The Importance of an Industrial Dust Collector

Designed to filter and purify potentially dangerous dust and fine particle contaminant matter, efficient dust collecting systems are vital for improving air quality in industrial production facilities.

Dust collectors are an integral part of any manufacturing environment to reduce worker exposure, manage combustible dust dangers and meet local, state and federal regulations. This article will explore the components of a dust collection system and how they work together to keep your workers safe.

Blower or Fan

The blower or fan is the heart of an industrial dust collector and works by moving air through a filter that captures particulates that can be as small as 1 micron in size. The air is then recirculated back into the environment.

There are two basic types of fans, centrifugal and axial. The centrifugal type has wheels in a housing to move the air while the axial model uses propellors.

Most dust collectors use a centrifugal fan to create the pressure needed to force dust-laden air through filters. In addition, many cyclones use a fan to push air through the cones of their dust drums.

These fans come in a variety of shapes and sizes, from flat like a table fan to complex spiral and airfoil designs. They can be made from a wide variety of materials and are available in several different power ratings.

They are often used in a wide range of applications including industrial dust collection. They can also be used to generate power for other equipment in a system.

Typically, there are two kinds of blowers used in dust collectors and cyclones: clean air blowers and material movement blowers. Most clean air blowers use caged or airfoil impellers that get closer to 65% power efficiency.

However, these impellers can be noisy and a good deal less efficient than better radial impellers. The better radial impellers tilt and curve the vanes away from the direction of rotation so that they create more airflow at the same noise level. The problem is that they also need to be more expensive and larger to make up for the losses in efficiency.

Some manufacturers have found ways to fix this problem by adding extra blades on the sides of the impeller to increase the flow and increase the pressure more effectively. This reduces the noise, but it also requires more impellers and bigger motors.

These improvements are usually voidable within a few months because running these new impellers without enough resistance will quickly burn up a motor. This is a big problem for smaller shop blowers that run at normal induction motor speed of 3450 RPM with 60 cycle current.

Filter

Industrial dust collectors clean the air using a filter smoke purifier system to remove particulates that are in the atmosphere. This process is necessary for a number of industries such as woodworking, construction, agriculture, metal fabrication, mining and chemical processing among many others.

Dust collectors are available in a variety of designs, including baghouses, cyclones, cartridge and pulse jet systems. Each system has its own unique features, but most can capture 99% of all particles in the air stream.

Baghouses are the most commonly used type of industrial dust collection system and come in various sizes, bag types, and filtration options. They are also incredibly efficient, capturing over 99% of all particulates in the filtered air stream under proper conditions.

Pulse jet filters are very similar to baghouses, but are designed to be less expensive and more rugged. They are typically suited for a wide range of dusts, and can be designed for high or low grain loading levels.

Cartridge filters are also an option for some applications that require special shaped and sized dusts that need minimal flexing of the media during cleaning. These cartridges feature a pleated design that provides a large amount of filtering area while occupying much less space than panels, which results in lower air-to-cloth ratios and pressure drops.

Another advantage of cartridge dust collectors is that they are self-cleaning, so they can continue to run even if the filters need cleaning. However, they are not a good choice for systems with a significant amount of particulates that need to be removed in a timely manner.

When choosing a filter for an industrial dust collector, it is important to consider the dust that you will be collecting and how abrasive it is. This will help you determine what type of filter bags you will need to prevent accelerated wear.

Other considerations include the size of the dust and whether it is abrasive, combustible, or fibrous in nature. These factors will influence the efficiency and longevity of the filter that you purchase.

Cleaning System

Dust collection systems are used to reduce and remove harmful particulates and fumes from air that is contaminated with industrial dust and other particulate pollutants. They are used in factories, plants, warehouses and other commercial settings to meet environmental and workplace safety requirements.

There are a number of different types of industrial dust collectors and they vary depending on the type of dust and the extraction method required for each particular industry. They typically have a blower, a filter, a receptacle and a cleaning system that work together to clean and remove the dust particles from the air before it is returned back into the facility.

The air is sucked through an inlet and then passes over a set of filters that are filled with pleated nonwoven fabric media called filter cartridges. The pleated filter media has a large surface area on which to trap dust particles.

Cartridge-style collectors are a popular general-purpose factory air cleaning system and work well for many applications. They are also a good choice for smaller facilities because they are often less expensive and come in a variety of sizes to fit the space.

Baghouse dust collectors are another common dust collection system and they use long, cylindrical bags of fabric to collect the dust. These bags are designed to capture the smoke purifier most dust because they have more surface area on them than other types of collectors.

They can be a great choice for sticky and adhesive materials because they allow for easier removal of the debris. They can also help prevent the growth of mold and mildew because the fabric is water resistant.

Shaker dust collectors are another popular type of dust collector and they are often used in manufacturing environments where it is necessary to have the material cleaned off of a product. They usually operate on a shake cleaning cycle where dirty air flows through the baghouse but is restricted from a certain compartment and then released again when it is time for it to be cleaned.

Packed bed scrubbers and venturi scrubbers are also popular choices for collecting respirable dust. They are packed with rings, saddles, and other manufactured materials that break the dusty gas streams down into a high-surface-area film so that the particles can be deposited on the surfaces of the packing elements. They have a good collection efficiency for up to 5 mm particles.

Ductwork

Dust ducting is an essential part of an industrial dust collector. It is used to transport air from the work area, through a fan or blower, and to the collector, where it is filtered and cleaned. Ducts are made of various materials such as plastic or metal, depending on the application.

Typical ductwork is constructed of steel. This material is rust-resistant and can withstand high air pressure without changing the static electricity buildup that could cause a fire. It is also durable and can handle long runs.

However, not all ductwork is created equal and it is important to understand how each type of duct works when designing a dust collection system. A duct’s size and diameter control how quickly the air moves, known as the transport velocity. If a duct is too small, the air will move too fast and create too much resistance that can lead to inefficiency. On the other hand, a duct that is too large will also have too much resistance, slowing down the airflow.

A duct’s design and layout can also affect its performance. Adding branches, drops, corners and elbows to a duct may decrease airflow or increase resistance. This can lead to reduced efficiency and a clogged system.

For example, if you use a tight 90deg turn for an elbow instead of a longer radius elbow, the air will have to travel in a very sharp curve that is difficult to follow. This can reduce transport velocity and make it harder for the fan on the dust collector to operate efficiently.

If you use a straight pipe in place of the elbow, the air will have a smoother route to follow and can move faster. This will also help to improve the airflow on the dust collector’s fan.

The duct’s design and layout will also determine how the dust moves through the system. For example, if the duct is too wide, the dust will settle on the inside of the duct and prevent it from moving through the system.

Similarly, if the duct is too narrow, the air will have to go through a lot of turns and elbows before it can move in a straight line. This can lead to a clogged system that is inefficient and causes dust to settle on the inside of the ductwork.