As maintenance staffs become smaller and have less time to do preventative maintenance, technology needs to step in and help. 

Level Switches

That is where level switches in dust collector hoppers fit in.  An airlock works by allowing dust from the dust collector to leave the vessel while preventing air from leaking in or out of the system.  Some airlocks operate by emptying the hopper as soon as dust falls and some require a buildup above them to help seal the valve and provide motive force. 

The main thing is, that dust often times will not constantly be falling through the valve.  This means that walking next to a vessel won’t always tell you if the airlock is operating correctly. 

Installing a level switch in the hopper will help.  The level switch measures the amount of material in the hopper and if too much is in the hopper it will provide a signal (alarm).  This will tell maintenance that the airlock is not operating correctly and it needs to be investigated.  Depending on the system’s controls, the alarm can be a local alarm (light and/or horn) or feed into the central computer.

Dust collection systems can range from being fairly simple to extremely complex. 

It’s important to know that you have the proper system for your application. Some questions always come up when looking at dust collection systems.

To make life easier, we have put together some common questions we get asked along with answers and explanations. Have a look.

Volume 1:  

Volume 2:

To learn more about which dust collector, please contact our experts at 440-543-7400 or visit our website: www.dustcollectorhq.com.

To improve efficiency and safety, there is no substitute for an on-site inspection by an experienced expert. Click below to start with a free 20-minute phone consultation by clicking the button.

Heavy dust loading in the dust collector leads to high maintenance dust collectors.  Since most dust collectors are fabric filters (baghouse, cartridge collectors, shakers, etc.), heavy dust loading will cause/require high frequency of cleaning of the filters.  Most filters are cleaned by injecting high pressure air into the clean side, causing the filters to expand a bit.  This causes dust to fall off the filters.  Filters wear out due to the frequent expanding and contracting.  So the more often you have to clean a filter, the faster the filters will wear out.

Pleated Filters

This is made even worse if the filters are pleated.  Pleated filters have valleys and ridges which increase the surface area available for air to diffuse through the filter.  However, high dust loading can cause the pleated filter valleys to fill up and not properly clean during a cleaning cycle.  This will severely restrict the surface area available for airflow, which will lead to higher velocities through the filters.  A higher velocity increases the chances of dust getting through the filters.  This can cause holes to develop in the filter.  It can also cause dust to plug a pathway through the filter, thereby further restricting airflow.  It can also cause a decrease in removal efficiency.

So if you have high dust loading in your dust collector, it might be beneficial to install a pre-filter to increase filter life and make maintenance much less of a hassle.

Pre-filtering may reduce operating and maintenance costs by extending bag or filter life and improving removal efficiencies. This video discusses five warning signs that your dust collection system needs a pre-filter.

If you prefer this valuable information in white paper form, get our whitepaper, Top 5 Reasons to Use a Cyclone as a Pre-filter.

To learn more about which dust collector, please contact our experts at 440-543-7400 or visit our website: www.dustcollectorhq.com.

To improve efficiency and safety, there is no substitute for an on-site inspection by an experienced expert. Click below to start with a free 20-minute phone consultation by clicking the button.