Tough Dust Brings Down Cartridge Collector
The Problem
Horizontal Cyclone Dust Collector Infographic
Boron nitride, a compound commonly used in abrasives for machining steel, lubricants, semiconductors, and even nanotechnology, requires boiling out boron oxide at 2000°C during synthesis. Boron oxide, a critical component of the resulting boron nitride, is difficult to dispose of because its hygroscopic nature leads to rapid expansion when exposed to moisture. Its texture bears great resemblance to sticky mud rather than dust, as one manufacturer boron nitride had complications with. Although the company employed a cartridge collector in their dust collection system, cartridges were rapidly filling with this sticky, mud-like substance and required constant replacement. This strained their budget, uptime, and inventory space. Cartridge replacement also necessitated greater man hours for those carrying out the switch, straining the operation.
The Solution and Measurable Results
After they approached Aerodyne looking for a solution to the cartridge conundrum, our engineering team recommended they implement a SplitStream Cyclone Dust Collector into their process. The SplitStream, ideal for tough dusts, is a cyclone capable of handling a wide range of materials with no major moving components. It uses centrifugal force to push dust out towards the cyclone’s walls and towards the hopper, with assistance from a secondary airflow stream to strengthen the forces that remove particles from the airstream. This second airstream prevents the material from touching the side of the collector, avoiding the sticky buildup that plagues cartridge dust collectors and baghouses.
The manufacturer ultimately chose to purchase an S4500 SplitStream dust collector with a slide gate to reduce the amount of large particulate entering the cartridges. This, along with extending the life of each cartridge, would also help to cool the boron oxide. Muddy boron oxide waste material was then able to be disposed of in a way that made economic sense for the manufacturer, saving them time, money, and reducing strain throughout the operation.
