If you are like many plant engineers who are working within the confines of a limited work space, rest assured that you don’t need to compromise on the efficiency of your industrial dust collection system. A traditional, high-efficiency cyclone is not the best solution for facilities with low ceilings. If space limitations prevent you from properly orienting this type of cyclone in an upright position, this will result in a loss of efficiency due to particulate settling on the side of the collector and being carried out with the exhaust gas. Attempting to solve this problem by installing your vertically oriented dust collection cyclone outdoors may encourage condensation that can shorten service life and reduce efficiency.

How can you help your company become more green? One of the first things you can do is select a high-performance dust collector. As government standards and green initiatives push for increased environmental protection, more facility managers are implementing equipment and policies that improve both indoor and outdoor air quality. A timely article posted on an environmental weblog emphasized the dangers associated with industrial air pollution and offered some practical solutions for control. Pollution from high concentrations of airborne particles like dust can cause lasting damage to our planet’s atmosphere, while dust itself can inhibit an individual’s ability to breath. The article highlighted the value of a mechanical system such as a cyclone dust collector for reliable, efficient dust collection and control. One of the most efficient cyclone dust collectors utilizes a secondary, counter-cyclonic air stream to prevent the majority of particles from contacting the cyclone walls and causing damage. A counter cyclonic dust collector is especially beneficial because it can be used to recover particulate for reuse and is ideal for handling extra fine, highly abrasive materials. This leading-edge technology provides low-cost pollution control because it requires very little maintenance and has only one moving part—the blower.

When dry solids material handling is part of the manufacturing process, sometimes a traditional cyclone dust collector simply won’t do—especially when valuable materials are involved. This was the case for a diversified technology company that recently reengineered tiny glass beads used for reflective pavement markings so that they are more durable with excellent retro-reflective properties. During their propriety manufacturing process, the valuable glass and ceramic beads become airborne and need to be collected for reuse. While a cyclone dust collector seemed to be the logical choice for effective dry solids material handling, the spherical shape and high density of the beads caused most of them to bounce off of the cyclone walls and be expelled from the collector. To increase the efficiency of the dry solids material handling process, the company selected a SplitStream™ Cyclone Dust Collector. Its unique dual-air stream counter-cyclonic design prevents collected beads from hitting the interior walls and keeps them from being deflected out of the cyclonic vortex. It provided the best collection efficiency of any dust collection equipment tested, collecting nearly 100 percent of the airborne beads. View our animated demo to see how counter-cyclonic dust collection can improve your dry solids material handling application.

When designing a dust collection system for your food processing facility, you must carefully consider the composition of your material before selecting the right type of rotary valve. If you are processing light, dry, free-flowing foodstuffs such as grains, flour, or even mini-marshmallows, a rotary valve is likely your best bet. A rotary valve can be used to control the feed or discharge of free-flowing bulk food material without impacting the negative or positive air pressure in the system. Its design is similar to a revolving door you might use to enter a building; the material must pass through a rotating chamber in order to reach the opening on the other side. The turning vanes of the rotary valve are tightly spaced to the valve walls, creating an airlock. Because of their relatively large size and soft, non-abrasive composition, marshmallows will not get caught in the vane or wear out the rotary valve mechanism. When processing foods like these, a rotary valve will provide durable, reliable dry material handling over a long-term operational life.

Did you know that the success of your dust collection system is directly related to your choice of material handling valve? A recent article published by Powder Bulk Solids magazine highlighted several important considerations for material handling valve selection, especially in reference to conveying applications, including material characteristics (e.g., fine, course, sticky, etc.), conveying parameters, actuator specifications and environmental factors. Because most facilities function at a fast pace, plant engineers should determine the time and cost associated with routine or emergency maintenance of a material handling valve—especially for more demanding applications. Before selecting a material handling valve, consider the following key factors: service life, ease of maintenance and accessibility, and the downtime involved in rebuilding a unit if it fails. Planning ahead for these maintenance issues will prevent plant staff from becoming overly burdened and conserve valuable company resources.

Valve selection for dust collection systems can pose a real challenge to plant engineers because of the varied cost and performance factors involved. While a rotary valve can be custom fit to handle high temperatures, harsh chemical environments and abrasive materials, they are also difficult to clean and expensive to operate. Because of these factors, the use of non-powered automatic dust discharge valves is on the rise. These “trickle valves” provide an economical way to manage dust discharged from bag filters or cyclone dust collectors under negative pressure. A trickle valve (or Vacu-Valve) operates without power and controls, requires no lubrication, and easily handles abrasive materials that would jam or wear out a rotary valve. Available at a fraction of the cost of a typical rotary valve, trickle valves are suitable for continuous discharge applications that have dense, free-flowing material such as sand, coffee, and many industrial powders. View Aerodyne’s animated Vacu-Valve demo to learn how trickle valves work.

Just because a technology has been around for awhile doesn’t mean it is too outdated to meet your specific needs. This is especially true of cyclonic dust collector technology, which has been utilized by plant engineers since the industrial revolution. Whether you are looking to improve the efficiency of your food processing plant or enhance the safety of your wood working shop, a cyclonic dust collector offers a variety of benefits. It requires very little maintenance equipment because it has no filters to replace and no moving parts except for the blower. In addition, a cyclonic dust collector offers unmatched versatility including working well in humid environments, acting as a spark arrestor, and accepting air used for drying. To determine if a cyclonic dust collector is the ideal fit for your application, examine the answers to the top five questions to review when considering a cyclonic dust collector.

When you think of industrial hazards that can cause fires and explosions, rarely do you think about dry, dusty material as presenting a serious threat. In addition, you likely wouldn’t think of dust collection equipment as a first line of defense for fire prevention. However, I recently read an article on DustCollectorExperts.com that clearly explains the dangers associated with dust that has combustible or explosive properties. This type of dust either explodes easily because it is carrying its own oxidant or self ignites without an external heat source. To determine the level of hazard associated with your facility’s dust production, you must investigate the concentration limits as well as the characteristics of the material in question. The article really underscores the need to be proactive in managing dust production using carefully selected dust collection equipment that does not add to the risk of an explosion or fire. For more information on choosing dust collection equipment that is safe, effective and reliable, please visit: http://www.dustcollectorhq.com/dustcollectors.html.

Think your small basement or garage wood shop doesn’t need a real dust collector? Sure the dust is a bit of a nuisance. It covers everything in the shop and can be a pain to clean up, but how bad can it really be? Well, how does asthma, emphysema, skin rashes, and a rare form of nasal cancer sound for starters? These are just a few of many health risks associated with exposure to common saw dust.