How important is the Airflow in a Dust Collection System?

The airflow in the dust collection system is extremely important, as the collected air on the hoods is removing dust in the affected areas. The air is then sent to the dust collector to remove the dust. It is always desirable to use as little air as possible in your dust collection system, but you need to have as much air as you can so that it is actually doing the work it is supposed to do. If there is not enough air in the system, you will not be able to capture all the dust from the pickup area, which can cause dust to fall into the facility, causing health/nuisance problems and/or fire hazards. If the airflow is too high, you could waste energy and increase maintenance by picking up the product / raw material.

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There are several factors that can change the airflow in a dust collection system. Some of them include:

- Environmental changes - temperature, humidity etc.

- System changes - such as opening/closing dampers, creating dust in ductwork, damage to ductwork and/or hood.

- Dust collection issues - such as plugged filters, old filters, filter holes.

- Damage to exhaust fan - such as bearings, damaged impeller etc.

Unlike liquid, there is no easy and cheap way to monitor airflow in a dust storage system. The most common way is to insert a pit tube into the ductwork and measure the airflow periodically to measure the speed of the air. The airflow is then calculated.

An alternative to monitoring your airflow is to install a cyclical pre-filter next to the filter. As the pressure drop of the hurricane increases, the airflow between them increases. Typically a hurricane manufacturer can provide a curve, indicating the relationship between pressure drop and airflow. So if you monitor the pressure drop through a hurricane, you will notice that the airflow suddenly increases or decreases. And if the pressure drop carries too far away from a particular pressure drop, you know how to troubleshoot the system.