Dust extraction is important for every industry. Be it a professional large commercial operation or a weekend woodworker’s garage-sized shop everything needs a dust extract system. But what are they How do they work? And are there any benefits to using them? This article will explain.
What Is A Dust Extraction System?
A commercial dust extraction system is a type of air pollution control equipment that is used in industrial plants, factories, warehouses and other industrial or commercial settings. They help these commercial places meet environmental and workplace safety requirements. An effective dust collection system helps in controlling, reducing and even removing the potentially harmful particulate matter and fumes from gases that are often produced during a manufacturing process. The dust extraction system design is specifically made to purify and filter fine particles and hazardous dust that is released into the work environment or atmosphere. Therefore it helps in improving the air quality in such places. Although we need a dust extraction system for every industry, each industry is different and therefore the design of each industrial dust collector has to made specific to fulfil their needs. However, generally, they work by drawing dust and particles from the air. They do this with the help of filters that initially captures and separates the matter and then it discharges the purified air back into the workspace once the air achieves the proper emission standards. The object of all the designs of a dust extractor is to filter, separate and capture dust and particulate matter and then release the sanitized air.
The dust extraction system manufacturers are required to adhere to the strict government guidelines and assure their customers of the efficiency of their systems. They also have to comply with the EPA, NFPA, and MSHA standards.
What Are The Components Of A Dust Extractor System?
There are many components to a dust extraction system, but the basic components are the blower, dust receptacle, dust filter, filter cleaning system and dust removal system.
What Are The Types Of Dust Extractor Systems?
There are five common types of dust collection equipment. They are the inertial separators (like mechanical cyclones), fabric filter baghouses, wet scrubbers, cartridge collectors and electrostatic precipitators.
The baghouse dust collectors are available in various designs and they are the most commonly used type of dust extractors. This is because these type of extractors are almost 99% efficient.
What Industries Need A Dust Extraction System?
As we have stated these systems are a necessity for almost all industries. And because of the growing concerns for the environment, they have become critical for the industries that produce large amounts of ambient gases and dust particles. Nevertheless, they are widely used in industries such as agriculture, woodworking, mining, metal fabrication, food processing, recycling, pharmaceutical, cement and rock processing and chemical processing. The dust collectors which are the filter receivers are the crucial parts of processing systems in many thermal and size reduction applications.
How Does A Dust Extraction System Work?
As we have seen the extract system has ductwork to draw in air, an air purifier and a dust collector. Let’s see what each of them does.
Ductwork
The ductwork is the very first consideration when designing a dust collection system. Even though it may seem to be simple, it has to be carefully considered to ensure that the entire system performs well. The size of the pipe is based on the tool size, the number of machines being serviced, air requirements, length of needed pipe and the types of particulates being extracted.
Blower
The blower or fan has a simple design. But still, several factors are considered when installing these in a dust extraction system. The first thing that is considered is the volume of air that has to be moved. It is measured in cubic feet per minute (CFM). Next, the static pressure throughout the whole system is considered. Other things like temperature, level of moisture and the substances in the air are also considered.
This blower is one of the most essential elements in the system. It works by pulling contaminated air into the ductwork and taking it away from the working environment. It then sends the air to the filtration and cleaning systems. The basic kind of blowers are the centrifugal blowers and axial blowers. The axial blowers have propellers while the centrifugal blowers have wheels.
Dust Filter
This is the element that cleans the air in a dust extraction system. As we have seen, the blower pulls the air from the workspace and puts it through the filter. The filter then removes the particles from the air that is sent through it. The efficiency of the air filtration system is dependent on the air to cloth ratio. The lower the ratio the higher is the performance of the system.
Dust Filter Cleaning System
As we can assume, the system can become filled and clogged as the particles keep building upon the surface of the filter. So we would have to clean these systems at regular intervals. When you cannot shut it down there are other methods to clean them during operation.
Receptacle
After the particulate matter is removed from the filter it is made to fall into a container or receptacle for collection. There can be various designs of the container which is dependant on the type of material being filtered and the loading rate of the material. Some of the types are:-
- Drum or bag mechanisms that require replacement.
- An enclosed box mechanism in which the collected material is funnelled into a receptacle.
- A screw conveyor that moves the particulate matter along to a disposal or storage location.
- A rotary valve system that is similar to the drum or bag mechanism. In this, the matter flows through a valve and falls into a drum or bag.
Are Dust Extraction Systems Necessary?
Dust extraction systems are no longer to be considered as a “luxury item”. They can be put at the bottom of the priority list with so many other tools to buy. But considering the benefits it offers, they are more than a necessity. With the factory dust extraction systems, you can take care of your safety and your respiratory health. It would also give you a good working experience.
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