relevant statutory provisions include the Factories Act 1961, the Offices, Shops and a Railway
Premises Act 1963 and the various regulations and orders made under these Acts. The
following is a brief summary of the principal requirements with regard to potential ozone
health risks:
C
S Corona Supplies Ltd
for all your corona needs
26 Foresters
Bicester Road
Oakley
Bucks
HP18 9PY. UK.
Telephone: +44 (0) 1844 237580
Fax: +44 (0) 1844 237649
E-mail: sales@coronasupplies co.uk
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