Pentek at Work

Custom Vac Pac The Belgian Nuclear Research Centre, SCK•CEN, is one of the largest research centres in Belgium. To meet their demanding requirements, Pentek designed and built a customized model 15A VAC-PAC® . This unit has a four standard sized ports plus an oversized port of nearly six inches in diamater to interface with a special vacuum hose arrangement. Additonally, the VAC-PAC® was designed to make use of an existing supply of 400 liter drums that required an unusual bell shaped plenum.

Weston Solutions' Fuels-Specific Engineering Services, includes cleaning, inspection, repairs, and construction of U.S. Navy Fueling Systems throughout the world. One such system at the Navy base in Sasebo, Japan is being overhauled with the help of a Pentek multi-tool VAC-PAC® HEPA vacuum and packaging system. This operation demands flexibility to handle various size fuel line pipes in a variety of locations and terrain. Air supply and vacuum extension manifolds are employed for maximum flexibility. Pentek also designed a special shroud for its Roto-Peen Scaler. With this modification, the tool will handle pipes with diameters as small as four inches. Weston plans maintain a pool of tool operators for this project and sent an engineer to the Pentek facility for in-depth sessions covering operation and maintenance of all aspects of the system.

Allied Aviation Services, Inc including its subsidiary and affiliated companies, is the largest American domestically owned provider of fueling services to the commercial aviation industry. Allied has operated the Newark Liberty International Airport Fuel System for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey since 1973. The maintenance of the airport's tank farm got a big boost this past Summer when Pentek delivered a six-tool VAC-PAC® HEPA vacuum and packaging system. The model 18A can handle the simultaneous operation of six tools at a distance of up to one-hundred feet. Pentek technicians provided setup and on-site training to the crew from BAKO Construction that is handling the surface cleaning and painting operation.

Pentek's Compact VAC is at home in small places and specialized applications. Many of our customers use this unit for spot work and removing lead paint from surfaces prior to making a cut or a repair. Recent investors in this man-portable HEPA system include Alcoa, Con Edison, Duke Energy, Allied Pacific Environmental Consulting, Inc., Shaw Environmental, Fish & Asscociates and Norris Brothers Co. Inc.

The USS Emory S. Land was recently refurbished via a Navy contract which called for the performance of "rip-out, habitability removal and re-installation, modifications, and re-configuration." The competitively bid contract was awarded to Pacific Ship Repair and Fabrication of Port Orchard, Washington. Pentek decontamination technology was employed to handle lead abatement in a variety of shipboard locations. In addition to a multi-tool VAC-PAC® system, Pacific Ship purchased five man-portable systems featuring Pentek's Compact VAC HEPA vacuum.

The Ministry of the Russian Federation for Civil Defense, Emergencies and Elimination of Consequences of Natural Disasters is responsible to respond to all emergencies in Russia, including radiological emergencies in civilian areas. A Moose® remotely operated Moose concrete scabbling machine was purchased as part of emergency preparedness plans to decontaminate large masonry surfaces of streets, sidewalks and floors of public buildings and warehouses. Remote operation is possible at distances of up to 150 feet to facilitate access for further recovery operations.

This 500,000 gallon steel tank is approximately 167 ft high and 50 ft in diameter. It is located on the U.S. Naval Station in Rota, Spain. The contract to clean and re coat the nearly 30,000 square foot structure was awarded to locally based Newimar, SA. After studying the requirements and the surrounding environment, Newimar personnel sought and won approval to use Pentek technology to perform the abatement of the existing lead-based coating. Pentek delivered a VAC-PAC® system that includes specially designed air supply and vacuum extension manifolds to meet the long reach required by the tower's size. Two Pentek technicians provided on-site training and setup expertise to get the project started.

Busy Year for Pentek Rentals

USA Several Pentek lead abatement systems made their way to a variety of places this year via our Equipment Rental Division. These units tackled work in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Omaha, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Wyoming. The projects included bridges, fuel tanks, a water tower, power line towers, a mine, and a dam.

USS Enterprise

Pentek, Inc. supplied several multi-tool VAC-PAC® systems to Northrop Grumman Corporation as part of the $453.3 million maintenance program on the USS Enterprise (CVN 65). Work took place at the Northrop's shipbuilding sector in Newport News, Va. These systems used Pentek's vacuum extension manifolds to accommodate the long run from the top of the dock to the tanks being remediated.

Government contractors at the Naval Reactors Facility (NRF) are are performing a large scale remediation project. Pentek delivered a remote control Moose® Scabbler to the Idaho National Laboratory site. This six wheeled vehicle is designed to scarify large areas of concrete and features an on-board VAC-PAC® HEPA vacuum/drumming system. This particular unit was modified for increased vacuum flow to meet the highly critical requirements.

VAC-PAC

To complement the Moose, a new, customized VAC-PAC® was also delivered to the NRF site. To maintain procedural compatabilty, a drawer was added to place a 23.5 gallon drum at the same height as the waste drum on the Moose. A Squirrel-III floor scabbler and Squirrel-II crack cleaner round out the additions to the NRF decontamination arsenol.

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Denver The City of Denver has its' own a four-tool VAC-PAC® system. This system gives the city much sought-after control over their own bridge repair capabilities. To avoid contractor restrictions and excessive costs, Denver has opted to take the work in-house. Contract labor may be used as needed but the projects and resources are now managed internally.

The U.S. Air Force used a VAC-PAC® system at a facility in northern Alaska to remove PCB paint from concrete. A crew from Elmendorf AFB is made the trip to Kaktovik with a Roto-Peen Scaler, a Corner-Cutter® Needle Gun and a Squirrel-III Floor Scabler. The VAC-PAC unit was originally deployed by the Air Force at a base in Germany in 1997. The VAC-PAC's mininal moving part design keep it in service for a long time.

Pentek Goes To Jail Riker's Cell Block

The New York City Department of Corrections uses a multi-tool VAC-PAC® model 24A system to peform lead abatement at its' Rikers Island facility. Pentek developed and manufactured special Corner-Cutter® shrouds to surround the bars as they are cleaned, keeping the toxic paint chips from escaping.

Pentek Archives-Case Histories

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Roto Cushion In 2008, Pentek Introduced a NEW shrouded tool for aluminum, stainless steel, wood, composites and other delicate surfaces. Pentek’s family of dustless Roto-Peen Scaler tools can now be equipped with traditional flaps, the more aggressive Star Cutter hub, or our new Cushioned Abrasive Wheel. The inflatable wheel accomodates a variety of abrasive belts and operates with the same high standards of dust control built into all Pentek dustless power tool and VAC-PAC® system combinations.

General Dynamics SATCOM Technologies builds and maintains satellite antennas throughout the world. One such 18 meter dish in the U.K. had a layer of paint that had to be carefully removed from the massive aluminum structure. A very smooth surface had to be maintained for the antenna to properly focus the incoming signals. Pentek delivered a VAC-PAC® system complete with Roto-Peen Scalers outfitted with the Cushioned Abrasive Wheels to accomplish this special project while maintaining dustless operation.

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Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery Maine ordered a VAC-PAC® model 12 to complement the existing unit it has been using since June of 2003. The new purchase incuded a Corner-Cutter® Needle Gun, a four tool manifold, and various accessories. Portsmouth is known for its overhaul capabilities for the U.S. Navy's nuclear powered submarine fleet.

Hawaii Metropolitan Painting in Kanehoe, Hawaii handles surface maintenance for Chevron Oil tanks. This painting contractor based on the island of Honolulu purchased a four port VAC-PAC® system complete with Roto-Peen Scalers and Corner-Cutters® to handle lead based paint and surface preparation during maintenance shut downs. The crew manager made the long trip from Kaneohe to Pentek's facility near Pittsburgh, Pa. to take advantage of the invaluable operation and maintenance training offered at no charge to Pentek's customers.

Spring 2008 saw a milestone in the rebuilding of the 50-year-old Driscoll Bridge near Sayreville, NJ. Conti Enterprises Inc. of South Plainfield finished the northbound structure two weeks ahead of time. Two VAC-PAC® model 24 systems along with several Pentek power tools were employed to spot clean lead based paint from numerous locations on the bridge that spans the Raritan River as part of the NJ Garden State Parkway. After completing this project, the Pentek equipment was put to use on another heavily used structure: the Whitestone Bridge in New York.

Save the Laysan Albatrosses

Last fall the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service replenished their supplies of consummable media and spare parts for their VAC-PAC® system. USFW maintains the National Wildlife Refuge at Midway Atoll where an extensive lead abatement project is in progress on the former Navy buildings. Nearly two million birds call it home for much of each year, including the world's largest population of Laysan Albatrosses, or "gooney birds".

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