42. BImSchV
Federal Immission Control ActGoals and contents of the 42. BImSchV
The Immission Control Ordinance serves to prevent the health risk posed by legionella, which can multiply in the water systems of evaporative cooling systems, wet separators and cooling towers and spread both via recirculated air and in the form of fine aerosols in the exhaust air. The 42. BImSchV contains applicable technical and organizational obligations for the construction and operation of such systems, as inhalation of legionella can lead to severe pneumonia.
Validity
Which units are covered by the 42. BImSchV?
The 42nd BImSchV regulation covers wet separators, evaporative cooling systems and cooling towers. Certain facilities are exempt because of their construction or operation, or the environmental conditions in which they operate, as the possibility of Legionella proliferation is considered low. Further information on the 42. BImSchV
To whom does the 42. BImSchV apply?
The 42nd BImSchV applies to manufacturers and operators of wet separators, evaporative cooling systems and cooling towers.
To whom does the 42nd BImSchV not apply?
For example, systems in which the cleaned air is recirculated back into the production room are not affected.
BImSchG
Procedure
The BImSchG procedure (in accordance with the 42nd BImSchG) is a licensing procedure that must be gone through for plants requiring a license in accordance with the 42nd BImSchV in order to obtain the corresponding proof of safe operation. The aim is to protect people and the environment from unacceptable effects of the installations, e.g. by legionella, as these can cause severe respiratory diseases.
What are units requiring a permit/approval according to 42. BImSchG?
The construction and operation of industrial units that may cause harmful environmental effects due to legionella in service water require a permit in accordance with the Federal Immission Control Act (BImSchG). This applies to evaporative cooling systems, cooling towers and wet separators.
When do I need a BImSchG permit?
Systems such as evaporative cooling systems, cooling towers and wet separators are subject to approval if they could have a harmful effect on the environment or endanger the general public/neighborhood.
A distinction must be made between:
- A new plant is planned (initial approval)
- A change is made to a facility that has already been approved (modification)
- A change is made to a facility that does not require a permit and the change causes the facility to become subject to the permit requirement
If the cleaned air is recirculated back into the production room, as is the case with our wet separators, no BImSchG permit is required.
Efficient wet separators for recirculating air operation
The patented flow technology with multi-chamber system separates dusts with low resistance directly in the water and binds them reliably. As a result, our wet separators achieve a very high degree of separation so that the cleaned air can be returned directly to the production room.
When processing stainless steel, HEPA H14 filters are also used, which reliably separate even the finest particles. This means that our wet separators can also run in recirculation mode for stainless steel dusts in accordance with TRGS 528.