US EPA

3649470 

Journal Article 

BOA: Asbestos Pipe-Insulation Removal Robot System 

Schempf, H 

1995 

23 

63 

The project described in this report targets the development of a mechanized system for safe, cost- efficient and automated abatement of asbestos containing materials used as pipe insulation. Based on several key design criteria and site visits, a proof-of-concept prototype robot system, dubbed BOA, was designed and built, which automatically strips the lagging and insulation from the pipes, and encapsulates them under complete vacuum operation. The system can operate on straight runs of piping in horizontal or vertical orientations. Currently we are limited to four-inch diameter piping without obstacles as well as a somewhat laborious emplacement and removal procedure - restrictions to be alleviated through continued development. BOA removed asbestos at a rate of 4-5 ft./h compared to 3 ft./h for manual removal of asbestos with a 3-person crew. The containment and vacuum system on BOA was able to achieve the regulatory requirement for airborne fiber emissions of 0.01 fibers/ccm/8-hr. shift. A complete paper' has been submitted and accepted for presentation at the next ANS Topical Meeting in Monterey, CA, in February, 1995. 

Robotics; Robots; Hazardous materials; Asbestos; Waste disposal; Emission; Removal; Comparison; Prototypes; Pipes(Tubes); Vacuum apparatus; Operation; Manual operation; Design criteria; Thermal insulation; Mechanization