| Ten Myths About Industrial Air Filtration
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ICAN
distributors are committed to offering America's industries the
very best in air cleaning information and quality systems. Getting
the facts can help in selecting the best equipment to achieve optimal
air quality with safety and efficiency.
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| Myth
#1: Dust collection and air cleaning are only for
big companies with big budgets. |
| Fact:
Many dust collectors have a very reasonable payback period due
to the energy savings of recirculating (rather than exhausting)
cooled or heated air. |
| Myth
#2: Air-to-cloth ratio is the sole criterion for
sizing a dust collector. |
| Fact:
In addition to air-to-cloth, selecting a dust collector for
maximum performance should include consideration of cartridge
geometry, media permeability, the filter cleaning method, and
cabinet can velocity. |
| Myth
#3: All dust collectors require separation of hazardous
metal grinding (such as aluminum, titanium, and magnesium) from
steel dust. |
| Fact:
Mixed metals can be safely collected when drawn directly into
the water filter of a wet collector. |
| Myth
#4:: Vacuum system pick-up is the most effective
way to clean up all kinds of industrial dust. |
| Fact:
Aluminum dust is particularly hazardous in a high-vacuum system
because the build-up of static electricity can be a source of
ignition. |
| Myth
#5: Dust control booths cannot keep up with heavy
dust loading, such as occurs in blasting operations. |
| Fact:
For heavy applications the most current booth technology offers
a pneumatic system, which automatically and continuously conveys
the dust to any size disposal container. |
| Myth
#6: Ambient air cleaning units always use less energy
than source capture systems. |
| Fact:
While cartridge dust collectors use more energy per unit of
air filtered, source capture systems filter only a fraction
of the air in the entire room, often resulting in a lower overall
cost of operation. |
| Myth
#7: It is not common or necessary to collect machine
tool oil mist. |
| Fact:
The ever-increasing number of shops utilizing mist eliminators
have discovered that filtration of oil mist improves the work
environment in three important ways: it (1) reduces the sticky
build-up of all kinds of dirt, making general housekeeping easier;
(2) facilitates worker comfort and productivity; and, (3) reduces
cancer risks which have been associated with long-term exposure.
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| Myth
#8: Switching to a water-based machine tool coolant
eliminates the need for mist collection. |
| Fact:
When water-based coolants are not sufficiently collected, the
rise in humidity creates worker discomfort and can damage sensitive
electronic controls. |
| Myth
#9: Robotic welding stations require little or no
weld smoke collection. |
| Fact:
The fine metal oxides in welding smoke dust are very conductive
and can permeate and interfere with the circuitry of sophisticated
computerized equipment. |
| Myth
#10: OSHA is a small town in Wisconsin. |
| Fact:
The Occupational Safety Health Administration sets the industry
standards that ICAN distributors help their customers meet and
exceed. |
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By
The Industrial Clean Air Network 