During the kindling of the bath, the surface of the stove heats up to 300-400 ° C. At the same time, it begins to emit infrared rays and itself becomes a source of heating. The running heat is distributed throughout the steam room, but first of all it hits the walls adjacent to the stove. If the walls are wooden, then under the influence of high temperatures, their charring begins. And there it is already a stone's throw from the fire! The only truly effective way to insulate wooden walls from heat is to create protective screens and claddings made of non-combustible materials in the bath.

When is protection needed at all?

The need to install protective skins and screens does not always arise. If a fireproof distance is maintained between the stove and the nearest flammable surface, additional protection is not needed. At this distance, infrared rays are scattered, weakened and the amount that a wooden wall receives can no longer lead to its damage.

It is believed that the safe distance from the wall to the brick kiln (quarter-brick masonry) is at least 0.32 m, from the wall to (not lined) - at least 1 m. 0.7 m.

Thus, compliance with fire-prevention distances is more possible in large saunas, where the issue of saving space is not relevant. In family steam rooms, where every centimeter of space counts, installing a stove 0.3-1 m from the nearest walls is impractical. In this case, the established safety distances must be reduced by means of screens and skins.

Protective screens near (around) the oven

Shields are insulation shields that cover the side surfaces of the oven and reduce the intensity of heat radiation. Screens are metal and brick. Typically used for metal ovens.

Method # 1 - metal screens

The most common shields are prefabricated steel or cast iron sheets. They are installed around the stove, at a distance of 1-5 cm from the walls of the firebox. Depending on the need to insulate one side or the other of the oven, side or front (front) screens can be purchased. Many metal ovens are initially manufactured with protective shields in the form of a protective casing.

Protective screens allow reducing the temperature of external metal surfaces to 80-100 ° C and, accordingly, reducing the fire-safe distance to 50 cm.The total distance from the firebox to the wall (together with a gap of 1-5 cm) will be 51-55 cm.

Installation of protective screens is not difficult. Thanks to the presence of legs, metal shields are easily bolted to the floor.

Method # 2 - brick screens

The brick screen can cover all the side surfaces of the metal furnace, representing its outer skin. Then the stove will be in a brickwork casing. In another case, the brick screen is a wall separating the oven and the flammable surface.

For laying the protective screen, solid fireclay bricks are used. The binder is cement or clay mortar. It is recommended to lay in half-brick (120 mm thick). But, with a lack of material, it is possible to allow the wall to be a quarter brick (60 mm thick), although in this case the thermal insulation properties of the screen will be reduced by half.

In the lower part of the shield, small holes are left (sometimes with furnace doors) for air convection between the brick wall and the stove.

The brick walls of the screen must end at least 20 cm above the top surface of the oven. Sometimes the masonry is carried out all the way to the ceiling.

The brick screen is installed not close to the walls of the stove, the optimal distance is 5-15 cm. The acceptable distance from the brickwork to the flammable wall is 5-15 cm. Thus, the use of a brick screen allows reducing the distance from the stove to the wooden wall to 22-42 cm. (oven - ventilation gap 5-15 cm - brick 12 cm - ventilation gap 5-15 cm - wall).

Protective non-combustible wall cladding

Walls adjacent to the hot oven walls are susceptible to spontaneous combustion. To prevent them from overheating, special sheathing is used, consisting of heat-insulating and non-combustible materials.

Option # 1 - reflective sheathing

Claddings consisting of a combination of non-combustible thermal insulation and metal sheets are effective. At the same time, thermal insulation is attached to the wooden surface, which is covered from above with a sheet of stainless steel. Some people use galvanized for these purposes, but, according to some reports, when heated, it can emit harmful substances. It is better not to risk it and purchase a stainless steel sheet.

To be effective, the metal sheet of the screen must be well polished. The mirrored surface helps to reflect heat rays from the wooden surface and, accordingly, prevents it from heating. In addition, a sheet of stainless steel, directing infrared rays back to the steam room, turns hard radiation into a softer one, better perceived by a person.

As thermal insulation under a stainless steel, you can fix:

• Basalt wool - it has high thermal insulation properties, it is absolutely safe when used in a bath. Has increased hygroscopicity, does not burn.
• Basalt cardboard - thin sheets of basalt fiber. It is used as a fireproof, sound and heat insulating material.
• Asbestos cardboard - sheet refractory heat insulator. Possesses high strength and durability, protects combustible surfaces from ignition.
• Minerite - non-combustible sheets (slabs) specially made for shielding stoves, fireplaces, easily combustible surfaces in baths and saunas.

A popular example of cladding using a metal sheet is such a "pie": wall - ventilation gap (2-3 cm) - insulation (1-2 cm) - stainless steel sheet. The distance from the wooden wall to the stove is at least 38 cm (SNiP 41-01-2003).

Ceramic bushings are used to fasten the cladding to the wall. They do not heat up and allow the formation of ventilation gaps between the insulation and the wall.

If the distance between the wooden wall and the stove is minimal, then the cladding is made of two layers of refractory insulation, for example, minerite. In this case, the sheets are fixed through ceramic bushings with a gap of 2-3 cm. The top sheet is closed with stainless steel.

Option # 2 - cladding with cladding

Of course, the protective sheathing with stainless steel perfectly protects wooden walls from heat and fire. But it can spoil the impression of the most expensive finishes. Therefore, if the steam room is designed in a decorative style, the fireproof cladding is masked with heat-resistant tiles. The tiles are laid on heat-resistant glue, for example, produced by Terracotta.

The best materials for wall cladding near the stove:

• Terracotta tiles - made of baked clay. Differs in strength, heat resistance, durability. Terracotta tiles can be matte or glazed (majolica) and range in color from pastel yellow to brick red.
• Clinker tiles are also made of clay, they look like facing bricks. Unlike terracotta, clinker tiles are denser. The color scheme covers almost all colors, from white to black, including green and blue tones that are unusual for clay.
• Tiles are a kind of ceramic tiles. Usually it has an embossing on the front surface in the form of a pattern or ornament.
• Porcelain stoneware is a heat-resistant, durable tile. Depending on the method of processing the front surface, the tile can imitate natural stone, brick, wood. The range of colors includes all natural shades, from white to black.
• Talcochlorite is a grayish or greenish rock. Possesses fire resistance, water resistance, durability.

Fastening refractory tiles directly to walls will not have a thermal insulation effect. The wall will still heat up, which is fraught with spontaneous combustion. Therefore, the tile is used only as an element of the protective "pie" of the following design: wall - ventilation gap (2-3 cm) - refractory sheet material - tiles. It is recommended to maintain a minimum of 15-20 cm from the tiles to the walls of the stove.

Any material from this list can be used as a refractory element in cladding:

• Refractory gypsum board (GKLO) - gypsum board supplemented with fiberglass fibers. Resists heat stress without structural deformation.
• Minerite is a fiber-cement board, absolutely non-combustible. Minerite slabs are moisture resistant, do not rot, do not decompose.
• Glass-magnesium sheet (MSL) is a material in the form of plates, made on the basis of magnesia binder and glass fabric. It has heat and sound insulating properties, does not deteriorate under the influence of water and temperature extremes.

The protective sheathing with the mandatory observance of the ventilation gap has a very low heat absorption coefficient, so the wall under it practically does not heat up. In addition, the use of cladding makes it possible to disguise the protective "cake" and maintain the finishing of the steam room in the same style.

Currently, the hot-dip galvanizing method is the undisputed leader on the market, due to such factors as the relatively low cost of zinc and the maximum protection of the product from all kinds of influences (zinc coating is not only a mechanical, but also an electrochemical protector of a metal structure). According to tests carried out, galvanized steel can last up to 50 years under normal conditions.

At each stage of galvanizing, numerous chemicals are used that are potentially hazardous to both the environment and human health. The security issue is worth considering in detail.

The stage of preparing a metal product for galvanizing contains many difficulties: working with acid solutions must be carried out strictly in accordance with safety precautions in order to exclude accidents and industrial injuries. Today, in most industries, the preparation of metal structures for galvanizing is carried out in special capsules that do not allow harmful vapors to enter the workshop, and therefore contribute to the safety of workers. Degreasing and acidic solutions are disposed of.

When carrying out hot-dip galvanizing, liquid zinc is used, brought to a temperature of about 460 degrees C. First, it is worth checking the bath for cracks, since the walls of the bath can collapse under the influence of temperatures. Particularly dangerous are the joints of the side walls and the bottom, as well as the middle of the long side of the bath. In order to avoid the destruction of the zinc bath, it is necessary to thoroughly clean it before galvanizing and fill the bath with strictly pure zinc (> 99.9%).

Despite the fact that each product is quality tested, sometimes burrs and sharp edges remain, which can cause serious injury and injury to the worker. If you find any, even minor defects on the surface of the structure, you must contact a galvanizer to change the location of the metal during the galvanizing process.

Welding and cutting zinc is the greatest danger: the temperatures arising during welding with an arc, blowtorch or welding machine are much higher than the boiling point of zinc (+906 degrees C) - in such conditions, zinc instantly evaporates. If you cannot avoid inhaling zinc fumes, you should consult your doctor. Zinc overdose causes "zinc fever" - an acute flu-like condition throughout the day, which passes along with the release of zinc from the body. The more serious consequences of excess zinc are not known to medicine. Welding also has a bad effect on metal structures, since the evaporated anti-corrosion coating will have to be replaced with zinc-containing paint. Whenever possible, all metal cutting and welding operations are performed prior to hot-dip galvanizing. Otherwise, it is necessary to provide good ventilation in the room where the work is carried out.

In case of fire, you can not be afraid of galvanized objects - they do not burn, do not emit harmful vapors. With particularly strong fires, zinc can evaporate and convert to oxide (white dense smoke).

From an environmental point of view, hot-dip galvanized products do not harm the environment: galvanized metal does not emit toxic gases and does not pose a danger to humans during operation, since this chemical element is present in all living organisms. If all the necessary safety measures are observed at production, and the correct disposal of chemical waste is carried out, nature will not suffer.

Zinc is an important trace element involved in the vital processes of the whole organism. A deficiency and an excess of this substance are equally harmful to the human immune system.

Therefore, it is important to know what are the health benefits and harms of zinc? What is the norm for its content in the body? And what to do in case of its deficiency and substance poisoning?

Zinc: consumption rate, reasons for deficiency and beneficial properties

Every day, 15-20 mg of a trace element should enter the human body. It enters the body with food and is absorbed in the small intestine. 90% of the substance is excreted in the feces, 2% in sweat and 10% in the urine.

Most zinc is found in the liver, retina, kidneys, prostate and skin. Therefore, its use is indicated for diseases of all these organs.

The trace element promotes the absorption of vitamins E and A and improves blood flow to the vessels. Zn also takes part in the production of growth hormone and insulin.

Other benefits of zinc:

1. improves metabolic processes and increases the rate of protein synthesis;
2. stimulates immunity, increases the body's resistance against bacterial, viral infections and cancerous tumors;
3. accelerates skin regeneration;
4. improves memory;
5. normalizes blood circulation;
6. promotes the absorption of carbohydrates and fats;
7. improves taste sensitivity and sense of smell;
8. supports vision;
9. normalizes the digestive tract;
10. participates in the formation of the musculoskeletal system.

Zn is especially important for men. With its help, reproductive function is supported and testosterone production is enhanced. Therefore, the stronger sex needs to enrich its diet with zinc-containing products.

However, today not only men, but many women and children are deficient in zinc. The lack of a trace element is noted in pregnant women and people whose profession requires attention and concentration.

Zinc deficiency can occur with frequent consumption of foods rich in fiber, excess copper in the body, alcohol abuse and protein deficiency. Lack of a trace element is noted in people who love sweet and salty foods.

Other factors leading to Zn deficiency are bowel disease, helminth infections, and renal failure.

How is zinc deficiency and excess manifested?

With an insufficient content of a chemical element in the body, vision deteriorates, dental diseases appear - ulcers and erosion on the oral mucosa, gingivitis and stomatitis. Also, harm to health in zinc deficiency lies in frequent allergies, poor appetite, weight loss, anemia, frequent colds, slow skin regeneration.

Zn deficiency is dangerous because a person's hair begins to fall out, nails exfoliate, and the skin flakes. The patient becomes depressed, his memory deteriorates, his sense of smell and taste becomes dull.

With zinc deficiency, the level of cholesterol in the blood rises, the production of insulin and various enzymes decreases. Acne, dermatitis and eczema appear on the skin. In men, testosterone production decreases, potency worsens and the likelihood of developing prostate adenoma increases.

With a mild to moderate form of Zn deficiency, there is no need to immediately take zinc-containing preparations. The most affordable method of replenishing the micronutrient reserves will be the daily consumption of seafood, turkey meat, eggs, nuts, cocoa and seeds.

With severe deficiency, zinc preparations are prescribed. But the degree of assimilation of the agent depends on the type of zinc compound. Therefore, it is recommended to take citrate, acetate, picolinate and zinc gluconate.

Can Zn be harmful to the human body? With an excess of the substance, which occurs with the abuse of zinc-containing products, the absorption of copper, calcium and iron deteriorates.

Poisoning of the body occurs when it receives from 150 to 500 mg of a chemical element. Intoxication is accompanied by malaise, nausea, chills and sometimes vomiting.

How can zinc be harmful and how to avoid poisoning?

In the process of studying the chemical element, it turned out that it is dangerous to human health. But the harm and zinc on the human body can be significant only if its daily dose is higher than 150 mg.

With an even greater intake of Zn into the body (600 mg), the patient develops signs of intoxication, including fainting and bleeding. With constant poisoning with zinc vapors, a person develops hepatitis, anemia, renal and hepatic failure, and he often suffers from ARVI.

Poisoning occurs not only with the abuse of zinc-containing drugs. Quite often, intoxication occurs after drinking water from a galvanized vessel. Therefore, it is impossible to store in containers with impurities of this metal, let alone cook or boil foods and liquids.

The greatest harm of zinc to the body is noted if it is part of various alloys, which allows it to interact with various chemicals. But in its pure form, Zn is not hazardous to health. The only exception is individual metal intolerance, but it is extremely rare.

Zinc harm to the body, which is enhanced by its interaction with other substances, cannot be taken together with such drugs:

• diuretics;
• tetracyclines;
• vitamin A;
• pancreatic enzymes.

And how can zinc be harmful in everyday life? Many people who have a private house or summer cottage in the countryside have their own smokehouse. Basically, the construction chambers for smoking products are sheets of galvanized material.

But is it safe to use galvanizing for thermal processing of food? The melting point of Zn is 419.5 degrees Celsius. However, zinc vapor begins to form as early as 180 ° C.

The element is practically safe when cold. But its oxide is not harmless.

So, a smokehouse with galvanized sheets does not pose a strong danger to the body. However, the interaction of a chemical element with any alkalis and acids promotes the transition of zinc salts into products.

In a construction for smoking, galvanized steel reacts with water vapor contained in the air, carbon dioxide, oxygen and water at temperatures up to 100 degrees. Such interaction promotes metal corrosion, the products of which are substances insoluble in water - hydroxide, zinc carbonate and oxide.

Despite the fact that galvanized AGV pipes are often used in many homes, the zinc-containing materials available in the smoking device are not safe. After all, the smokehouse is exposed not only to temperature effects.

During the smoking process, a lot of smoke and its derivatives are formed. Such plaque is especially harmful to the body - it heats up the walls of the chamber, and then the smoke penetrates into the food. Therefore, after each smoking, it is recommended to thoroughly wash off the soot on the inner sides of the structure.

So, zinc, the benefits and harms of which are equivalent to the body, must be taken carefully and only as prescribed by a doctor. With a deficiency of the substance, it is better to eat foods rich in this trace element. And so that the trace element does not harm the body, it is worth removing dishes, as well as zinc-containing objects and materials from your home.

Poisoning prevention measures: suction of zinc vapors and dust from the place of formation, good ventilation of the working room, mechanization of the production process. In some cases, it is necessary to use respirators. First aid for poisoning with zinc compounds (zinc oxide, etc.) - alkaline inhalations, intravenously - 20 ml of a 40% glucose solution with 300 mg of ascorbic acid, inside - an abundant drink (strong sweet tea, coffee); heart drugs, oxygen, rest, warmth (if indicated). Zinc chloride (zinc chloride) is used in industry for the impregnation of wood (for example, sleepers), in the paper industry, in the production of viscose, for the production of mineral paints, zinc metal by electrolysis, etc. It has a pronounced irritant (cauterizing) effect, causing inflammatory and ulcerative changes skin and mucous membranes.

Zinc as an occupational hazard

Thus, zinc ranks second after iron in terms of its importance for the human body. However, it should be noted that prolonged intake of zinc salts into the body is the cause of severe intoxication and poisoning (excess zinc most often occurs due to inhalation of the vapors of this element).

Found in the steam room galvanized. What to do? An overweight of just one milligram can determine the vector of metal action. The benefits and harms of zinc have a fine line between them, which is better known in theory than in practice.

Most researchers believe that people today are mostly suffering from zinc deficiency in the body. However, some scientists are inclined to believe that an excess of zinc in the body leads to an imbalance of the immune system, as well as a deficiency.

Car welding technology The difficulty lies in the fact that zinc evaporates during the welding process.

Zinc fumes are harmful to health

Is Zinc Harmful? Professor Jay von Fraunhofer led a study on the health benefits of zinc. But is zinc harmful? As a result of experiments, it turned out that this chemical element also has an extremely negative effect on humans.

Attention

An excess of zinc in the body interferes with the body's ability to absorb copper. In addition, zinc is distinguished by one more property, the ability to accumulate.

Zinc Excess Zinc has been used for thousands of years. So, the aesculapians of the ancient world, even five thousand years ago, very actively used an ointment prepared on the basis of this component to treat various kinds of skin diseases and to accelerate the healing process of wounds.

Zinc. the benefits and harms of zinc

Important

Zinc with vitamin A is especially useful, activating its action and carrying out the movement of the vitamin in the blood to all cells of the body. Zinc is contained in cell membranes, protects them from damage, increases resistance to microbes.

It can be used externally in the form of antiseptic ointments and powders, or included in the diet with enriched foods. The benefits of zinc for the body can be observed both externally (zinc treats dermatoses, acne, slows down the aging process of the skin) and internally - the metal helps with inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract and kidneys.

Info

It has been noticed that zinc affects intellectual abilities (the level of the element in the body of talented students is much higher than that of lagging ones). The benefits of zinc for male health are also obvious - the element is actively involved in spermatogenesis, and also prevents the development of prostate tumors.

Zinc as an industrial poison

This can be caused by long-term use of antibiotics, folic acid, birth control pills, or alcohol. This affects the body as follows:

• There are signs of developmental delays in children;
• Decreased appetite;
• Decreases the sensation of taste, smell;
• Wounds do not heal well;
• Reduced vision, especially difficult to see in the dark or twilight;
• Frequent manifestations of infectious diseases, a decrease in the level of immunity are possible;
• Baldness;
• Perhaps the appearance of light spots on the nails, their fragility;
• Increased susceptibility to various skin diseases;
• Underdevelopment of the genitals.

Safety comes first. zinc plating of metals

Few people know, but it turns out that the effect of vitamin A depends more on whether there is enough zinc in the body, since it activates the work of the vitamin and organizes its movement through the blood vessels to each cell of the body. Foods containing zinc: Look out for seafood Large amounts of zinc are found in the pituitary gland (the main endocrine gland in our body), other endocrine glands, liver, skeleton, nails and hair.

In the blood, zinc is found mainly in the nuclei and mitochondria of erythrocytes, in part it is contained in the bone tissue. Zinc is a part of most enzymes (substances that can accelerate biochemical reactions many times over), in addition, it regulates the activity of most enzyme systems.
Is zinc harmful? In addition, zinc is distinguished by one more property, the ability to accumulate.
With prolonged inhalation of zinc oxide dust in significant concentrations, moderate phenomena of pneumosclerosis and emphysema of the lungs develop, less often - fine-spotted dissemination due to the deposition of radio-opaque zinc oxide dust in the lungs; possible urobilinuria and porphyrinuria. On the back of the hands (mainly), irritation and ulceration of the skin are noted. The clinical picture of chronic zinc chloride poisoning is associated with its sharply irritating effect on mucous membranes and on the skin, up to the development of dermatitis, as well as a weakly allergenic effect on the body. Inhalation of zinc chloride smoke causes cough, nausea, inflammation in the upper respiratory tract, bronchi, and lungs.

In severe cases, perforation of the nasal septum is possible. Zinc sulfate and stearate are also irritating.

Why zinc production is harmful to the human body

The harm of zinc begins with a significant overdose of metal in the body - 150-600 mg is already poison for humans, and 6 g guarantees a lethal outcome. With metal intoxication, weakness, nausea and other signs of poisoning are observed.

Of course, in such doses, we rarely meet with metal, however, the harm of zinc can manifest itself imperceptibly for us through indirect contact with the element. For example, drinking standing water from galvanized vessels is not recommended - soluble zinc compounds will have a negative effect on the gastrointestinal tract. Metal dust can cause lung disease. Zinc phosphide used for rodent control is extremely dangerous to humans. The harm of zinc is mainly manifested in contact with modifications of the element into complex compounds. Although zinc metal itself is neutral to humans. To summarize - zinc is good for humans in moderation and only in "edible form."
Nevertheless, scientists became seriously interested in the properties of zinc and its role in biological processes only in the middle of the twentieth century, when it was accidentally revealed that in rats that received burns, wounds heal an order of magnitude faster if a small amount of this mineral is added to their daily diet. Zinc is a component of over three hundred different enzymes and hormones. About the benefits and dangers of zinc on the human body Zinc is an important element of the human body and ranks second in content after iron. Even in ancient Egypt, zinc-based ointments were used, which contributed to the rapid healing of wounds. But, like any element of the periodic table, zinc requires a precisely balanced attitude towards itself. An overweight of just one milligram can determine the vector of metal action.
Chronic poisoning of workers can occur due to the impurities of lead, arsenic, antimony, cadmium, etc. contained in zinc. For the diagnosis of zinc poisoning, its detection in excreta is important. Soluble zinc salts precipitate proteins and have a significant cauterizing effect on the skin and mucous membranes. Zinc oxide is used as a paint (zinc white), as an accelerator for vulcanization of rubber compounds, in the production of zinc salts, printing paints, glass, ceramics, matches, celluloid, dental cement, cosmetics, in the textile industry, etc.

It also occurs in industrial conditions, when zinc, in accordance with the requirements of the technology, heats up above the boiling point and is released in the form of vapors into the air of working rooms. Passing into a highly dispersed aerosol, zinc vapor is easily oxidized by atmospheric oxygen.

In animals with parenteral intake of large doses of zinc compounds, more or less severe renal dysfunction is observed; with constant exposure to small doses, catarrh of the mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract (gastritis, colitis), stomach and duodenal ulcers develop. Chronic poisoning of workers can occur due to the impurities of lead, arsenic, antimony, cadmium, etc. contained in zinc.

Zinc fumes are harmful to health Zinc is found in large quantities in cereals (especially in sprouted wheat), eggs, beef, dairy products, nuts, beef liver and strawberries. It is also found in gels used to fix dentures and in cold medications.