Nicol UK

Versatile Mac’Ants dust collection system brings new options to specialist Nicol UK service

Specialist, purpose-designed dust extraction facilities from Mac’Ants are now fully operational in Humberside where they are helping Nicol UK Ltd. maintain a leading position in its specialist field. The installation at Immingham is enabling the company to build on its long-term success in the Humber Bank area and, importantly, also enhances its opportunities to extend its services more broadly nation-wide.

Commissioned and installed for the Specialist Coating Division of Nicol UK, the Mac’Ants unit has been housed in a fixed facility on site where it acts as a key element of the company’s blasting and cleaning processes. However, because it has also been mounted on skids, simple relocation to an external site can be achieved, if required – a feature that is seen by the company as a highly versatile option. This is just one feature of the bespoke design which overall has also been specified to meet Nicol UK’s precise operational requirements at its main facility. Managing Director, Cris Drant explains –

“The unit is primarily associated with the cleaning of steel sections and pipe work,” he says, “and comprises a number of key stages. These are centred on dust extraction, fume extraction from the inside spraying process and an adjacent abrasive recovery unit. This allows the blast media either to be recycled or collected as fines for safe removal off site.”

He points out that the 10,000 cfm dust collection unit has also been designed with outlet collection points that can be moved on runners. Because of the physical parameters of the location, this has allowed for easier access and handling procedures to be adopted and makes an important contribution to the efficiency of the overall process.

Kevin Marshall, METS Commercial Manager at Mac’Ants, highlights the key features of the design and the installation –

“The Mac’Ants Dust Extractor Model MVAC13 incorporates a fully automatic reverse air pulse cartridge cleaning system to keep the machine function at optimum performance,” he says. “There is a low level direct drive motorised fan giving low running costs and low noise generation. The unit, including the PLC controller, is fully weatherproofed and is effectively a ‘plug-and-go’ device designed for easy and quick installation. This, together with the sturdy skid mounting of the entire assembly, permits the easy relocation and siting of the system.” He points out that the skid mounting not only means easy relocation for site work when needed but also allows the unit to be located in areas with minimum foundation work and to be transported or moved in one piece – significantly easing handling operations.