Know the code: Following ASME Code to design your high-pressure dust collector vessel
When you get right down to it, designing a dust collector vessel isn't rocket science. After all, how complex can a hollow metal enclosure with filter bags be? Plenty, it turns out, when your vessel must handle pressures over 15 psig. In this case, the dust collector vessel takes on an entirely different profile. It must be designed and built according to the codes and standards of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers [ASME] International to protect your workers and plant and to avoid liability in case of the vessel's failure. This article explains how to work with your dust collector supplier to design and build a high-pressure vessel that complies with the ASMECode.
Dust and fine particles are common by-products of chemical, pharmaceutical, food, and other dry bulk solids processes. In many applications, a conventional stand-alone dust collector is adequate for capturing the dust and fines, either to prevent them from escaping into the atmosphere or to recover or reclaim them. But if your process's dust and fines are explosive or are suspended in an explosive gas or if your process operates at high pressure, the dust collector vessel must be constructed to conform to the American Society of Mechanical Engineers [ASME] Code to safely handle these conditions.