At a Glance

This project at an aircraft engine case

over-haul
facility
involved
the
replacement of tanks in an existing
cleaning line with a new more efficient
system in terms of energy, water and
chemical use.
The original clean line tanks consisted
of a number of open un-insulated,
6000 litre tanks, containing chemical
cleaning agents and rinse water.
The two new replacement machines
reuse water in a closed loop,
minimising water, energy and chemical
consumption.
The contents of the old tanks had to be
disposed of periodically as hazardous
waste. This new line results in a
reduction of such hazardous waste.

CGPP2004/14
Clean Line Resource Conservation

These machines reuse water and chemicals

which minimises water, energy and chemical
consumption. A condenser to recover vapour
losses and insulation also assist in reducing the
energy requirements. An automated dosing
system for cleaning chemicals ensures accurate
chemical use.
The new system has also shortened production
times due to more efficient and quicker methods
of cleaning.

PWA International,
Naas Road, Rathcoole, Co. Dublin
PWA International is involved in the over-haul
and repair of aircraft engine cases for large
commercial airlines. Engine cases are sent to
PWAI from around the world, for assessment
service & repair. The company is based on the
Naas Road, Rathcoole, Co Dublin and employs
150 staff.

Achievements include:
New clean line washing machines

Reduced water consumption

Reduced natural gas usage

Achievements

Reduced chemical usage

Reduced hazardous waste

The improvements achieved as a result of the

new clean line washing machines include:

Increased production speed

Reduced water consumption

Reduced emissions to atmosphere

Reduced natural gas usage

Improved air quality within the

building

Reduced chemical usage

Reduced chemical handling risks

Reduced manual handling risks
Reduced air extraction rates
Hazardous waste generation has
reduced by 40% or approximately
18,000 litres per annum since the new
system became operational in the first
quarter of 2005.

Reduced hazardous waste

Existing clean line open tanks

Increased production speed

Aim of this Project

Reduced emissions to atmosphere

This project aimed to replace an existing clean

line in which aircraft engine cases are cleaned
with a new more energy, water and chemical
efficient system.

Improved air quality within the building

Project Description
Previously, aircraft engine cases were
prepared/cleaned in a clean line featuring a
number of open 6000 litre tanks, containing
chemical cleaning agents and rinse water. These
tanks were not insulated and needed to be
maintained at temperatures of 80oC.
The tanks were emptied periodically and the
contents disposed of as hazardous waste. The
rinse water was sent straight to foul drain after
use.
The CGPP project involved removing a number
of the clean line tanks and replacing these with
two closed loop washing machines.

Reduced chemical handling risks

Reduced manual handling risks
Reduced air extraction rates
Removal of space constraints
The quantity of hazardous waste from the clean
line has reduced by 17%, or approximately
7,500 litres, from 2005 to 2006. This was
achieved even though 2006 was an extremely
busy year for PWAI. In fact hazardous waste
generation has reduced by 40% or
approximately 18,000 litres per annum since the
new system became operational in the first
quarter of 2005.
Cost savings include reduced energy costs,
reduced water and effluent charges, and
reduced costs for hazardous waste transport and
disposal.

Observations
While the clean line project had both economic
and environmental benefits, internally the
project also had a huge positive impact on staff
morale. Personnel were now seeing investment
in new technology in the business and more
efficient and much safer ways of completing
cleaning operations.
With the reduction in energy usage achieved as
a result of this project, the company is now
considering replacing the existing boiler with a
smaller and more efficient boiler to further
reduce natural gas usage on the site.

Lessons
The project helped the company put actual
monetary value on the waste streams looked
at.
The companys pollution prevention subcommittee was trained on the benefits of the
project and the requirement to identify other
similar opportunities which exist within the
facility. Other projects now being looked at,
include a closed loop water system on a water
jet item of equipment and an energy efficient
vacuum evaporator unit to reduce hazardous
waste quantities.

More Information
For more information on this project please
contact:
Damien Mulchrone,
PWA International Ltd,
Naas Road, Rathcoole, Co. Dublin
email. Damien.Mulchrone@pwai.ie
tel.
00 353 (0) 1 458 8100
fax.
00 353 (0) 1 458 8106

Cleaner Greener Production Programme

The Cleaner Greener Production Programme
(CGPP) of the EPA was funded under the
National Development Plan 2000 2006. The
CGPP was launched in 2001 as a grant
scheme to Irish organisations to implement
cleaner greener practices while achieving
significant cost savings.
Cleaner Greener Production is the application
of integrated preventive environmental
strategies to processes, products and services
to increase overall efficiency and reduce risks
to humans and the environment.
Production processes: conserving raw
materials and energy, eliminating toxic raw
materials, and reducing the quantity and
toxicity of all emissions and wastes
Products: reducing negative impacts along
the life cycle of a product, from raw
materials extraction to its ultimate disposal.
Services: incorporating environmental
concerns into designing and delivering
services.
The programme aims are focussed on avoiding
and preventing adverse environmental impact
rather than treating or cleaning up afterwards.
This approach brings better economic and
environmental efficiency.
Under Phase 2 of CGPP, 22 organisations were
funded from a variety of sectors (e.g.
chemicals, food, metals, electronics, service).
The total achievements from the projects for
the participating organisations included
annual reductions of 250,000 tonnes in
input/output streams (water/waste water),
660 MWh energy reduction and 1.6m cost
savings.
The programme will continue to be funded by
the EPA in the NDP 2007-2013.
This case study report is one of the reports
available from the companies that
participated in the second phase of the
Cleaner Greener Production Programme.
A summary of all the projects and CD
containing all the reports are also
available.
More information on the programme is
available from the EPA:
Ms. Lisa Sheils or Dr Brian Donlon,
Environmental Protection Agency,
Richview, Clonskeagh Rd., Dublin 14, Ireland.
www.epa.ie/researchandeducation/research/

Programme Managers...
The Clean Technology Centre (CTC) at Cork
Institute of Technology was appointed to
manage the programme. Established in 1991,
the CTC is now nationally and internationally
regarded as a centre of excellence in cleaner
production, environmental management and
eco-innovation across a range of industrial
sectors.