How to Avoid Getting an Undersized Dust Collector
Appropriately sizing a dust collector for your application is going to be one of the most important considerations when starting your new equipment project.
Some of the biggest problems we see people run into with an inappropriately sized dust collector are:
- Consistently clogged filters
- Reduced filter life
- Higher maintenance costs
To avoid the dangers of an undersized dust collector we ask you to consider both CFM and Air to Cloth Ratio.
Cubic Feet Per Minute
Dust collector volume is measured in cubic feet per minute or CFM. To put it simply, CFM is a measurement of how much airflow your dust collector can move per minute. To determine your CFM, there are a few variables you should consider:
- The size of the area that needs ventilation.
- Method of ventilation
- Volume of dust being produced
Air to Cloth Ratio
The other important factor to consider when sizing your unit will be Air to Cloth ratio. This is the amount of filter media relative to the amount of air passing through the dust collector. You typically want to operate with a lower a air to cloth ratio because that will be better at removing dust from your environment. With a lower air to cloth ratio you have plenty of filter media available to capture the dust coming through from the air stream, and you aren't trying to push as much dust through the filter media. When you air to cloth ratio is too high, the dust you are trying to collect is embedded into the filters too fast for your system to efficiently pulse. You end up with rapid build up of dust, which ends up clogging your filters and making your dust collector work even harder than it should be.
For more detailed information on sizing your collector, a helpful guide, or to speak to one of our equipment specialists please contact us at 888-221-0312.
