Twin Gold Series® Units Deliver Non-Stop Dust Collection

A vitamin and supplement manufacturer needed to update the dust collection in their facility. With 10 small dust collectors of different types scattered through the plant, filter inventory, service and dust disposal were time consuming and complicated. Adoption of a centralized system using Farr Gold Series® high efficiency cartridge collection has addressed all their concerns.

The system uses two identical "GS60" collectors, each containing 60 HemiPleat® filter cartridges and sized for 40,000 cfm. The twin collectors are located outdoors and are redundant: Only one operates at a time. Best Air Control (BAC), Gardena, Calif., a contractor specializing in industrial air pollution control, designed and installed the system.

Two GS60 Units on Powdered Dust at a Vitamin Manufacturer

BAC president Ikbal Molvi explains: "By alternating between the two units, the customer gets reliable, non-stop dust collection on a '24/7' basis with no downtime - a very important concern for them.

"Maintenance is greatly simplified for several reasons," Molvi continues. "The Gold Series has a deep hopper that collects dust very efficiently and eliminates re-entrainment of dust in the filters. It also provides a centralized collection point, which is much easier than emptying small hoppers and drums from all over the plant. Also, the entire system is user-friendly: A service platform extending between the doors of the two collectors gives the crews safe, easy access, and the filter changeout procedure is fast and doesn't even require tools. The company is also getting better filter cleaning due to the vertical position of the cartridges, the open pleat media, and the programmable pulse cleaning system."

While the two redundant collectors handle most of the powdered dusts generated during vitamin manufacturing, a smaller 7,000-cfm collector exhausts a stickier dust from a gel-coating machine. All three collectors use the same replacement cartridges, simplifying inventory.

HemiPleat Filters

Extra Deep Hoppers

Molvi adds: "The Gold Series design has inherent advantages over horizontal downflow systems. The vertical configuration ensures more even dust loading, and the cartridges pack greater filtering capacity into a smaller footprint. Service and changeout procedures are also more streamlined."

Since the dusts being captured are potentially combustible, BAC's design incorporates a chemical suppression system for fire protection, as well as explosion vents in the collectors. Dusts are exhausted outdoors to the collectors through a centralized ducting system using 125 hp blowers equipped with silencers to reduce noise. The system has been operating without problems since installation in 2006. The collectors were supplied by Camfil Farr APC representative J.E. Phillips Company, Los Angeles.