The Importance of an Industrial Dust Collector

Industrial dust collectors remove air pollutants and help prevent combustible fires, explosions, health issues and damage to machinery. They also ensure facility adherence to air quality standards.

The basic components of a dust collection system are a blower, filter and receptacle. Cincinnati Fan engineers can match the right system to your specific needs.

Efficient Suction

Dust collectors are essential for facilities that use abrasive materials, chemicals and paints to coat products. These materials break down or evaporate as they’re applied to the product and create airborne particles that endanger workers, pollute the environment and may even pose fire or explosion hazards. Controlling nuisance, excess or toxic INDUSTRIAL DUST COLLECTOR dusts improves worker health and comfort, reduces production delays and expensive facility shutdowns and prevents lost productivity due to sick leave for employees.

An efficient dust collection system can help lower operating costs by reducing the cost of ductwork, filters and blowers as well as waste disposal, maintenance and energy costs. However, it’s important that all components in the system work as designed to ensure optimum performance.

For example, the capture hood (or cell) must be properly sized to achieve the correct capture velocity to ensure that the dust reaches the collection equipment. If the capture hood is too large, the abrasive particles may damage the system or be drawn into other processing operations; too small and the dust is insufficiently captured.

Similarly, the shaker system – which either shakes off excess dust by interrupting the flow of compressed air or sections the baghouse into compartments for continuous cleaning while maintaining operation – must be correctly matched to the application. Also, the type of filter media, fan performance and placement, dampers, silencers and ducting must be selected and sized for maximum efficiency.

Safety

Dust collection equipment is vital in facilities where workers rely on a clean environment to maintain productivity and profitability. Effective dust collectors reduce worker exposure to harmful particulates, fumes and gases from industrial processes, control combustible dust dangers and meet government regulatory standards for air quality in production facilities.

Most manufacturing processes generate dust, smoke and other particulate matter that may be hazardous to the health of facility workers. These contaminants can cause respiratory problems in the short term and other health issues in the long term. Moreover, they can also damage the environment and products in the facility.

If the collected dust is combustible, it must be handled safely to avoid fire outbreaks and explosions. To do so, the system must be equipped with deflagration protection. The most common way to achieve this is through the integration of passive explosion vents that open when a predetermined amount of pressure builds up inside the collector. This allows the flame front and excess pressure to exit to a safe area, protecting downstream processes and the collector itself.

The design of the dust collector’s filter and cleaning system is also important. Look for systems that do not require entry into the collector during maintenance. Such requirements can put workers at risk of entrapment and require facility operators to file confined space entry permits and monitor for gas. Instead, opt for a cartridge collector that provides quick, easy access to filters through large, reversible doors with lockout features to ensure worker safety.

Ventilation

Whether you are manufacturing plastics, pharmaceutical products or cutting steel and aluminum, the work processes in your plant produce dust particles, gases, and smoke that can pose health and safety hazards. These particulates can be corrosive or sticky, and some may be toxic. Many of them are also flammable, a fire risk that requires special equipment and procedures to control.

An INDUSTRIAL DUST COLLECTOR removes hazardous particulates from the air in your facility, keeping employees healthy and INDUSTRIAL DUST COLLECTOR improving production. These systems are designed to handle different levels of contaminants and are available in multiple sizes and configurations. They include baghouse, cartridge, cyclone separators, portable, and wet scrubber systems.

A fan and motor system supply mechanical energy to move contaminated air through a dust filter, which separates particulates from clean air. The filter is a key component in determining how well the system will perform, and many options are available to suit your needs. Abrasive, corrosive, and toxic materials require different filters, as do particle shape and size.

Cartridge dust collectors filter a variety of sized particles using cylindrical or triagonal filtering cartridges. The cartridges are wrapped with pleated filtering material, providing a larger surface area than standard flat-surface bags of the same size. The system uses a sensor to detect when the filter is full, which signals an alarm or automatically clears the filter by blowing air through it.

Maintenance

A dust collector is an important piece of equipment that requires proper preventative maintenance to ensure it performs properly for a long time. From the dust collector type and filter media to the fan performance and placement, dampers, silencers and duct work need to be “matched” for maximum efficiency.

The electrical control package is also an important aspect to consider when choosing a dust collection system. Various packages are offered to monitor the fan motor speed, pulse cleaning, explosion protection devices and standard start-stop switches and disconnects. Keeping daily logs of the pressure drop (differential pressure) across the filter bags/cartridges can provide valuable information. Following the initial seasoning or conditioning period of the filter bag/cartridges, the differential pressure should stabilize into a predictable operating range. Any deviation from this historical level should be investigated to determine the cause.

Examine the dust collector doors for damage to the gaskets and deterioration of the door seals. A faulty door gasket can allow air to escape and will reduce the efficiency of your dust collection system. Often, a simple replacement of the door seal will restore efficiency. Also look for leaking dust inlet hoods that need to be repaired or replaced. Investing the time to make sure your dust collector is properly maintained will pay big dividends in the long run.