The results of a recent explosion in a Kansas grain elevator emphasize the need for reliable cyclone dust collector equipment in grain processing facilities. The accident occurred at the end of October 2011 at the Bartlett Grain Company in Atchison, Kansas, killing six people and critically injuring two others. While the cause of the explosion was initially unknown, the presence of highly combustible grain dust was likely involved. In fact, an AP news article covering the incident highlighted a statistic from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration that reported more than 600 explosions at grain elevators in the last 40 years, which have killed more than 250 people and injured over 1,000. To increase the safety of employees and protect valuable equipment, an increasing number of grain processing facility managers are implementing cyclone dust collector systems. One of the most popular types of industrial dust collection uses cyclonic action to push particles to the sides of the collection chamber where they strike the chamber walls, lose momentum and fall to the bottom of the chamber. Following collection, the particles may be reclaimed and reused or safely disposed of as needed.

As part of a recent upgrade at a government facility’s recreational center in Honolulu, Hawaii, the high-efficiency GPC cyclonic dust collector was installed to save space, time and money. The new cyclonic dust collector was needed to manage dust produced from several newly installed woodworking machines. Among the strict project specifications, the dust collector had to be installed outdoors—no higher than the roofline of the building. The GPC cyclonic dust collector’s unique ground-plate design eliminates the need for a long tapered cone as required by other high-efficiency cyclones. Its compact size allowed for easy installation within the recreation facility’s low overhead clearances. Since it has no filters or moving components, it significantly reduced the maintenance requirements of the system, and the low pressure drop of the collector keeps operational costs at a minimum. To learn more, read the full press release on our high-efficiency cyclonic dust collector now.

Sometimes reading about a material handling valve just isn’t enough to identify the right solution for your application. Especially in the case of a trickle valve, a simple animation can help you visualize its functionality and understand its benefits. As you watch our trickle valve demo (http://www.dustcollectorhq.com/vacu-valve-demo.html), notice that one of the best features of this vacuum-operated valve is how gravity works to collect the free-flowing material at the base of the dust collection system. The negative pressure of the system keeps the valve sleeve closed until the collected material builds up to the point of forcing the sleeve open and discharging the material from the hopper. Adjustable springs are located on the side of the sleeve to help overcome the negative pressure. The trickle valve then re-closes automatically. When the dust collection system is turned off, the remaining material will completely discharge from the hopper. A low-cost alternative to a rotary valve, a trickle valve operates without power/controls, requires no lubrication and involves little maintenance. Trickle valves provide continuous dispensing of dense, free-flowing and even abrasive materials such as rocks, wood chips, candy and cereal.

To understand the multi-faceted benefits of an industrial dust collection system, consider the example of a recent installation at a hardboard plant. Hardboard, also known as high-density fiberboard, is a an engineered wood product commonly used to make furniture and construction materials. Hardboard manufacturing involves breaking down wood into fibers and then reassembling the pieces to form hard panels. To break down the fibers, the manufacturer must first soften the wood chips by steaming them and then grind the chips between abrading discs to rip apart the wood fibers. During the grinding process, an industrial dust collection system is needed to reclaim airborne wood particles that can be used for other products. Industrial dust collection also helps control potentially harmful particulate emissions from stacks at the plant. In fact, each of the plant’s six cyclone dust collectors safely handles from 5,000 to 22,500 cfm of dirty gas. View our online industrial dust collection demo to see how this technology works.

With increasingly stricter environmental air laws and growing health concerns, plant managers are implementing industrial dust collector systems to keep their facilities up and running—and under budget. A recent article from the Chicago Tribune announced the shutdown of an Indiana-based coal –fired power plant that wasn’t making enough money to support an upgrade that would have maintained its operations in compliance with the federal Clean Air Act. According to the U.S. Environmental Protective Agency’s (EPA) website, “this law authorizes EPA to establish National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) to protect public health and public welfare and to regulate emissions of hazardous air pollutants.”

A double dump valve is an excellent, cost-effective choice for discharging free-flowing material from dust collection equipment, baghouses and hoppers. As its name implies, a double dump valve has two identical chambers that alternate to collect or dispense material. It is specially designed to open only when its internal flap is sealed—thereby maintaining the pressure of your dry material handling system. For applications that require processing relatively large, fibrous or abrasive materials, a double dump valve is a reliable, durable alternative to a rotary valve or knife gate valve that may become jammed or wear out prematurely. The GatorGate double dump valve is constructed of heavy duty carbon steel and because of its simple design, the double dump valve requires little maintenance and has a lower total cost of ownership than many other valves on the market.

When processing dense, free-flowing material like candy powder or granules, many manufacturers may be unaware of how a trickle valve can be a cost-effective replacement of a rotary valve that offers additional benefits. During the mixing and batching processes, some of the sugary powder may become airborne. This sweet particulate is captured by a dust collection system and emptied by a trickle valve where it can be reused or discarded. This type of valve consists of a simple rubber sleeve that requires no lubrication or power source, and has no controls or moving parts. In order to continuously dispense material properly, the trickle valve needs to have a vacuum present in the system. Unlike a rotary valve that has internal components that would be prone to excessive wear during candy production, a trickle valve reliably dispenses the dense material with very little maintenance or human interference required throughout its operational life. And best of all, you can purchase a trickle valve for a fraction of the cost of a rotary valve. To learn more about how a trickle valve works, view our free animated demo.

A knife gate valve is an ideal material handling valve for facilities that process slurry, a thick liquid mixture containing solid particles. At coal-burning power plants, a slurry comprised of pulverized limestone and water is sprayed on smoke emissions to control pollution. To control the flow of limestone slurry, a knife gate valve uses linear motion to move its blade to open or close the passage. The knife gate valve is specially designed to maintain system pressure while closed. Better than a rotary valve in this application, the knife gate valve can effectively handle the abrasiveness of the limestone particles and cut through thick slurry to interrupt flow when needed. According to an article published by GlobalSpec, even when knife gate valves are open, “the diameter through which the process fluid passes is essentially equal to that of the pipe. Hence, they tend to have minimal pressure drop when opened fully.” The StopTight™ Knife Gate Valve from Aerodyne is an excellent choice for handling slurry and a variety of other materials.

Process engineers involved in spray drying must select a reliable material handling valve to maintain smooth, efficient operations. Spray drying is a standard industrial process that involves using heated air to dry materials from a free-flowing fluid until a powder is created. Facilities that handle materials such as food, chemicals, ceramics and pharmaceuticals use this powder to make products for consumers, manufacturers and distributors. During the last stage of spray drying, high-efficiency dust collection equipment is required to gather the powder discharge. Instead of using a traditional rotary valve, consider the following benefits of using a powder-release material-handling valve like the Vacu-Valve® Platypus or Vacu-Valve® Armadillo:

Rotary valve technology is an integral part of the food production industry, especially when processing lightweight, free-flowing material that is in the form of a fine powder or grain. A prime example of this would be food starch, a carbohydrate derived from a variety of grains including corn, wheat, tapioca, rice and potatoes. Among its many applications, food starch is often used by food and beverage manufacturers to improve texture, act as a binding agent, improve stability during processing or extend a product’s shelf life. Plant managers should select a reliable rotary valve for the conveyance or transportation of food starch during manufacturing. A rotary valve is specially designed to effectively dispense collected material without disturbing the vacuum environment of your dust collection system. Its motorized vanes allow food starch to pass through without creating a direct opening between the inlet and outlet sides of the valve. Among the variety of rotary valve options available, the Rhino Rotary R Valve offers exceptional durability, quality and flexibility at a great value.