Dust Collector Frequently Asked Questions: Part 2 | Aerodyne

What Are the Benefits of Using a Cyclone Pre-Separator for a Baghouse or Cartridge Collector?

If you are working with high-value materials, have high dust collector maintenance costs, or want to avoid cross-contamination, then you should investigate using a cyclone pre-separator ahead of your baghouse or cartridge collector. Adding a cyclone pre-separator to your dust collector system allows you to recover valuable material before it reaches the filters, improving the performance and efficiency of your industrial dust collection system.

The filters in a baghouse or cartridge collector use a dust layer built up on the filters to collect dust from the airstream. During the filter cleaning process, dust from this layer is dislodged and falls into the hopper. Any particulate from prior batches can cause contamination of recovered material and reduce dust collection efficiency.

A cyclone, on the other hand, collects the dust and deposits it in the hopper continuously. There is very little dust buildup inside cyclone dust collectors, minimizing the chances of contamination from prior batches. Since there aren’t any filters, a cyclone can be washed or wiped out to remove remaining particulate before processing a new batch.

Installing a cyclone pre-separator also reduces the dust load entering the baghouse or cartridge collector. This helps extend filter life, lowers dust collector maintenance costs, improves industrial dust control, and increases the overall dust collection efficiency of your industrial dust collection system.

How Does Ductwork Affect My Industrial Dust Collection System?

Ductwork is usually by far the largest component of an industrial dust collection system and often the most overlooked. Depending on the size of your system, the ductwork can span hundreds of feet and have dozens of side streams. The ductwork is like railroad tracks, moving dusty air from one place to another.

Proper ductwork design is essential for maintaining dust collection efficiency and minimizing dust collector pressure drop throughout the system.

Often times, additional lines are added to a dust collection system after installation. Without a proper dust system evaluation, this could negatively affect the performance of the whole system.

This means that just because the dust collection system was operating correctly before, it might not after an additional pickup point or hood is added. When additional pickup points are installed, the balancing of the system changes. This can affect the airflow to every hood and pickup point, reducing industrial dust control performance even if the system previously operated correctly.

A few things can be done to address this, such as changing fan speed, adding dampers, or modifying ductwork. The main thing to keep in mind is that if you slow the airflow through ductwork too much, dust will begin to accumulate inside the line. This buildup further restricts airflow, reduces dust collection efficiency, and can become a fire or explosion hazard.

Airlocks FAQ Cover