1. The first factor is dust type: Is it hygroscopic, soluble in water, sticky, flammable,
hazardous, or explosive? Also, are fumes present? If dusts are hygroscopic or sticky,
it’s important that the equipment
not clog under any operating condition. A bag house
dust collector can clog whenmaterial is sticky, or when humidity rises, so these applications
are better served with a wet dustcollector. Fumes are often present in metalworking shops,
and an industrial dust collector that can do “double duty” with dusts and fumes is an
excellent answer.
2. The second factor is the particles themselves. Are there thin fibers, ragged edges
(common with metal fines), something else? Some dust collection systems use fabric that
can wear quickly when exposed to some types of common dusts.
3. Is the dust corrosive? This eliminates several types of industrial dust collector.
For corrosive dusts, a dust collector made of polypropylene is the best alternative –
unless there’s high heat.
4. Fourth factor is micron size, and whether particle size is uniform. If any material entering
the dust collector is in the submicron range, that affects the choice of the system, as well.
Where there is a very broad range of micron size dust, a combined CCS and Whirl Wet
system will capture virtually all dusts with efficiencies in the range of 99% and higher.
5. System capacity is a fifth factor. Will the dust collection system capture 3 lbs. per hour,
or 3 per day? The issue is maintenance: how often the equipment needs to be emptied.
If weight and density are known, dump intervals can be calculated quickly. If loadings are high,
one answer is a “24/7” MCD industrial dust collector that operates without shutdown.
6. Will there be several processes ducted to a single unit? Some dust collector systems accommodate numerous sources of similar dusts, the only equipment limitation being a
change in static pressure.
7. If the quantity of dust is large, how important is it that it operates continuously, even during maintenance? Many processes can’t accommodate shutdowns, even short ones. When this
is the case, disposal can be automated with an MCD system.
8. Will the system need to operate at 99% efficiency or higher? If high efficiency is needed
for OSHA or IAQ reasons, an industrial dust collector that uses very small quantities of water,
but is consistently able to perform at exceptional efficiency levels, is recommended.
9. Is it mainly for regulatory or insurance reasons? Or, will the system be purchased to save on maintenance, or improve IAQ? Dry systems should not be used where dusts – or dusts that could be a factor in the future – are volatile. A wet dust collector eliminates the risks of sparks and spontaneous reactions. Wet and dry units both improve IAQ.
10. Will the collector be installed in an area where water is costly? If so, choose a system
that minimizes water. The most efficient industrial dust collector consumes only enough
water to compensate for drag-out and evaporation – both very small amounts.
11. Is it important the collection system be easy to maintain? If so, a unit that’s self-cleaning
is helpful. Tri-Mer manufactures a low-water use system that has no internal moving parts and
is self-cleaning.
12. Is it important that this industrial dust collector be inexpensive to maintain?
If so, equipment that doesn’t use consumable parts is a better choice. The most common
complaint about baghouses is . . . bags! – and the other maintenance parts that are involved
with bag-changing. For most wet collectors, spray nozzles and pumps add costs to the operation
of the dust collector. The exception is a wet system that does not use any spray nozzles
or pumps.
13. Does the facility prefer to generate a compact filter cake or dense slurry, or bags of dust?
Most plant managers prefer systems that minimize the volume of material that must be
disposed of by generating a small filter cake. The cake or slurry is contained and manageable,
and does not create fugitive emissions and IAQ issues.
14. Is it important that it operates quietly? Many companies require that new equipment
meet low-noise standards, for reasons of employee health, and productivity. The Tri-Mer
industrial dust collector operates quietly enough (a typical unit emits just 75 lbs at 3 ft.) to
allow employees to work nearby.
15. Does the system being considered have a documented uptime performance record
for similar installations? There are more than 800 Whirl Wet industrial dust collector systems
working worldwide. No matter what the application, Tri-Mer can show you a system
that’s doing the job you require.
16. Will material from the unit be recycled? Product recovery is important for applications
such as titanium and other exotic metal dusts. Some systems designs facilitate recovery,
producing substantial costs savings.
17. Are there space limitations? Where space is limited, an industrial dust collector that
can be installed on a mezzanine or platform, or other small space, is recommended.
