What Is a Baghouse Dust Collector?
A baghouse dust collector is a common type of industrial air cleaning system. Typically made of fabric, their long, cylindrical bags facilitate air filtration—polluted air enters the dust collector, goes through the baghouse filters, and clean air is circulated back into the plant or facility.
In effect, a dust separator removes potentially harmful particles and fumes from the air.
Benefits of baghouse dust filters are several, ranging from cleaning the air of harmful particulates to compliance with work-area safety regulations to lowered costs associated with equipment maintenance. Industrial hopper equipment is environmentally beneficial for the atmosphere and air quality.
Industrial dust collectors can be found in a wide range of industries, such as manufacturing, cement, material handling, pharmaceutical, woodwork, food processing, and metalworking.
Learning about baghouse dust collectors will help you determine whether they’re more suitable for you (as opposed to cartridge dust filters) and what their maintenance and upkeep entail.
Ready to learn the basics of how baghouse dust collectors work?
How Does a Dust Collector Work?
Using filters made of either fabric or felt, a baghouse dust collector extracts dust from the air with the help of a fan. Much like an exhaust, the fan pulls toxins and particulate-saturated air via an inlet leading into the main dust collection housing. Inside the housing, the air is filtered, and then dust is deposited inside a waste hopper. Clean air is then released back into the facility through an outlet.
A baghouse dust collector typically consists of many filter cages, all of which are encased in a bag filter. This material can be woven or nonwoven, depending on the manufacturer. For gas streams less than 250 degrees Fahrenheit, a pleated bag may be used in place of a regular bag.
Depending on the type of filter inside the baghouse collector, dust may gather either inside or outside the filters. Once the air pressure reduces, the sensors trigger a cleaning cycle. In some cases, filter sections go “offline” for cleaning—a process also known as “intermittent cleaning.”
Other units never go offline. These are called “continuous cleaning,” as the filter’s surface is cleaned continuously using regular bursts of compressed air. Whatever the cleaning method, all the dirt goes into a repository called the hopper.
Baghouse dust collectors can filter out even stringy and irregularly-shaped dust that non-industrial grade air filters cannot typically filter out, making them ideal for a number of industries.
Examples of industries and applications that use baghouse dust collectors include:
- Food Processing
- Packaging
- Building Materials
- Cement and Asphalt Processing
- Ceramics Manufacturing
- Fertilizer Manufacturing
- Woodworking
- Iron and Steel Manufacturing
- Pharmaceuticals
- Sanding and Sawing
- Commercial Cooking
Types of Baghouse Filters
Here’s a closer look at the different types of baghouse filter cleaning systems, their benefits and size specifications:
Pulse Jet Filter
In a pulse jet baghouse, filter cages hang from a tube sheet located at the top portion. Dirty air enters through the bottom, leaving dust to accumulate outside the filters. Filters are cleaned with bursts of compressed air—they use continuous cleaning methods scheduled every 0.1 seconds. This helps to dislodge any caked dust and deposit it into the hopper.
Pulse-jet units are space-economic and are thus recommended for smaller areas. However, operating costs are typically higher owing to the need for compressed air. These filters are also highly unsuitable for areas with high humidity.
Mechanical Shaker System
For this type of filter structure, cylindrical bags are typically attached to a plate by the floor, while filter cages are attached to beams at the tops.
When it’s time to clean the air, the beams shake, dislodging dust collected through the inlet. The dust then falls into the hopper. Shaker models can be intermittent or continuous. In intermittent models, the cleaning only starts when the pressure drops. In continuous models, bursts of air are constantly released.
These types of dust collectors usually require a large amount of space and are better suited for large areas such as plants and factories. Operational simplicity and low investment costs are some advantages of the mechanical shaker system.
Reverse-Flow Hopper
This type of filter uses a fan to move air around and into the center of the bag, thereby pushing dust out. Filter frames are tubular and are attached to plates located at the bottom of the unit. The filter cages are then attached to the top via an adjustable frame. Dirty air passes through an air intake at the bottom, is filtered, and collects outside the bag filters.
This type of filter is called “reverse-flow” because a reverse current of air enters the top part during the cleaning cycle. This causes pressure to drop and the bags to collapse. Dust collected outside the bags then falls or cracks and is caught by a hopper at the bottom.
Reverse-flow models are continuous cleaning devices, with one section stopping to clean while the others operate as usual. The downsides to this filtration system are that they require large areas to operate and are typically more high-maintenance. The upsides, however, include their ability to handle high temperatures and longer bag lifecycle.
Benefits of Using Baghouse Dust Collectors
Can Handle Heavy Dust Loads
Baghouse dust collectors are incredibly efficient at collecting large amounts of pollutants, particulates, and toxins, including wood and grain dust. They can collect particles that are five microns (or greater) in size and withstand heavy use.
Can Withstand High Temperatures
As opposed to cartridge dust collectors, baghouse dust collectors can handle temperatures as high as 550 to 750 degrees Fahrenheit.
Can Collect Adhesive Materials
Most facilities that deal with manufacturing and processing raw and industrial materials also handle adhesive materials of some sort. Baghouse dust collection systems can collect sticky or adhesive particles that a cartridge filter may have difficulty collecting.
Extremely Durable
Baghouse dust collectors can provide years of good use, especially when maintained properly. They can endure heavy loading applications and have bag filters that are extremely flexible and suitable for heavy-duty use.
Very Economical
Baghouse dust collectors require less intensive maintenance than other dust collectors because they are very heavy-duty. Bag changes are also done periodically, as opposed to cartridge filters that need to be replaced more often.
Easy To Change
High-quality baghouse dust filters are easy to change. Thanks to snap-band filter bags, they can be easily secured to baghouse filter cages. For the bottom or side access baghouses, a worker may need to enter the enclosure to change the bags.
Can Be Used in Many Applications
Because they are durable and versatile, baghouse dust collectors have many use cases and are heavily utilized across various industries. They are great for workplaces that deal with dust particles of varying sizes, especially those with larger particles like wood.
How to Maintain Your Baghouse Dust Collector
High-quality baghouse dust collectors are easy to maintain. And with timely upkeep, they will last you a long time.
Here are some simple checks you can do to ensure their longevity and efficiency:
Regular Inspection and Maintenance
It’s important to schedule regular checks for your baghouse dust collectors to ensure that any damages are repaired before they get worse. You can schedule weekly, monthly, or semi-annual checks depending on how heavy your use of the dust collector is.
Enlist the help of a professional to ensure that no routine maintenance checks are missed or forgotten!
Cleaning the Collection Hopper
The collection hopper must be regularly cleaned out, as it is not typically designed to store whatever dust it collects. If not cleaned regularly, the accumulated dust can be sucked back into the machine and released into the air.
Changing Filter Media Regularly
The options for filter media are wide and range from PPS to Teflon, Fiberglass, Polyester, Aramid and P84. Each material has requirements for cleaning, maintenance, and change. Knowing the specifications of your baghouse dust collector’s filter media will help you stay on top and prevent damage from clogged filters.
Overall Structure and Ductwork
It’s crucial to check the structural integrity of your dust collector every so often to quickly address any weak points or minor tears. Regularly inspect the ductwork for seals, joints, and welds that may be compromised, as any airflow changes can affect the air quality inside your facility.
Check Differential Pressure
Large pressure drops may indicate a problem with your filters or the need to change them. New filters typically have low airflow resistance since they are not yet clogged with dust. Hence, pressure drops may mean it’s time to inspect your filters and cleaning system.
Contact An Expert
If you need help with repairing, maintaining, or installing a baghouse dust collection system, feel free to contact Square One Electric Motors and Pumps. We’ll be glad to assist you.
We also focus on preventive maintenance to ensure that you get the best use of your equipment and avoid premature equipment failure.
Based in Dover, Delaware, we service areas of Maryland, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Unsure of how to register repair requests? Feel free to leave us a message or call us at (302) 678-0400.