Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/793410
38 March 2017 Tablets & Capsules Has your company commissioned independent testing? Even if in-house test facilities are available, a conscien- tious supplier will also commission independent testing and offer third-party verification of filter performance. Independently certified results are important and should be used in conjunction with the equipment manufac- turer's in-house testing. Are the filter elements that your staff specified for my application the same as those that were tested under Standard 199? It's very important to verify that the filter elements and filtration media used in the testing are the same ones that you'll receive when ordering the dust collector. Some manufacturers might test their best elements, then switch to less costly and poorer performing elements when packaging the collector. Using the test data to compare costs Standard 199 will enable you to review and compare the results of different dust collectors and filters, includ- ing emissions, pressure drop, compressed air consump- tion, and energy usage. With these data, you can evaluate the total cost of ownership (TCO) of a dust collector. That's important because two collectors with similar price tags may incur very different costs over time. TCO helps you determine what it really costs to operate the dust col- lector by calculating expenses in three areas: energy, con- sumables, and maintenance and disposal. Energy. This tallies how much energy the dust collec- tor uses in day-to-day operation. It includes electrical costs and compressed air usage. Consumables. A number of items require periodic replacement throughout the equipment's service life. Although Standard 199 cannot directly predict how long a filter will last, it provides comparative data on pressure drop that can shed light on which filter elements may last longest. Comparative emissions data are also useful, because lower emissions through the primary filters trans- late into a longer service life of costly secondary HEPA filters, which are required in potent and hazardous dust applications. In other applications, low emissions might even eliminate the need for HEPA filters. Maintenance and disposal. How long it takes to ser- vice the equipment and the costs of disposing of the con- sumables can be major cost factors in any system, but especially in contained dust collectors and systems with HEPA filters. Be sure to consider both the primary and secondary filters. A reputable equipment supplier should be able to calcu- late the TCO using data from a Standard 199 test report and other data unique to your application. Because it helps you choose the most cost-effective equipment, a TCO evalua- tion saves you money, but it also saves time and energy. Applying other rules and standards to dust collector design Standard 199 does not measure all aspects of dust collec- tor design and performance. It must be applied in conjunc- systems because a contained dust collector uses the same cleaning system as a conventional collector. Compliance is voluntary Complying with Standard 199 is voluntary, and it's up to each dust collector and filter manufacturer to develop a compliance plan. It may take some suppliers several years to get on board due to limited test facilities and the cost involved in commissioning independent testing. Smaller suppliers may find these costs prohibitive. The photo below shows the test rig installed at our company's in-house lab. Another factor that could influence how and when the Standard is followed within industry is the potential involvement of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), which is considering whether to adopt it. If ISO does, more equipment suppliers and cus- tomers worldwide are likely to implement it. Questions to ask potential dust collector and filter suppliers Since participation in Standard 199 testing is volun- tary, ask the dust collection suppliers you're considering where they stand in the process and request their Standard 199 test reports. If a supplier doesn't yet offer the test data, it will limit your ability to make educated decisions. The more suppliers who are asked for test data, the greater the likelihood that the market will move toward widespread adoption of the Standard. Here are other questions to consider asking. The responses should help you evaluate potential suppliers: Does your company operate an in-house lab to con- duct Standard 199 testing? A supplier who has installed an in-house Standard 199 test rig demonstrates a strong commitment to the pro- gram. In addition, the lab helps the supplier improve its collector designs and, more importantly, it enables the supplier to test filter elements in equipment built by the manufacturers under evaluation. The test is the most accurate gauge of real-world performance. Note: This specialized data is not available from independent lab tests, where the same dust collector rig is used for all Standard 199 data. This full-scale test rig, built in accordance with Standard 199 specifications, includes a cartridge dust collector with four high- efficiency filters.