Document NEL8jbyjNRGRMBdJbmNE2eD8Q

FW** MICHAEL J. VAUDREUIL PITTSBURGH OFFICE H IS Indutt'*) Hyfiene ----------- ---2--TO BOO MLP RWR BLS to PHS MJV INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE CONTACTS DOMESTIC & FOREIGN 1980 August 14 RE: ASBESTOS REPLACEMENT PROGRAM As part of Alcoa's asbestos replacement program, a listing of applications and substitutes for asbestos was compiled and distributed in August of 1979. Since that time, some headway has been made in the development of substitutes for several uses of asbestos. The progress to date is reviewed in the attached memorandum. An updated version of the original master listing is in preparation. Distribution of the revised registry is planned for 1980 November 01. However, critical to this effort is additional input from all Alcoa locations. Information on current plant asbestos use, as well as any successes (or failures) with substitute materials is requested. In order to meet the November 01 target date for release of the updated list, replies should be received by 1980 October 01. This ongoing exchange of information is necessary for the continued success of the program. With the assignment of Haig Sakoian as Senior Industrial Hygienist, Tennessee Operations, I have assumed the responsibility for overall coordination of the asbestos replacement program. Therefore, please direct all future correspondence to my attention. MICHAEL J. VAUDREUIL MJV:mlf Distribution: Location Managers - Domestic & Caribbean Location Managers - Subsidiaries & Allied Products Safety Managers - Domestic & Caribbean Safety Managers - Subsidiaries & Allied Products Location Engineering Managers Purchasing Agents J. H. Sloane K. W. Perry R. W. Wrenn T. W. Callaham T. J. Sherman E. B. Perry L. C. Drapela R. N. Sater F. J. McGrath R. C. McCormack - Pgh. - Pgh. - Pgh. - ATC - Pgh. - Pgh. - Pgh. - Pgh. - Pgh. - Pgh. kT. I. Stephenson G. F. T.pvme-lcrer - Pgh. - Pgh. APC 003119 FROM MICHAEL J. VAUDREUIL PITTSBURGH OFFICE . TO MEMORANDUM 1980 August 14 RE; ASBESTOS REPLACEMENT UPDATE The following sections summarize the progress made over the past year in the search for asbestos substitute materials. The discussions are organized by asbestos product, and within each section by specific application. A supplemental list of substitute material suppliers is included. 1. Molten Metal Marinlte There is presently only one necessary use for asbestos in ingot plant operations; that is, header applications. There are adequate replacements in Johns-Manville's Marinlte I and Pyrotek's Pyrotherm B-2 board products and R-680 for all other melting and casting needs. Therefore, Molten Metal Marinlte need not, and should not be used for dams, basins, troughs, etc. However, at present, the suitability of substitute materials for use as floats is questionable. Some header-related applications of asbestos have also been eliminated. After header design modifications, R-680 can be used for all FDC headers 635 mm (2S in.) and smaller. With this substitution, Lafayette, Vancouver and Massena should be asbestos free.. Molten Metal Marinlte must still be used for HDC and tool and jig headers. R&D programs at ATC will continue to address these areas. . 2. Asbestos Rope Fiberseal A-l rope (Pyrotek, Inc.) can be used in place of asbestos rope for sealing the gap between the mold and bottom block in FDC casting operations. It prevents metal leakage and its good thermal stability allows it to be reused numerous times. It may also be used for sealing joints in pouring troughs. Z-5 treated fiberglass rope (Pyrotek, Inc.) can be used successfully as a crucible lid gasket on vacuum-type potroom tapping crucibles. It replaces the presently used Johns-Manville 872 or 702 asbestos gasketing material. However, Z-5 will not replace gaskets made of twisted aluminum foil. Plants using foil gaskets will in all probability have to continue that practice. 3. Transite Transite, a structural, fire-retardant asbestos/portland cement board, is used extensively in construction. ATC has tested glass-reinforced cement (GRC) sheet as a replacement for transite. BALCOA APC 003121 SUPPLEMENTAL SUPPLIER LIST Product Nextel 312TM (ceramic fiber) Zetex TM (a.k.a. Pyrotex ,,Thermog,lass TM (fiberglass) HI FibeR (coated polyethylene fibers) Cellox Fibers (polyacrylonitrile) *heat treatment Available Forms Supplier 1. woven fabric Ceramic Fiber and tape Products/3M 2. braided sleeving 219-1 3M Center 3. bulk fiber St. Paul, MN 55101 Phone No. 612/733-1558 1. woven fabric Newtex Industries Railroad Avenue P. 0. Box 25 Victor, NY 14564 716/924-9135 1. twisted rope Amatex Corp. 2. braided sleeving 1032 Stanbridge St. 3. woven fabric Norristown, PA 19404 and tape 215/277-6100 1. fiber fillers for cement, caulkings, etc. Hill Bros. Chemical Co. One City Boulevard Suite 1521 Orange, CA 92668 714/634-3322 1. fabrics *2. conversion to pure carbon fibers Celanese Plastics & Specialities Co. 26 Main Street Chatham, NY 07928 201/635-2600 CER-WOOL (ceramic fiber) 1. blankets 2. vacuum-formed boards 3. bulk fiber C. E. Refractories P. 0. Box 828 Valley Forge, PA 19482 412/351-4409 Slltemp (fibfous glass) 1. cloth Haveg Industries, Inc. 900 Greenback Road Wilmington, DE 19808 1-800-441-7777 GRC Sheet (fiberglass reinforced cement) 1. flat and corrugated board GRC Products, Inc. 17051 I.H. 35N Schertz, TX 78154 512/651-6773 GRC Sheet (fiberglass reinforced cement) ; 1. flat and corrugated board _PreoxTM 1. woven fabric (polyacrylonitrile fiber) CEM-FIL Corporation 120 Spence Lane Nashville, TN 37210 Centex Corporation Carbondale, PA 18407 615/883-7563 717/282-3550 Kelvar and Nomex (aramld fiber) 1. cloth E.I. duPont de Nemours 302/999-4693 2. rope & Co. 3. pump packings Textile Fibers Department 4. tapes and Wilmington, DE 19898 webbings 5. braided sleeving MICHAEL J. VAUDREUIL:mlf 80-08-05 APC 003123 Product Bulletin Thermocouple Insulation At last: a practical high-temperature insulating material that eliminates the two biggest causes of thermocouple failure. Dimensional stability and abrasion resis tance have always been big sources of trouble for high-temperature insulators. The most commonly used fibers- those made from vitreous silica - typically shrink, abrade, fray, or crumble to the -omt where wires become exposed This ooviously creates a potential for inaccurate tempera ture readings. The traditional alternative, ceramic beads, solves the problem of ex cessive shrinkage and abrasion, but only at a high cost for labor. Now there's a better alternative: Nextel* 312 Ceramic Fiber from 3M Nextel 312 withstands operating temperatures of 1000" F to 2600* F. continuously. It shnnks less and resists the combined effects of abrasion, flexing, and high temperatures better than asbestos, quartz, and vitreous silica fibers. It also offers good chemical resistance and immunity to thermal shock. Proven dimensional stability. A recent test compared the dimensional stability of Nextel 312 and vitreous silica by heating sleeves braided around separate lengths of wire for v* hour at 2000* F. When the samples were removed from the fur nace. Nextel 312 still covered the wire completely, thanks to shrinkage of less than 1 per cent. The vitreous silica fiber had shrunken by roughly 12 per cent, leav ing an inch of wire exposed at one end. Nextel 312 braided around a thermo couple wire and heated at 2000* F for Vj hour shrank 1% Vitreous silica handled the same way shrank 12%. Exceptional resistance to abrasion. In another test, a Duplan "silk-testing ma chine1' was used to compare filaments of Nextel 312 and vitreous silica. Blades were rubbed back and forth on the two products after they had been heated for Vi hour at 1000" F. 1500* F. and 2000* F. Results showed that Nextel 312 lasted 2'4 to 5 times as long as the vitreous silica fiber. This means that at 1000* F. Nextel 312 performed 400 per cent better. The figures for 1500*F and 2000" F were 300percent and 166 percent respectively. No residual acids or chlorides to cause etching of wires. Because Nextel 312 Ceramic Fibers con tain no residual acids or chlorides, there s no chemical present to corrode or etch the wires. Even in a test involving exposure to 96 per cent relative humidity, no notice able electrolytic corrosion was detected. The test consisted of putting Nextel 312 fibers m contact with two unconnected bare #32 copper wires A 250-volt D C po tential was applied across the wires. After 20 hours, corrosion was determined by calculating the ratio of anode wire tensile strength to cathode wire tensile strength. Three test runs produced ratios above 0.99; since the maximum ratio possible was 1.00. there was essentially no elec trolytic corrosion Available from your local thermocouple supplier. Nextel 312 is being manufactured m pro duction quantities right now. For more information on how it can increase the ser vice life of your thermocouples, contact your supplier. Or call 3M at 612-733-1558 (in Northeast locations call 201-575-2076) or write 3M at the address below. N.8Ti-)m.*>n Ceramic Fiber Products/3M 219-13M Center St. Paul. Minnesota 55101 uthomusa APC 003124