Mechanical Dust Collectors

Abstract
This paper describes a design of a cyclone dust collector which is used in chemical plants for
dust abatement. Greater emphasis on dust collection - for both pollution control and product
recovery - has enhanced the attractiveness of this low-maintenance low-cost gas cleaning
device. The following topics are detailed - cyclone design; efficiency and capacity; pressure
drop and specific flowrate; parallel cyclones; size efficiency and total efficiency; cyclone
applications; construction materials; economics

Mechanical dust collectors, often called cyclones or multiclones have been used extensively to
separate large particles from a flue gas stream. Mechanical collectors are particulate control devices
that use centrifugal force, gravity settling, and inertia to collect pollutants. Mechanical collectors can
handle high dust loadings.

In cyclone separators, cyclonic separation method of removing particulates is used. Rotational effects
and gravity are used to separate mixtures of solids and fluids.

WORKING PRINCIPLE

Cyclonic separation is a method of removing particulates from an air, gas or liquid stream, without the
use of filters, through vortex separation method. The method can also be used to separate fine
droplets of liquid from a gaseous stream.
A high speed rotating air flow is established within a cylindrical or conical container called
a cyclone. Air flows in a helical pattern, starting from the top wide end of the cyclone and ending at
the bottom narrow end then the air stream moves in a straight path through the center of the cyclone
and comes out from the top. Larger particles in the rotating stream have too much inertia to follow the
tight curve of the stream, due to this they strike the outside wall, and then fall to the bottom of the
cyclone from where they can be removed easily.

In a conical system, as the rotating flow moves towards the narrow end of the cyclone, the rotational
radius of the stream is reduced, thus separating the smaller particles. The cyclone geometry, together
with flow rate, defines the cut point of the cyclone. Particles larger than the cut point will be removed
with a greater efficiency and smaller particles with a lower efficiency.

There is an alternative cyclone design which uses a secondary air flow within the cyclone to avoid the
collected particles from striking the walls, which helps to protect from abrasion. The primary air flow
with the particulates enters from the bottom of the cyclone and is forced into spiral rotation by
stationary spinner vanes.

The secondary air flow enters from the top of the cyclone and moves downward toward the bottom,
intercepting the particulate from the primary air leading to separation of particulate. The secondary air
flow gives the flexibility to the collector to optionally mount in horizontal position, because it pushes
the particulate toward the collection area, and does not rely completely on gravity.

The mechanical collector is most effective on particles larger than 10 to 15 micron & for fine particles,
the collection efficiency drops considerably below 80 %.

APPLICATIONS

Mechanical collectors were adequate when the emissions regulations were less stringent and were
used when firing techniques produced larger particles. These were frequently used for re injection to
improve unit efficiency on stoker firing of coal and biomass. Due to strict emission regulations
mechanical collectors can no longer be used as the primary control device.

A dust collection system is an air quality improvement system used in industrial, commercial,
and home production shops to improve breathable air quality and safety by removing particulate
matter from the air and environment. Dust collection systems work on the basic formula
of capture, convey and collect.
First, the dust must be captured. This is accomplished with devices such as capture hoods to
catch dust at its source of origin. Many times, the machine producing the dust will have a port to
which a duct can be directly attached.
Second, the dust must be conveyed. This is done via a ducting system, properly sized and
manifolded to maintain a consistent minimum air velocity required to keep the dust in suspension
for conveyance to the collection device. A duct of the wrong size can lead to material settling in
the duct system and clogging it.
Finally, the dust is collected. This is done via a variety of means, depending on the application
and the dust being handled. It can be as simple as a basic pass-through filter, a cyclonic
separator, or an impingement baffle. It can also be as complex as an electrostatic precipitator, a
multistage baghouse, or a chemically treated wet scrubber or stripping tower

Working Principle:-
Ø The Air Coming from different industrial sources with dust impurities enters
in dust collector housing by suction through FAN.
Ø Inside housing heavy dust will get settled at bottom by baffles and optimum
velocity.
Ø Light particles carried with air and accumulated on filter bags. Clean air
travels through the bags and exhaust to atmosphere.
Ø Dust accumulated on Filters will get discharged by high pressure pulse
controlled by pulse valve and timer. Compressed air stored in header and
injected in filter Bags by auto sequence by timer.
Ø Dust collected in hopper and discharged with the help of Rotary Air Lock
Valve.

Specifications: -
Ø Design Basis - ACGIH (American Conference of Industrial Hygienist)
Ø Also known as Pulse Jet Bag Filter, Fabric Filter.
Ø Used as Vent Filter/Silo TOP for venting of silos/Bunkers.
Ø Wide range of capacity- 100 m3/hr to 100000 m3/hr.
Ø Material of construction MS/SS.
Ø Bag Cleaning will be online, offline, on demand cleaning, depend upon
applications.
Ø Dust Discharge by Rotary Valve/Dump Valve/Slide Gate as per application.
Ø Advanced Bag Cleaning arrangements.
Ø Factory Assembled.
Ø Microprocessor based cleaning sequential timer.

This is a continuous duty dust collector.

In this unit, filters are cleaned on line when the fan is on.
During normal operation, dust-leden air enters the unit through the dirty air inlet.
The velicoty is caused by gravity. Hence, Heavier practicles will fall directly into the collection tank
through hopper and fine particles will accumulate on the outside surface of filter bags, The clean
ffiltered air passes through the center of the filter bbags and discharges through the clean air
outlet.
The fine dust particles that are accumulated in the outer surface of the filter bags are cleaned by
the reverse pulsejet compressed air at regular time intervals and the same will be collected in the
collection tank.