Food & Beverage

Food processing facility needed to replace 14 oven chimneys to fit their evolving needs. Industrial Access helped engineer the new stacks, demolished existing ones and installed the upgraded exhaust systems with the new chimneys, roof penetration pans, ducts, and fans. The stacks were designed for efficiency and ease of use, saving time and costs for the client moving forward.

A food processing facility in the southeastern US was looking to get their 14 exhaust chimneys replaced. The facility had 7 ovens that connected to 2 stacks and 2 fans each, the single-wall stacks being 10-16’ tall and 10-14” in diameter. The existing chimneys had suffered regular wear-and-tear and were due for a replacement, so the client wanted to use this opportunity to upgrade the stacks’ design during the replacement. The experts at Industrial Access (IA) helped the client custom engineer the new structures with desired adjustments to the dimensions, placement, materials, and design of the stacks so they were lighter and easier to clean and maintain.

To perform the services, IA team used man-lift and scaffolding around the stacks below the roof as needed to efficiently remove the existing structures and install new ones. Meanwhile, the fan assembly took place on the roof without the need for special access solutions.

IA first performed demolition of the existing 14 stacks. The chimneys below the roof as well as the stack ducts, exhaust fan assemblies, and roof penetration pans above the roof were properly rigged, lifted, and removed in sections.

The new double-wall 1” insulated stainless steel stacks, custom manufactured for the client, were installed, connecting to the ovens as well as the ducts and the fans above the roof. Each of the 14 chimneys featured 2 engineered access areas to enable easy cleaning and handling. Cables were installed suspended from the interior roof beams at approved locations to support the stacks in place.

New pans were installed at all 14 roof penetrations and new fans were assembled. Most of the fans were built on new non-penetrating roof stands where sufficient clearance existed between the roof penetration and the existing fan support rails. The few fans with no sufficient clearance for the new stands were installed on the existing support rails. The stacks and ducts were then connected to the new fan assemblies to complete the installation.

The stack replacement service was completed successfully and on time, leaving the facility properly equipped to effectively operate and easily maintain their new exhaust stack systems which would otherwise be considered hard to access. IA regularly services facilities in the Food & Beverage industry, providing inspection, repair, and demo services to stacks, ducts, silos, and more. Our multi-craft construction and unique access expertise allows us to handle tricky environments safely and efficiently.