Choosing the best dust collector bag filter is just as vital as choosing the best dust collector for your plant, factory, mill, or any processing facility. The correct dust collector bag filter acts to capture harmful particles from the airstream, improving air quality and preventing the accumulation of combustible dust and gases.
Especially in industrial workplaces, proper filtration media more than ensures a safe and healthy working environment. On the one hand, it will improve employee production, efficiency, and retention. On the other hand, it is a cost-effective measure. The right filter will help preserve machinery and equipment from dust buildup, reducing system downtime for maintenance and lowering the cost of replacement parts. It will also maximize system performance and increase the lifespan of the filter.
What is a Dust Collector Bag Filter?
A bag filter is a fabric filtration device for baghouse dust collector systems. They are used in dry filtration dust collectors—pulse-jet, shaker, or reverse air, for example. The fabric bag filters remove dust particles from the contaminated airstream by depositing them on fabric material. In large part, the effectiveness of a filter to collect small micrometer and sub-micrometer particles relates to how well the filter can accumulate dust cakes and not the fabric itself. The fabric filters are usually in the shape of cylindrical fabric bags, thus the names “bag filter” and “baghouse.”
Some systems also utilize fabric cartridges or those made of sintered metal or porous ceramic. Fabric filtration systems however are exceptionally efficient, capable of collecting greater than 99 percent of the particles from the air and gas stream that pass through it.
How to Select the Best Bag Filter for Your Dust Collector
Understand Facility Requirements
The first step in selecting the proper bag filter is obvious enough—that is an understanding of the process conditions and requirements of the facility. Design engineers will need to know what constitutes the air or gas stream, and also the size and type of particles and particulate matter going through the filter media. Knowing the process conditions will ensure that the fabric fiber for the bag filter, along with the filter media design, will perform in a given industrial environment.
Know Operating Temperatures
Selecting the proper type of fabric material relates to the continuous operating temperature of the gas stream at the inlet to the system. That and the type of dust collector system itself—how and when the dust cakes will be cleaned from the media differ with pulse-jet, shaker, or reverse air systems.
Where the ambient operating temperature does not rise above 120°F (or approximately 50°C) at any time, then any type of industrial-grade synthetic and natural fiber material can be considered for the application. However, as continuous operating temperatures rise then specific, heat-resistant fiber materials will have to be selected. PVC, nylon, cotton, polypropylene, PTFE, fiberglass, and Polyimide are all common materials that are used for bag filters.
Review Material Properties
Knowing the heat-resistant properties of the material is essential. Cotton, for example, is heat resistant to 180°F or 85°C, polyester can perform up to 300°F or nearly 150°C, and PTFE can function at 500°F or 260°C. Any significant moisture or chemical fumes in the gas stream need to be factored into the type of material used as well.
Selecting the fabric filter media design for your baghouse is determined by the effectiveness of the dust collector system itself. It may require a conventional woven fabric design or a non-woven fabric design like needled felt. Pulse Jet systems are the most effective cleaning system followed by shaker systems. A pulse jet allows for the use of heavier, denser, and even stiff needle felt fabric filters, whereas shaker systems can use a lighter-weight woven fabric. Comparatively, where filtration needs are less, the reverse air dust collector systems use lightweight, flexible, and smooth woven fabric material.
Contact the Experts at CPE Filters
Choosing the best dust collector bag filter is an important decision in any industrial environment. Establishing the process conditions of a facility will ensure the correct dust collector bag filter is selected. Both ambient temperature and type of baghouse system will determine the type of material and filter media that works best. To help choose the best bag filter for your system, contact the experts at CPE Filters to discuss custom solutions and more.