Dust Collection Equipment

Dust and particulates are a common by-product of every industrial manufacturing process. Federal, state, and local regulations mandate a clean and contamination-free environment. To ensure compliance, dust collection equipment is essential in removing contaminants like dust and fumes from small manufacturing facilities and large mills.

Removing dust is vital, as it can lead to hazardous work environments and decrease equipment performance. There are many types of dust collection equipment available, so it’s crucial to consider the environment and application when choosing equipment for your facility.

Choosing the Right Dust Collector

Selecting the ideal dust collector for a facility requires various considerations. The size of the dust particle is a primary consideration. Dust particles range from large flakes to extremely fine particulates. The dust collector must filter the dust without getting clogged or releasing particles back into the facility. Dense particles like steel dust require different collection methods than low-density particles from woodworking.

The environment also plays a role in dust control equipment selection. High heat environments will require a dust collector with considerable heat resistance, and a moist environment requires a collector that can handle moisture and mist. If the dust is oily, the dust collector should be able to handle oil. Corrosive fumes and mist require corrosion-resistant equipment.

Dust collectors deliver the following benefits:

• Increased employee health and safety
• Clean products that are more consistent and presentable
• Reduced equipment downtime from dust exposure
• Less frequent maintenance and cleaning
• There are a wide variety of dust collector machines to deliver ideal performance in any environment.

Dust Collectors

Industrial dust collectors work by pulling contaminated air into their intake. The contaminated air passes through a filtration system and the purified air exhausts into the atmosphere or through an after-filter, i.e. HEPA.

There are three primary dust control equipment types, each with advantages and disadvantages. These include:

Cartridge Style

Cartridge style dust collectors use a series of cartridges to clean the air. They can run continuously, even when cleaning the filters via reverse air pulsing, and they feature a large door to make replacing the cartridges quick and easy. A large drum collects the dust for disposal.

The footprint and height of a cartridge dust collector are compact enough to fit most locations. This type of dust collection equipment is ideal for metalworking, woodworking, cement, laser cutting, food, and pharmaceutical applications.

Bag Style

Bag-style dust collectors rely on a removable filtration bag to collect dust and particles. Replacing the full bags is a simple process that requires no tools. They are a heavy-duty option that is ideal for woodworking, grain and seed handling, silica dust, and recycling applications. This type of dust collection equipment is also suitable for sticky, fibrous, and abrasive dust.

Portable

Portable dust collectors are customizable for frequent and infrequent use. They are easy to move and have a simple plug-and-go operation. Wheels can make moving between locations frustration-free, and these dust collection machines fit through standard-sized doors. Portable dust collectors use a changeable filter with a high-efficiency MERV 15 filtration available.

Mist Collection

Mist collectors remove mist, smoke, oil, and fluid-soaked particles from the air using a two or three-stage filtration process. A mesh screen collects a majority of the liquid as a preliminary step. The machine expels the liquid through piping at the bottom of the collector fitted with a P-trap. A primary cartridge filter with an oblong shape collects the smoke and mist. As a final stage, facilities can choose whether to integrate a HEPA or DOP filter for remaining mist or smoke particles. We offer floor mounted, machine mounted, and ducted central options.

Fume Collection

Fume collectors are ideal for applications like welding, plasma cutting, chemical processing, and pharmaceutical manufacturing. They can collect fumes, fine particles, and fibrous dust. Fume collectors also feature standard fire retardant cartridges and meet the standards of ATEX and NFPA.

Dust Collection Solutions From Dawson-Macdonald

At Dawson-Macdonald Co. Inc., we can customize all of our dust collection products to suit the needs of your application. We can assist with everything from installation and troubleshooting to change-outs and ductwork fabrications. Customization options include:

• combustible dust control
• fire suppression
• spark mitigation components
• electrical control panels
• and more.

We are proud to offer Donaldson-Torit’s line of industrial filtration systems. For more information, or to get started on your custom dust collection solution, contact us to speak with a representative or request a quote today.