A new insertable dust collector that features improved filtering and a smaller footprint should help bulk material handlers minimise airborne dust at belt conveyor loading points. The Martin Insertable Dust Collector is an automatic, self-cleaning filter designed to remove dust from the air in conveyor loading and transfer points, silo vents, bucket elevators and screens.
The collector design employs filter elements that are approximately one-eighth the size of filter envelopes in the previous system. The smaller filter elements allow a significant reduction in the dust collector’s footprint, so it can be installed in locations where tight quarters complicate the installation of other systems.
The mesh-like material filters better and lasts longer — while consuming less energy — than conventional filter bags. The new filters also allow a reduction in fan size to move air through the elements, helping to reduce the overall power consumption of the collection system.
Martin Insertable Collectors feature a pulse cleaning system, which uses a short burst of air sent back through the filter to dislodge accumulated material. Filter changes are a no-tool procedure from the clean side of the dust collector.
“These new insertable dust collectors can eliminate many of the problems seen with central ‘baghouse’ collection systems, including long runs of ducting, large enclosures, maintenance difficulties and high power consumption,” said Martin Product Engineer Dan Marshall. “They help solve airborne dust problems by keeping fine particles in the load or returning them to the material stream.”
The new line of insertable collectors was developed to handle the heavy dust concentrations and air volumes arising from material transfer points. They are designed to remove 99.9% by weight of all dry particulates 0.5 micron and larger (based on a time-weighted average of a properly-installed, operated and maintained unit).
The automated “reverse jet” cleaning sequence facilitates continuous operation, keeping filters working effectively with a minimum of compressed air. The small integrated fan runs only when the conveyor is operational, further improving energy efficiency.
“These systems eliminate the need for installing or maintaining ductwork, and there’s no haulage or cleanup costs for waste disposal, since fugitive material is returned to the process,” Marshall added. “Probably its most popular feature with operators is the clean-side access for inspection and filter changeouts,” he said. “It’s a quick and easy process, saving further on time and maintenance costs.”
