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Home / Blog / Exploring Baghouse Filter Advantages and Disadvantages Across Different Types

Exploring Baghouse Filter Advantages and Disadvantages Across Different Types

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Baghouse filters, commonly known as fabric dust collectors, are vital components in various industries for pollution control. Their primary role is to remove particulate matter from the air or gas released from industrial processes.

Before investing in a dust collection system, it's essential to understand the baghouse filter pros and cons to make an informed decision.

The choice of bag filter type for industry is determined by the tasks set by the customer.

Types

Dust extraction systems are used to remove dry dust from the work area and around technological lines. They include a branched network of ducts and suck in waste with air. Filters for aspiration are used when equipping central and local systems.

The first type of installations serves to collect solid particles from all units and machines. They operate in automatic or semi-automatic mode, accumulate waste before disposal in one place, and provide the possibility of placing the bag filter on the roof or outside. Local systems are convenient in workshops or halls of small size. Filters are located near the work area. They are also in demand if it is uneconomical or technically impossible to lay a long pipeline.
Baghouse Dust Collector by Torch-Air
Baghouse Dust Collector by Torch-Air

How Does a Baghouse Dust Collector Work?

A baghouse dust collector is an indispensable tool in ensuring air quality in various industries. These machines come equipped with a special fabric designed specifically to trap and hold particles. The robust structures within the collector are essential in providing support to these bags. This is vital as it prevents the bags from collapsing under the weight or pressure of the airflow.
A typical baghouse dust collector includes:
  • A fabric designed to capture and retain particles.
  • Structures that support the bags, preventing them from collapsing.
  • A section at the base for collecting particles that drop from the bags.
  • A system to clear the filter bags of accumulated dust.
A fabric dust collector operates by directing dirty gas through bags, trapping particulates on the bag's exterior. Over time, a dust cake forms, enhancing filtration efficiency. Periodically, a cleaning mechanism (like compressed air, shaking, or reverse-air) dislodges the accumulated dust, which falls into a hopper for disposal or recycling. Clean gas then exits the baghouse, ensuring reduced air pollution.

When considering an industrial dust collection system, it's essential to weigh the baghouse filter advantages and disadvantages to determine the best fit for your facility.
Diagram
Diagram

Comparison of Dust Collector Types

Comparison of baghouses with other types of dust collectors.
Understanding baghouse advantages is crucial for industries aiming to optimize their dust collection systems for better efficiency and environmental compliance.

Performance and Cleaning Efficiency

The final performance of a baghouse filter depends on the area of the filtering surface, air flow resistance, and the pressure created by fans.

The power of the baghouse is roughly estimated based on previously created designs, with some margin for durability.

The efficiency of mechanical cleaning of a dusty medium depends on the size of the pores in the filtering fabric. It also depends on the minimum, maximum, and average sizes of dust particles. Typically, baghouses for gas or air are designed with the consideration that certain particles should be retained almost 100%. Particles smaller than the diameter of the openings between fabric fibers are also retained, as during the blowing process, the pores are partially clogged.

Baghouses are categorized based on their cleaning technique. The three predominant kinds are mechanical shakers, reverse gas, and pulse jet. Let's consider the pros and cons of each type.

Pulse-Jet Systems

In such devices, a pulse valve compresses the air and feeds it into the bag to regenerate the filter material. This air knocks the dirt out of the material, resulting in pore cleaning.
Baghouses with pulse jet cleaning have significant advantages:
  • Automated cleaning process reduces manual labor.
  • They can be installed in rooms with explosive gases in the air (the devices do not spark).
  • The filter material regenerates well, as dust is knocked out from most pores.
For the efficiency of a baghouse with pulse jet cleaning, it is necessary to install a compressor with sufficient capacity and an additional filter that cleans the air from oils and moisture nearby: the material's pores will be cleaned well only when supplying dried compressed air. Additionally, the device with pulse jet cleaning is more expensive: it requires imported diaphragm valves.

We manufacture baghouse filters with pulse jet cleaning. They are easy to operate and manage. They have proven themselves as reliable cleaning systems. For instance, our Blizzard Bag Filter RS (round bags) is suitable for almost all types of dust. High cleaning efficiency of up to 99.99% for dust at least 200 nm in size.
How does a Blizzard Bag Filter NEW work

Shaker Baghouse (Vibratory Cleaning)

In equipment with such filters, dust removal occurs by shaking in different directions.
The advantages of baghouses with vibration cleaning are:
  • They are easy to maintain.
  • Lacks complex parts.
  • Generally cheaper than pulse-jet systems.
  • To regenerate the filter material, it's only necessary to connect the vibrator to the power supply.
The disadvantages include insufficiently effective cleaning of the material pores and the prohibition to install such baghouses where there is explosive gas in the air (the vibrating iron plates on the supports can create a spark).

Filters with vibratory cleaning of bags handle the dust at our clients' enterprises excellently. They have many advantages and are also affordable in price.

Manual Mechanical Shaking

Mechanical shaking is a time-tested technique. Through this approach, filter bags are physically agitated to shake off the gathered dust particles. Below are the advantages and disadvantages of utilizing mechanical shaking in baghouses:
Advantages:
1. Manual shaking systems are simpler and easier to understand, operate, and maintain compared to other methods.
2. Unlike pulse-jet systems, they don't need compressed air, making them advantageous in settings where it's unavailable or expensive.
3. This gentle cleaning method can prolong the bag's lifespan.
4. Without compressed air, their operational costs are often lower.
5. Mechanically shaken baghouses offer stable operation without sudden jolts or air bursts.
Mechanically shaken systems can be labor-intensive due to manual initiation. Shaking is slower than methods like pulse-jetting, leading to longer non-filtering intervals. Despite minor drawbacks, mechanical manual shaking of bags is also used in air purification systems.

Reverse-Air Baghouse

Reverse-air baghouse setups use a counter airflow to cleanse the dust from the bags. At set intervals, a fan generates a backward airflow, puffing up the bags and causing the trapped dust to drop into a collection hopper. These reverse-air configurations are commonly chosen for more extensive systems with significant dust loads.

Advantages:
  • Gentle cleaning method extends filter bag lifespan.
  • Reduces operational cost.
Disadvantages:
  • Requires more space.
  • Not as efficient as pulse-jet systems.
Schematic of a Reverse-Air Baghouse Filter
Schematic of a Reverse-Air Baghouse Filter

Conclusion

The right baghouse type depends on your specific application, space availability, and budget constraints. Each comes with its unique advantages and trade-offs. Investing time to understand these can lead to optimal performance, reduced maintenance costs, and a safer working environment.

Submit a request for a free gas cleaning equipment estimate on our website or by phone at +1 (918) 810-7688.
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Head of Engineering,
Vladimir Nikulin
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