Don’t take chances by making assumptions about the properties of your dust. We take the guesswork out of how your dust’s properties affect safe and appropriate dust collection system equipment selection and design. Contact the experts at CPE Filters today regarding the following dust testing services.
Particle Size Testing
Dust collection applications are dependent on particle size. Different size powders of like composition will exhibit varying behavior based on their particle sizes. Documentation of your dust’s particle sizes is fundamental for proper equipment selection and design and for record-keeping and warranties. Particle size affects the proper selection of air-to-cloth ratio, interstitial velocity, filter media selection, explosibility parameters, discharge equipment, and is required for most air permit applications. Contact CPE Filters, Inc. for more information on quick-turnaround particle size testing for your application.
Explosibility Testing
For most combustible or explosive dust collection applications, an independent explosion severity test is required. Testing in accordance with ASTM 1226-2010 determines the material’s values of Kst and Pmax, which relate to the rate of pressure rise and maximum pressure developed in the event of a deflagration. A host of additional testing is available, including testing for minimum ignition energy (MIE), minimum explosible concentration (MIE), minimum autoignition temperature of a dust cloud (MIT) and limiting oxygen concentration (VOC), all of which may be useful in evaluating and designing compliant overall manufacturing processes. Contact CPE Filters, Inc. for more information on independent dust hazard testing services.
Failed Bag Analysis
Laboratory analysis of a failed bag, combined with a review of actual operating parameters can provide valuable information to optimize the performance of a tricky or troublesome dust collection system. Filter bag failure can be attributed to four mechanisms: wear or loss of mechanical strength, chemical attack or degradation, blinding or irreparable dust penetration into the depth of the fabric, and thermal attack, resulting in property changes of the fibers, typically resulting in brittle bags. Test methods may include a microscopic analysis including cross-section views into the depth of the filter, and tensile and mullen burst testing. Determination of the permeability of the fabric, both before and after vacuum cleaning is often performed to predict whether bags exhibiting high-pressure drop can recover by pulse cleaning. Contact CPE Filters, Inc. for more information on failed bag testing services.