A Canadian aerospace company was considering upgrading its existing dust collection systems, which were primarily used to handle combustible dust created during high-velocity oxygen fuel (HVOF) coating, blasting, and grinding operations. The initial plan was to retrofit five older units within a four-week maintenance window to comply with NFPA standards. However, Wayne Zimmer, the regional manager for Camfil Air Pollution Control, advised against this approach and instead recommended purchasing new dust collectors.
Camfil APC typically avoids retrofitting dust collectors due to the inherent risks and hidden costs involved. Retrofitting can be prohibitively expensive, often requiring substantial investments in engineering efforts that don’t address the core issue of outdated equipment. Moreover, assessing the structural integrity of aged, fatigued components presents additional operational challenges and increases the likelihood of failures during critical periods.
Zimmer and his team proposed replacing the old units with one of Camfil APC’s newer dust collectors. These modern systems offer faster and easier installations compared to retrofitting, avoiding potential complications and delays. After weighing the benefits and drawbacks, the client ultimately chose to transition to Camfil solutions. Since the installation three years ago, the new dust collection systems featuring advanced filter cartridges have been running smoothly without requiring any replacements or encountering significant issues. Encouraged by this success, the client now plans to replace all remaining obsolete dust collectors with compliant NFPA-certified systems.
For those interested in learning more about the complete transformation story, you can view Camfil APC's Wayne Zimmer discussing the details in this insightful video.
The dangers associated with combustible dust cannot be overstated. Many manufacturers face considerable risks of fire and explosions due to the presence of such dust during production and packaging processes involving flammable materials. Common sources of combustible dust include organic substances like paper, rubber, and sugar, along with metals such as aluminum and magnesium, wood, chemicals, and textiles. Activities like HVOF spraying, blasting, and grinding are particularly hazardous since they generate large quantities of airborne particles capable of igniting and exploding upon encountering ignition sources like friction, static electricity, or open flames. Such incidents can result in severe equipment damage, facility destruction, worker injuries, and even fatalities.
Statistics highlight the severity of these occurrences; between January 1 and July 1, 2023, DustEx Research Ltd. reported 159 fires, 32 explosions, 71 injuries, and 48 deaths globally linked to combustible dust. In the U.S., historical data reveals an average of 28.4 combustible dust explosions annually from 2016 to 2023, causing 28 injuries and 3.5 fatalities per year. Preventive measures, including robust dust collection systems equipped with explosion protection features, have proven effective in reducing these incidents.
Determining whether your dust is combustible requires specialized testing by accredited laboratories adhering to NFPA, ASTM, or similar industry standards. Consistent testing methods ensure reliable and comparable outcomes. The Kst value serves as a key indicator for categorizing dust explosiveness; for instance, magnesium with a Kst value of 508 is highly explosive, whereas charcoal with a Kst of 10 poses no explosion risk. This metric also guides the design of suitable explosion protection systems tailored to specific dust collection setups.
When addressing combustible dust filtration needs, selecting the appropriate dust collector is crucial. Standard dust collection systems may fail to adequately manage explosive dust, potentially becoming ignition points themselves due to the accumulation of combustible particles in confined spaces. Camfil’s Gold Series industrial dust collectors excel at safely removing toxic and combustible dusts from environments while meeting stringent NFPA and ATEX standards. To explore how these collectors operate effectively, check out this brief video demonstration.
To ensure your facility remains protected against combustible dust hazards, consult our dust collection specialists who can evaluate your requirements and suggest optimal solutions. Discover more about our product offerings and why numerous businesses trust Camfil to create comprehensive dust collection systems by visiting our website.
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