Aerodyne GPC Helps Specialty Woodworking Company Manage Dust Effectively

The Problem: A specialty woodworking company in Topeka, KS took on a series of changes in their sawdust collection management system in order to make their operation cleaner, safer, and more efficient. Their original setup involved a transition from a wood storage building to a silo; prior to the silo’s installation, sawdust was pneumatically blown into the storage building, where it would settle naturally. This process could not be continued with the installation of the silo without an air material separator.

Facility managers knew they wanted a low-profile unit to be installed on the silo’s hopper, but the high volume of material being processed in the cyclone meant that a high efficiency piece of equipment would be necessary.

The Solution and Measurable Results: The company ultimately contacted Aerodyne, and an engineer assessed the situation’s needs before recommending a Horizontal Cyclone with a Mighty Whopper Rotary Valve. This cyclone addressed the facility’s material volume concerns, and was successfully installed on the silo to increase material flow and help prevent any bridging in the hopper. This particular application involved 4,150 ACFM at a 4.5” W.C. pressure drop, and the cyclone’s specifics are: GPC-36 CLI carbon steel construction with a 12” x 24” Mighty whopper and a 3 HP motor.

After the installation of this cyclone and an appropriate rotary valve, facility managers note that the technology has been a huge help in managing their dust outputs.

**It is important to note that this system was sold and installed before the NFPA 660: Standard for Combustible Dusts and Particulate Solids, which went into effect on December 6, 2024, and became enforceable on January 1, 2026. An installation like this today would require an isolation valve, an explosion vent, and an NFPA 68 rotary valve to be compliant.