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May 2021 / 17 perform without an unacceptable reduction in dust collection system airflow. Your filter-life requirement must be spelled out clearly in your purchase order. For example, a 12-month filter life (operating at 24 hours a day, 7 days a week) caus- ing no reduction in system exhaust airflow over that time period can be achieved with the proper filter media type and quantity. Why do you need balancing dampers in your ductwork? No matter how well an industrial dust collection system is designed and installed, there's a very good chance that the system won't work as expected if it's not properly balanced at dust collection system startup. You must balance the air- flow through all the branch ducts to maintain the design airflows through the exhaust system hoods post-system installation will result in costly system changes. Noise will also be generated by high air velocities and turbulence within the ductwork. Dust trans- port velocities shouldn't exceed those needed to minimize dust settling and plugging the ductwork. For example, dust velocities can be as low as 3,000 fpm for light-density dry dust without the fear of duct plugging. Running dust trans- port velocities at lower speeds will reduce noise as well as energy costs. What information do you put in the dust collector specification? As the name suggests, a dust collec- tor specification document is what you give the dust collector supplier stating your system's necessary requirements such as air quantity, explosion protection, and required filter life, among others. Normally, you provide information on such items as air quantity, filtration effi- ciency, operating pressure, electrical bonding, and explosion venting or suppression to the dust collection system manufacturer. However, there are some specifications you shouldn't recommend on your own. Unless you have specific on-the-job experience, you shouldn't select the dust collector filter media yourself, as you might not pick the correct filter media for your application. There are several different types of dust collector filters on the mar- ket today, such as bag filters and pleated filters. In addition, there are numerous filter materials to choose from, for instance, polyester or fiberglass. Filter type and material selection should be left up to the dust collector manufacturer based on your dust's characteristics. Dust samples, and not process solids samples, should be sent to the dust collector manufacturer for analysis. You should, however, specify how long you wish the filter media to system details before the compo- nents are fabricated and installed. The contractor makes the shop drawings from field measurements and the design drawings and specifications. The contractor will invariably do some things differ- ently than the design drawings show, and these contractor changes may or may not be acceptable. If you don't find out about these changes until system startup, you may not be happy with the results. You need shop drawings to show what you're going to get with your system before construction starts. These shop drawings should also be used during periodic construc- tion inspections to ensure that what's being installed is what you want. The shop drawings will also be your as-built drawings for your records, which will be beneficial for regulation compliance purposes to satisfy OSHA safe workplace requirements and help you make effective changes to the dust collec- tion system down the road. Why should you consider exhaust system noise? One issue to get ahead of before it becomes a problem is a loudly operating dust collection system. Some process operators might complain about noise at the dust collection hoods, but what exactly is the source of the noise? Most noise comes from the system's exhaust fan. Fan noise exits the fan outlet and inlet, and noise radiates from the fan casing. How- ever, outlet and inlet fan noise can be attenuated with silencers, while noise from the fan casing can be attenuated with ventilated enclosures or sound-deadening fan housing jackets. These noise- reducing or -canceling means should be considered during the dust collection system's design phase. Otherwise, making these noise-reducers an afterthought for Find out more! 513-231-7432 ingredientmasters.com sales@ingredientmasters.com Perfect for Powder, Flake and Granular Materials Bulk Batching Systems