Specialist industrial safety equipment manufacturer Absafe has been granted licence to begin Australian manufacturing ATD Cardox C02 pressurised blasting systems.
Following a global pandemic and the blocking of the Suez Canal, local manufacturers are avoiding instabilities in overseas imports.
In addition to helping with local supply, it also creates create Australian jobs as well as increasing availability and lowering the price for these systems across Australia.
Absafe, the Australian distributor of ATD Cardox C02 Pressurised gas blasting systems, saw the benefits of local manufacturing and has been granted approval to begin.
Andy Caddy, Absafe’s Director, says the company has experience in custom design and fabrication of specialist equipment and plant for remedial works within the power and water industries.
“We have our own in-house engineering team as well as steel fabrication trades and have always supported local industry. That’s why we see manufacturing Cardox products ourselves as a great move forward,” Caddy says.
“We realised early on that freight and logistics were going to be high for Cardox parts. We also had the frustration of being dependent on overseas production and turnaround especially when it came to specialised items.”
The company has formalised an agreement with ATD-Abbausysteme GmbH – based in Dortmund, Germany – to manufacture Cardox ATD C02 tube filling stations and other componentry at its Hallam and Morwell locations in Victoria.
Absafe is also commissioning prototypes of steel base ports and grip cases for the Cardox tubes from Latrobe Valley Machining, with production to commence immediately once the company has approved the components.
Cardox is a non-explosive blasting system for build-up and blockage issues in storage vessels, pre-heaters, coolers, inlet chambers, silos, raw feed mills, riser ducts, rotary kilns, and other high-heat process equipment.
An ATD Cardox blasting tube is filled with liquid carbon dioxide (the same as a fire extinguisher). When energised by the application of a small electrical charge, the chemical heater instantly converts the liquid carbon dioxide to a gas.
This conversion expands the carbon dioxide volume and builds up pressure inside the tube until it causes the rupture disc at the end of the tube to burst. This releases the carbon dioxide – now 660 times the original volume – through a special discharge nozzle to create a powerful heaving force, at pressures up to 40,000 pounds per square inch. This all takes place in milliseconds.
These tubes can be placed into problem areas by specially engineered locking ports to clear away build up and increase flow of bulk materials. Tubes can also be placed in areas of build up by hand to help clear emergency blockages and can then be refilled.
Caddy says Absafe is unique because, in addition to designing and installing permanent systems, it can also place Cardox in areas such as internal silos to facilitate emergency clearance operations of most dry bulk materials.
“Utilising our rope access and confined space expertise we can safely access most areas to drill and plant the Cardox units with optimum results,” he says.
“Absafe can supply the Cardox system itself, set up a permanent system for ongoing use, and provide your staff with full training, regular support and annual maintenance.”
The company will be attending the Australian Bulk Handling Expo (BULK2021), at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre from 8 – 10 September 2021.