Contec Monthly #24: Our Commitment to Safety (And Our New CFO)
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This edition highlights our commitment to safety and shares more about the measures to make our pyrolysis process safer. Contec invests in several procedures to ensure our workers stay safe and our plant is secure in and out of working times.
Why Safety Is Mandatory In a Pyrolysis Plant ??
At Contec, safety has been considered from every angle, and our equipment and pyrolysis process meet the highest standards in safety and control.
We steadily monitor the pressure in the reactors and have designed and implemented relief devices to quickly deal with the possibility of gas buildup. During the pyrolysis process, condensing gases can clog pipes, leading to pressure increase and even gas leakage, a major cause of fires in pyrolysis plants.
Contec has addressed that issue by implementing:
Our heat transfer of choice, a commercially available molten salt mixture, is also part of that commitment to safety.
Contec’s pyrolysis pilot plant is the only one worldwide that uses molten salts for heat transfer. Molten? is Contec's proprietary technology, which controls process parameters completely to increase safety and guarantee consistent and high-quality products. The molten salt mixture is sustainable as it needs less fuel for heating and can be reused several times.
To ensure the safety of our molten salts at high temperatures up to 550oC, we implemented a button that lowers the temperature to the bare minimum and remains at that temperature for up to two weeks, even in case of an electric shortage.
It's also possible to check the molten salt temperatures at different stages in the pyrolysis process: during reactor filling, startup, and normal production.
Additionally, we have also implemented a state-of-the-art nitrogen inertisation process to keep our workers safe and sound while we transform end-of-life tires (ELTs) into sustainable feedstocks. ??
Understanding Our Nitrogen Inertisation Process ??
For on-site workers involved in the pyrolysis process, we have created simple, yet effective safety protocols and controlled spaces to keep people safe.
Nitrogen inertisation, also known as inerting, is one of the safeguards we implement. It's a method of protecting a production process from combustion.
The inertisation of the installation parts at risk of fire or explosion is crucial to our plant’s safety and one of our implemented safeguards. This method is not widely used because installing an inerting system is expensive.
This is achieved by reducing the oxygen concentration in any machine or equipment to a level at which it’s impossible to create and sustain a combustion reaction. Oxygen concentration is reduced by pumping an inert gas, such as nitrogen, into a closed system.?
Inerting systems are fairly new and not commonly used as a fire prevention method in the manufacturing industry. Traditionally, the focus is detecting a fire as quickly as possible and extinguishing it effectively (and not necessarily preventing it!).?
Since it’s not a preventive method required by law, most companies skip these ‘unnecessary’ costs.
In addition to nitrogen inertisation, Contec also requires personal protection measures such as personal gas detectors, detectors at critical points in the plant, and often duplicated control and measurement equipment.
Contec is not only a pioneer in pyrolysis but also a safe workplace. We’ve done this by setting up plant safety guidelines and creating a controlled space in the pyrolysis plant. ?
Dominika ?elazek joins Contec as CFO
We’re happy to welcome Dominika ?elazek as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and a member of the Management Board. This strategic move underscores Contec’s commitment to innovation and sustainable growth as it prepares for international expansion and fundraising efforts.
Dominika brings over 20 years of financial management experience in demanding and regulated sectors. Her previous roles include key positions at Arriva Poland, where she oversaw finance, IT, communication, and external relations as Vice President of the Management Board and CFO.
She says:
Joining Contec as CFO and Member of the Management Board represents an exciting challenge for me and an opportunity to leverage my financial and executive expertise to?advance the company’s strategic expansion. Contec’s clearly defined goals and our commitment to sustainable development position us as a formidable player in the rapidly evolving Clean Tech industry.
We’re looking forward to working with Dominika. Welcome to the team!
The Latest News In Circular Manufacturing ??
We publish three trending articles about the circular economy in our industry frequently. Don’t miss what was published in the last month:
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