Case Study
Breathing Air Alkaline
When a critical failure occurs in a compressed air system supplying breathable air, the operational impact extends far beyond production downtime.
For a large petrochemical facility in the South of the UK, an unexpected outage in the permanent air supply system created an urgent requirement for a fully compliant temporary breathing air solution.
GenAir was called to provide immediate emergency support to restore safe working conditions within a hazardous alkaline processing environment, ensuring maintenance activities could continue without compromising personnel safety or regulatory compliance.
Background
The site, a large petrochemical and refining operation focused on alkaline processing, relies on a continuous supply of certified breathable air for maintenance and confined space activities. These environments require strict adherence to air quality standards, with any disruption posing a direct risk to both personnel safety and operational continuity.
During planned maintenance, a failure occurred within the permanent compressed air system. This resulted in the loss of breathable air supply to critical work areas, including confined spaces where ongoing maintenance activities were already underway.
With personnel on-site and work in progress, the client required an immediate temporary solution capable of delivering clean, dry, oil-free air that met breathing air standards.
The challenge
Firstly, any delay in restoring breathable air would have resulted in immediate suspension of maintenance work. This would not only extend shutdown duration but also increase operational risk, cost, and scheduling pressure.
Secondly, the application required a fully compliant breathing air system suitable for use in hazardous and confined environments. This meant standard compressed air solutions were not sufficient.
The air supply needed to be:
- Oil-free and free from contaminants
- Properly dried to prevent moisture ingress
- Continuously monitored for air quality assurance
- Capable of supporting confined space working conditions
- Rapidly deployable to minimise downtime
In addition, the solution needed to integrate safely into an active petrochemical environment with strict site safety protocols and limited tolerance for disruption.
The solution
GenAir deployed a specialist temporary breathing air package designed specifically for critical industrial and hazardous applications.
The system included oil-free compressor technology combined with advanced air treatment equipment to ensure air quality compliance. Multi-stage filtration and drying systems were implemented to remove oil vapour, moisture, and particulates, ensuring the air supply met required breathing air standards for safe use in confined spaces.
To provide additional assurance, continuous air quality monitoring was incorporated into the setup. This allowed real-time verification of air purity throughout the duration of the deployment, ensuring full compliance and operational confidence.
The system was designed in a modular format, enabling rapid mobilisation and installation on site. This allowed GenAir engineers to integrate the temporary solution directly into the site’s existing breathing air distribution infrastructure with minimal disruption.
Implementation
Speed and coordination were critical to the success of the deployment.
Following the emergency call-out, GenAir engineers assessed site requirements and configured a breathing air package suited to the pressure, flow, and air quality demands of the alkaline processing plant.
Equipment was mobilised rapidly and installed under controlled site conditions, working closely with the client’s safety and engineering teams. Particular attention was given to confined space requirements and the safe routing of air supply lines to ensure uninterrupted protection for personnel already working on site.
The modular nature of the system allowed for efficient installation without interfering with ongoing site operations. Once commissioned, the system was brought online immediately, restoring breathable air supply to affected areas.
Throughout the deployment, GenAir provided ongoing technical support and monitoring to ensure consistent performance and compliance.
The result
The temporary breathing air system restored safe air supply immediately, allowing maintenance activities to continue without further delay.
Key outcomes included:
- mediate restoration of certified breathable air supply
- Continuation of critical maintenance work without extended shutdown
- Full compliance with breathing air safety requirements
- Stable, monitored air quality throughout operation
- Rapid deployment with minimal site disruption
By implementing a fully compliant temporary solution, the client avoided a prolonged shutdown period and maintained both operational continuity and workforce safety during a high-risk situation.
Customer feedback
“Maintaining a safe supply of breathable air was our top priority. The temporary system was straightforward to install, performed exactly as required, and the support gave us confidence that our teams could continue working safely.”
Alkaline Plant Manager, Large Petrochemical Site
Conclusion
This project highlights the importance of rapid response and specialist engineering in high-risk industrial environments. When breathable air systems fail, the ability to deploy a fully compliant temporary solution quickly can be the difference between a controlled intervention and a costly shutdown extension.
By combining oil-free compressor technology, advanced air treatment, and real-time monitoring, GenAir was able to restore safe working conditions quickly and effectively, ensuring both compliance and operational continuity in a critical petrochemical setting.