1. Health and safety
   • Dust can cause health issues, even if the material isn’t a carcinogen or sub-micron. Dusty air can cause issues breathing, allergies, etc.  All of this can cause operators to be sick more often or want a new job.  This can cause increased operating expenses and less efficiency as you have to cover for absences or have to train a replacement.   Small local dust collectors can help clean the air around operators.
   • Some dust is explosive, and the regulatory agencies are requiring that you test the dust to make sure it isn’t. Even if they haven’t gotten around to it yet, a fire or explosion will cause property damage and possibly injury to employees.
2. Maintenance – Dust will get into mechanical equipment and cause increased wear on them. This increases the maintenance on the equipment, lower productivity and increase operational expenses.  Installing a local dust collector can minimize the dust getting to the surrounding equipment, thereby extending their life.  While there are many factors that affect when equipment needs maintenance, minimizing dust in the air will definitely help extend the time between maintenance.
3. Recycling of material – Local dust collection can help capture product / raw material dust before it is contaminated by other material. This dust can then be reused or recycled, thereby lowering the cost of your process.  Cyclonic dust collectors are especially good at collecting un-contaminated material since they have no filters to retain dusts and can be cleaned out.
4. Environmental responsibility – Local dust collection will help you keep fugitive dust from escaping the building and into the environment. While rain and wind often deposit dust back on the ground, the more dust escaping will cause the air to be dirtier. This could cause smell or dust clouds that neighbors will dislike.  Beyond being a good direct neighbor, you may just have a goal to be a better inhabitant on the earth.
5. Higher morale – A cleaner, healthier environment will help your employees be happier at work. If they aren’t irritated from dusty air, there is a better chance they will enjoy work better and be more productive.  This will allow you to produce more at a lower cost.  And the company will make more money allowing the employees to get better raises.

To learn more about which dust collector, please contact our experts at 440-543-7400 or through here.

Using Spark Arrestors to Prevent Filter Fires

Any well-thought-out system will consider this scenario and incorporate preventive measures to reduce the likelihood of filter fires. Installing a spark arrestor in the ductwork before the baghouse is a method that is commonly used to reduce fire risk. Spark arrestors vary in design, but most of them are designed with the intent of slowing the spark down, allowing it to cool down and burn out before it can do any damage to the baghouse or cartridge collector.

Another option is incorporating a pre-filter cyclone before the fabric filters. A cyclone works on the same principle when it comes to spark arresting, using centrifugal force to direct any sparks to the cylindrical surface of the cyclone, spinning them along the metal walls of the cyclone where they are drained of their energy via conduction. The cyclone has the added benefit of removing the majority of heavier particulate before it reaches the filters, which alleviates overall system loading.

The ongoing emphasis by OSHA and NFPA on combustible dusts and dust collection systems in general means that regulatory compliance will become increasingly important for any facility that uses dust collectors.  Prevention and suppression devices such as sprinklers in the ductwork, explosion vents, chemical suppression systems, and cyclone pre-filters can all be used to reduce and possibly eliminate the risk of filter fires. The type of dust being collected, the combustibility of the dust, dust particle size, and filter construction are among the factors that must be considered when selecting the appropriate fire protection for your system.

Which prevention or suppression system does your dust collection system need? Asking that question is the first step in protecting your system, your facility, and the people who work in your facility.

To learn more about how Aerodyne can help you keep your dust collection filter cleaning system operating efficiently,  please contact our experts at 440-543-7400.