Guide to Buying an Industrial Dust Collector
Industrial plants have to operate knowing that every day, an accumulation of dust could be endangering the workers and limit plant productivity. Aside from that, the mere discomfort of the workers at the sight of dust at floors of the plant can be quite an eyesore which could lower worker morale and the overall atmosphere of the plant.
While industrial dust can make everything else worse in an industrial workplace, it cannot be overlooked how much industrial dust can impact the health of the plant workers. Problems in the respiratory system of most workers in the field can be attributed to unhealthy amounts of industrial dust intake. Respiratory infections, asthma, pneumonia, and asphyxiation are only some of the conditions that can be caused by a poor industrial dust collector system in a plant.
If it is your goal to alleviate these concerns while also ensuring that the measure employed is indeed cost effective, then you might want to consider installing an industrial dust collection system. Though most of these devices are identified as expensive, the alternative measure of hiring people to manually clean up the dust can be equally, if not more costly. Cleaning with brooms and dustpans is also more inefficient in comparison and will not clean the air of dust while in operation.
What is an Industrial Dust Collector, Why You Need It, and How it Works
A centralized industrial dust collector systems meant to be used for large plants have ductwork connecting it to various devices that produces industrial dust. Sawmills for instance will create dust off the woodwork at rapid rates. These instruments does only one thing, and if installed properly, will do it really well and that is to collect all the excess dust from production.
Industrial dust collector systems are meant to inhale large quantities of air from the workplace and force this air into a ductwork system that will then filter out the dust and other fine debris. By continuously sucking out air from the plant in strategic locations, the quality of air in the workplace would be of constant quality. Industrial dust would also have no way of accumulating in any spot in the workplace as long as the industrial dust collector is in operation.
A powerful induction motor drives the most common industrial dust collector. Variations in pressure would drive the air filled with dust from the workplace into the ductwork and enter a system of filters where the air is cleared of any debris. The dust will accumulate in bags for easy disposal. The entire operation of a large industrial dust collector can be observed by looking at how a regular household vacuum cleaner operates. Albeit at a larger scale, the same mechanisms are applied by both machines in sucking out the dust from the air.
Specific dust collector suction points are designed for certain instruments. If certain devices in the plant can be fitted with suction points that can then be directed to the central industrial dust collection system, that is the way how dust collection should be done for that instrument. Short of going on a camp where every worker can work outdoors where ventilation will not be a problem, the best way to ensure that the workers will be able to breathe properly is to have a proper industrial dust collector system in place.
The Main Kinds of Industrial Dust Collectors
When we talk about choosing the right industrial dust collector for your plant, one of the main things that should be put into careful consideration, is the volume of dust that is expected to be collected on a daily basis. By categorizing industrial dust collectors based on the capacities that it can collect, here are the main kinds of industrial dust collectors that can be bought in the marketplace: the medium sized industrial dust-collector, the more common portable industrial dust collector and the large industrial dust collector.
Another measure that most stakeholders would like to see is the kind of efficiency that can be expected once the industrial dust collector is put into operation. This often boils down to a single question as to the availability of a separator stage within the industrial dust collector system.
A stage in industrial dust collection pertains to the stops in the pipeline which would produce dust. More stages would mean more levels for dust to be collected thus raising the efficiency of the industrial dust collector in general. However, this would also require more space to install and can be a bit more pricey. But in the longer term, returns can be gained as the power consumption will be reduced.
Portable Industrial Dust Collectors
Because industrial dust collection is an important function, even shops and garages of hobbyists should be installed with an industrial dust collector. Given the prices of industrial dust collectors however, some may be put off and decide to go the old fashioned way in cleaning up their workplace. This is where the portable dust collector comes in which is taylor made especially for shops that are small to medium sized. They are the easiest ones to own and operate as well as it was created with the common user in mind. Compared to industrial grade dust collectors, they are cheaper too.
Because it is the mainstream version of a generally used tool, there are a lot of viable options for dust collectors out there. Feel free to browse through catalogs to ensure that you are getting the right one for you.
Being a portable tool, this means that you can basically move them around as often as you would want. They are quite light as well, which means just a little bit of labor setting it up. Because they are small, they take up a small space which means that cleaning up would be a breeze.
One of the main concerns for people trying to own their own industrial dust collector, is having to sift through complex manuals in order to make light on the ways of how to use the devices. Portable dust collectors manufacturers noticed this and ensured that their product would not require vast technical knowledge to operate. Some portable dust collectors are even as easy as vacuum cleaners to set up and the more expensive ones are even quieter.
While the portable industrial dust collector does have its merits, the small size makes it difficult for it to perform functions that require more power. It will generally have a lower maximum air velocity, and a smaller limit for dust volume.
Portable dust collectors value its mobility, thus, aside from the weight of the collector, make sure that it is fitted with the right appendages that ensures quick maneuverability of the machine. Simple rollers for instance can save you a lot of trouble when moving the dust collector. To ensure further mobility, the portable dust collector must have a long tube so that the suction points can be put in places as far as possible.
The body design for any dust collector implicates two things: how much power it packs and how easy it will be to store them. While it may seem that the two factors are opposite of each other, some portable industrial dust collectors can actually have both. Portable dust collectors that can be reshaped to fit the tiniest closets are available in the market today.
If you are not yet decided on which kind of dust collector to buy and have put the portable dust collector as one of your possible choices, then you might want to think about the possible implications given its limits. If your shop has reached its peak regarding growth, then it might be wise to get a smaller dust collector. But, because dust collectors are pricey in general, if you think the shop will continue to grow, try to consider buying something in the medium range.
Even though power is not the strong suit of portable industrial dust collectors, this does not mean that the filtering system can be short changed. Standard filtration systems that are even comparable to industrial dust collector systems in terms of efficiency.
Because the portable dust collector is meant for easy day-to-day work use, it comes as no surprise for everyone that it has been embedded with the latest technologies such as Bluetooth and advanced reactive lead displays. This way, you can start up your dust collector without actually going to it to press on.
Medium Sized Industrial Dust Collectors
Although not as common as portable dust collectors, medium size dust collectors still hold its place in the market. Shops that are too small to be cleaned up by industrial-grade dust collectors yet too big compared to a hobbyist’s garage fall into this requirement. For instance, furniture making businesses which collects a lot of wood shavings on a daily basis could employ the use of medium sized industrial dust collector.
Larger industrial dust collectors exists which are usually made to cater large industrial plants.
