Nickel Plating Room HVAC 1

[ME27272727]

I can use some opinions on a recent project involving a nickel formation plating room.

It's a small room about 600 SF with a 4'x6' nickel bath. The client had an industrial hygienist take readings of the air and surfaces in the room which resulted in harmless levels of airborn toxins. The process doesn't involve any abressives and appears to be on the smaller and more benign side of the nickel plating operations. The client wishes to condition this room off of an exising RTU serving adjacent office areas, and to balance the nickel room to positive pressure.

My thoughts were to provide a small amount of exaust to keep the room negative, and have the space conditioned by its own HVAC unit so that should there be a release of toxic chemicals into the space, I have minimized the ability for that air to contaminate nearby occupied spaces. I have a hard time falling back on the hygienist report as proving the room air is safe. In my opinion, that report proved that at the moment in time of sampling, the air was safe. But anything can happen over the next few years, and I should design a system to anticipate and minimize those risks.

Am I being overly cautious? The client is insisting the room is safe and positive pressure is fine, but I'm having my doubts. Thanks.

 

[3DDave]

I'm surprised the client is so concerned about the positive/negative pressure detail. I guess the advantage to positive pressure is that if there is a bad outcome, say lethal levels of some gas, then the people in the nearby offices will be alerted more quickly than if it was negative.

 

[BronYrAur]

Unless you are worried about something from the surrounding areas contaminating the plating room, I would keep it negative. Most definitely do not bring any return air from the plating room back to the RTU.

 

[MintJulep]

You need to design this for what could happen.

Not what was happening the moment the industrial hygienist made some measurements.

Not what usually happens when everything is fine.

Not what probably happens.

What could happen.

See ASHRAE Handbook - Applications - Industrial Air Conditioning for a start.

See This OSHA page for a starting point of possibly applicable regulations.

 

[ME27272727]

MintJulep, thank you. I completely agree.