How to diagnose and solve ducting problems in your dust collection system
Plants that handle bulk solids rely on dust collection
systems not only to keep the workplace clean and
healthy for workers, but to protect equipment and
other valuable assets from fires and explosions. Yet
more often than not, these dust collection systems
underperform, leading to an unhealthy work environment, expensive ongoing maintenance, and premature equipment failure. This article explains how
to diagnose problems with your dust collection system’s ducting system, a common trouble source.
Sections explain how poor design, fabrication, and
installation can lead to these problems and what you
can do to remedy them.
Poorly performing dust collection systems are common
in bulk solids handling plants. In fact, as many as 90 percent of the systems presently installed in US plants don’t perform up to expectations. Of these, up to 80 percent have performance problems associated with the ducting system, which includes the pickup hoods (also
called capture hoods), dust containment enclosures (like
chutes and belt conveyor skirting), and ducting. Unfortunately, these performance problems lead many plants to place unjustifiable blame on the dust collector itself.