To keep your industrial equipment clean, you need to have a thorough understanding of how these machines function, inside and out. If you’re asked how a dust collector works, your response should be more elaborate than “they collect dust.” Learning anything and everything about industrial machines can certainly be tough at first, but with the right guidance, you’ll be giving a long, well-thought-out response to that dust collector question in no time. To help you understand these concepts, we’ve put together a list of some of the most important tips to properly maintain your dust collector.
Monitor Compressed Air Pressure
To extend the lifespan of filters in dust collectors, these systems use compressed air to periodically clean them. However, make sure you’re sticking to the recommended compressed air pressure listed in your dust collector’s owner’s manual. If you have the compressed air pressure set at levels that are too low, then the pulse jets that emit the compressed air won’t effectively clean the filters and will cut down their lifespan immensely.
On the other hand, if the compressed air pressure is too high, then the pulse jets can cause damage to the filters that will also cut down their lifespan. You have to find a happy medium, which should be in the owner’s manual, but that’s not all you have to do. Aside from getting the pressure levels correct, you need to ensure that the pulse jets supply compressed air that is high quality and that they supply it at a consistent pace. That way, your compressed air will keep your filters clean, and in return, your filters will keep your work environment clean.
Know When to Replace Filters
If you think dirty filters means it’s time for a replacement, you are very wrong. That being said, it’s not a crazy thought because if the filter is dirty, you can’t collect the dust in the air, right?
Well, dust collector filters don’t quite function like that. Instead, the key for knowing when to replace the filter in your dust collector can be summed up in three words—differential air pressure. Your dust collector should have a differential air pressure gauge or pressure drop gauge. This gauge will help you know when the system’s filters are ready to swap out. Just like with compressed air pressure, check your owner’s manual to look for the recommended air pressure drop practices. If your dust collector’s pressure drop is higher than what is recommended in the manual, it’s time to replace the filters.
You should also keep another tip in mind when replacing your filters. Anyone familiar with replacing car tires knows that to maintain consistent handling in your vehicle, it’s important to replace all your tires at the same time. This same principle goes for dust collector filters, though for a slightly different reason.
The reason for replacing all the filters at once is that when air enters the dust collector, it will naturally follow the least obstructed path. If you have only one new filter in a group of old filters, the air will naturally go to that new filter exclusively and wear it down faster than it should. If you replace all of the filters at the same time, you won’t be putting all the weight of the filtering process on one filter alone.
Keep Excessive Dust Out of the Hopper
The accumulation of dust in certain environments can pose a major fire hazard. This is one of the reasons that dust collection systems are so beneficial to industrial work environments in particular. It’s important to understand that while a dust collector naturally collects dust, not all parts of the system are fit for dust storage.
For instance, the hopper is meant to help carry dust from the dust collector to the storage bin. If too much dust sticks to the hopper, it can pose a fire risk and can diminish the overall efficiency of the collector. To avoid a backflow of dust clogging up your hopper, make sure to empty the storage bin regularly. If left unemptied, the dust will continue to pile up in the storage bin until it reaches the hopper and begins causing some real damage.
Carry Out Regular Inspections
The best tip anyone can give regarding maintaining a dust collector is to carry out regular inspections. Because you’re visiting this website, you probably have some sort of involvement in manufacturing equipment. If this is the case, then you also know that the heavy equipment used in these industrial facilities requires regular inspections. Once again, this is where that handy-dandy owner’s manual comes into play. Use this manual to help you set up a maintenance schedule that has a complete checklist of all the components that need inspecting. For instance, the hopper and filter quality as well as the storage bin and air pressure levels we mentioned above all fall under components that require regular inspection.
Other dust collector components that you need to look out for during an inspection include airlock wipers, exhaust fans, diaphragm valves, door gaskets, hoses, and ductwork. You also need to undertake certain tasks properly, such as the cleaning of the dust collector’s filters. Keep an eye on those pulse jets because if they aren’t cleaning filters correctly, they need repairs immediately.
Additionally, make sure to keep an eye out for any visible leaks coming from the dust collector. Emissions from the dust collector can happen for a variety of reasons, such as improper filter cleaning or a puncture/break in a system component. Whatever the reason is, find it immediately and fix it because if your dust collector is giving off dangerous emissions, it’s unsafe for the employees to breathe and unsanitary for products to come into contact with. Plus, this situation will place you in violation of relevant environmental agency guidelines.
As you can see, a lot goes into keeping dust collectors efficient, functional, and safe. However, if you use these tips to properly maintain your dust collector, it will help keep your workplace safe and in accordance with proper health and environmental guidelines. If you need help finding replacement dust collectors or system components, we can help you out. At DoverMEI, we can supply your facility with full, functioning dust collectors or separate products like a rotary airlock valve to keep your facility as clean as possible for a long time.
