Valmet introduces revolutionary protective garments to improve boiler operation safety
Pulp mill personnel working around chemical recovery boilers are continuously exposed to serious safety hazards caused by hot liquor and smelt. Valmet’ new Smelt Protective Garments offer boiler operators, smelt deck workers, maintenance personnel, and recovery area inspectors protection against heat, burn, and corrosive injuries.
Pulp mill personnel working around chemical recovery boilers are continuously exposed to serious safety hazards caused by hot liquor and smelt. Valmet’ new Smelt Protective Garments offer boiler operators, smelt deck workers, maintenance personnel, and recovery area inspectors protection against heat, burn, and corrosive injuries.
The starting point for developing new line of protective garments was comfortability. It began with the material, GORE® PYRAD® Vulcan smelt protective laminate, and includes features such as air ventilation and an extensive size chart enabling a good fit for each user. The design of the adjustable hood makes sure it adapts to movement, thus guaranteeing good visibility for the user in all positions,” explains Jaakko Seppä, Global Technology Manager at Valmet.
The material has a three-layer structure. The outer shell is lightweight and reminds those of high-quality outdoor gear. It is designed to quickly shed the smelt to prevent burns to the user. The middle layer consists of PYRAD® technology, which chars and expands up to ten times its volume to provide thermal insulation and further protect the user. The secret is in the material itself – not in a chemical treatment or coating that wears off over time – it is durable and keeps its properties when washed.
The material has been tested to ASTM F955-15, and it complies with the EN ISO 11612 standard. The product is also CE-certified according to PPE Regulation (EU) 2026/425.
In the end of 2023, we received the CE marking for the products and are now ready to offer the garments also outside North America. So far, we’ve introduced the products at selected customer mills in Asia Pacific, China and Europe, and the reception has been solely positive,” says Jaakko Seppä.
The garments selection includes a coat, a trench, pants and an attachable hood, protecting the full-body against burns. The garments are breathable, lightweight and flexible, and therefore comfortable in use.
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