With all the priceless input of the forum, I tried to design a future workstation, that will have many things combined and saves space.
The following thoughts are my baseline for the design:
- i want to be safe!
- i want to use all kinds of produced energy (heat, etc) to a maximum extend ( i hate wasting useful things)
- i want to process lots of parts in sand baths, so this station would be 'fired up' 12-16 hrs/day (shift workers)
- i need to incinerate ICs and other plastic parts to free the valuable material
- i want to have hot water available but don't want to waste additional energy
- i want to have some automated solution to take care of solder in the sand bath
- i want the station to be compact, using little space
- i want it to be extendable
- i want storage and a free work surface outside the hood
- i want the hood space to be multi-functional
This is what I came up with so far. In my opinion, there is plenty of opportunities to extend the design. I.e. the blower sucks air from the surrounding. At the blower's air input, a Y-piece could be placed where one side sucks air through a connection to the fume scrubbing equipment while the other side sucks the surrounding's air.
Both Y-openings are adjustable to regulate where the most air comes from. This way, (regulated) underpressure would be produced on the fume scrubber, sucking the fumes through the different containers and filters, while the blower takes the needed rest of air from the room. Opening/closing partially both Y-inputs as needed should give the right balance.
Before I forget it: The access to the charcoal chamber is from the backside. The whole design would be built outside, kind of like you would build a permanent BBQ area in your garden. Protected by an open construction against wind and unpleasant weather of course.
The sand baths can be removed and one would just simply push in a work surface if fire is not needed that day. This would give plenty of workspace under hoods.
The hot water could be used for Hoke's advice on steam baths, etc. or for pre-warming equipment, vessels, acids. It should be already hot enough to directly use it for dissolving lead chloride when needed to get rid of it. The good thing about it is, it does not cost any additional money for the fire has to be up and running for incineration or sand baths anyways.
[EDIT]
The hot water is a closed cycle, feeding itself from the tank. Colder water goes from the tank outside along the backside to the end, then in the inside, slightly upwards along the wall over the charcoal trench, heating up. According to physics, the hot water flows on its own back to the tank, producing this way the closed cycle.
(Not clearly shown in the picture)
I have 1000 more thoughts on what more to do with it but first step first.
It is a theoretical design and I do not have practical experience. However, from what i've read over the months here, I actually feel quite comfortable that it might not be a complete crazy design.
Don't pin me down on exact measures in the drawing. The hood space sections are planned to be around 1m x 1m. Hence, depth is 1m+, length is around 5-6m and height is according to comfortable work position.
Let me know what you think and what you would change or where you see additional potential!
The following thoughts are my baseline for the design:
- i want to be safe!
- i want to use all kinds of produced energy (heat, etc) to a maximum extend ( i hate wasting useful things)
- i want to process lots of parts in sand baths, so this station would be 'fired up' 12-16 hrs/day (shift workers)
- i need to incinerate ICs and other plastic parts to free the valuable material
- i want to have hot water available but don't want to waste additional energy
- i want to have some automated solution to take care of solder in the sand bath
- i want the station to be compact, using little space
- i want it to be extendable
- i want storage and a free work surface outside the hood
- i want the hood space to be multi-functional
This is what I came up with so far. In my opinion, there is plenty of opportunities to extend the design. I.e. the blower sucks air from the surrounding. At the blower's air input, a Y-piece could be placed where one side sucks air through a connection to the fume scrubbing equipment while the other side sucks the surrounding's air.
Both Y-openings are adjustable to regulate where the most air comes from. This way, (regulated) underpressure would be produced on the fume scrubber, sucking the fumes through the different containers and filters, while the blower takes the needed rest of air from the room. Opening/closing partially both Y-inputs as needed should give the right balance.
Before I forget it: The access to the charcoal chamber is from the backside. The whole design would be built outside, kind of like you would build a permanent BBQ area in your garden. Protected by an open construction against wind and unpleasant weather of course.
The sand baths can be removed and one would just simply push in a work surface if fire is not needed that day. This would give plenty of workspace under hoods.
The hot water could be used for Hoke's advice on steam baths, etc. or for pre-warming equipment, vessels, acids. It should be already hot enough to directly use it for dissolving lead chloride when needed to get rid of it. The good thing about it is, it does not cost any additional money for the fire has to be up and running for incineration or sand baths anyways.
[EDIT]
The hot water is a closed cycle, feeding itself from the tank. Colder water goes from the tank outside along the backside to the end, then in the inside, slightly upwards along the wall over the charcoal trench, heating up. According to physics, the hot water flows on its own back to the tank, producing this way the closed cycle.
(Not clearly shown in the picture)
I have 1000 more thoughts on what more to do with it but first step first.
It is a theoretical design and I do not have practical experience. However, from what i've read over the months here, I actually feel quite comfortable that it might not be a complete crazy design.
Don't pin me down on exact measures in the drawing. The hood space sections are planned to be around 1m x 1m. Hence, depth is 1m+, length is around 5-6m and height is according to comfortable work position.
Let me know what you think and what you would change or where you see additional potential!
