How to Get the Right Dust Collector for your Application
Your dust collector is a small but critical piece of your operation. To get the right equipment for your plant that's going to get the performance you need at the right price point, you'll want to consider the following.
1. What type of dust is being filtered by your dust collector?
The first step to getting the right size and type of dust collector and the right filter media is to look at the characteristics of the dust being captured and know your dust. -Size - is the dust particulate fine or large?
Density: Is the dust porous and low density like wood chips or heavy life fine steel dust?
Temperature: High heat environments require special filter media that can handle extreme temperatures without excessive filter wear and tear.
Chemistry: Is the dust abrasive or corrosive? Is it carcinogenic? electro-static? An abrasive material may require special material for the housing unit.
Moisture - is there any moisture or oil present in the dust/air stream? Environments with moisture/oil may require special membranes to prevent the filters from plugging prematurely.
2. What CFM or volume is needed for my application?
One of the most important considerations when selecting a new dust collector is making sure the airflow or volume of the collector is efficient at capturing dust. Dust collector volume is measured in cubic feet per minute or CFM which measures the amount of air per minute that can be moved from a space. Key variables for calculating dust collector CFM include the space of the area that needs ventilation, the method of ventilation, and how frequently the air needs to be turned in a given amount of time.
3. Get the Right Air to Cloth Ratio for your Dust Collector
Next you'll want to consider your air to cloth ratio or the amount of filter media relative to the amount of air passing through the collector. The lower the air to cloth ratio in your dust collection system, the better your system is at removing dust from the environment because there is more filter media to push dust through. Getting the right air to cloth ratio will significantly impact the short and long term performance of your collector. If you have a higher air to cloth ratio than recommended, you'll see a noticeable decrease in suction because there is too much dust being captured by not enough filter media. Generally dust that is low density, porous and permeable such as wood chips can run at a higher air to cloth ratio while greater density dust like steel would require a lower air to cloth ratio.
Interested in learning more? Download our Dust Collector Purchasing Guide to learn other helpful tips and considerations that will help you sahttps://info.usairfiltration.com/industrial-dust-collector-purchasing-guide-us-air-filtrationve money and lower your long term maintenance costs over time.
