Can I Make My Dust Collector Fireproof?

Industrial dust collection options for combustible dust

What if my dust is combustible? Can I make my dust collector fireproof? These are all relevant questions people ask us when searching for filters. If your dust that is being collected is combustible, then there are many design choices we must take into consideration.

First off, let's differentiate between combustible and explosive. For explosive dust such as aluminum, titanium, coal, etc. there many design characteristics that must be done in the dust collector itself. Some examples include explosion venting, static dissipation, or electrical bonding/grounding. In many cases, the use of industrial dust collection cartridges is not recommended and thus a wet style collector (uses water instead of filters) is recommended.

For the purpose of this blog, let's assume the definition of combustible is the ability or tendency to catch on fire. A very important point in the collection of dusts is that most fine dust particles can burn or catch on fire given the right set of circumstances. There are very few exceptions to this, like silica, sand, or fiberglass. So, there is some dust that is more combustible than others. For example, wood dust is an obvious example of a highly combustible dust. Metal dusts of all types can also be combustible. Then there are others that have very low chances of being an issue. Typical sources of ignition are static electricity, sparks from a process (a nail in a piece of wood that is being cut by a saw creates a spark).

How can we design a filter that is less susceptible to fires?

The answer is we can put in a fire-retardant filter media. By definition, these medias can catch on fire, but will not sustain a flame. They are self-extinguishing. The problem lies in the fact that dust collection cartridges are capturing a layer of dust. The dust itself is combustible in these applications. So even with a fire-retardant filter (or a fireproof filter such as NOMEX), if the dust itself catches on fire, in many cases it will burn through the filter media because of the amount of fuel and air being blown (dust layer and oxygen) over the filter. Imagine an old wood burning fireplace and using a bellows to blow air on the fire. It makes it burn hotter. That is what happens in a dust collector.

Can there be a filter that is fireproof?

The answer is no we cannot make a dust collector fireproof. The dust collector manufacturers and designers do everything they can to mitigate the risks of combustion. On the filter side of the equation, the use of a fire-retardant filter does make sense and offers a relatively inexpensive bang for your buck in providing protection. That is the reason we only offer fire retardant filters at Filterjunkie.com.

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Our filters are easy to find, always in stock and are guaranteed to be the right fit – the first time. For specific questions regarding dust collector cartridges, please feel free to contact our Filter Junkie team. To find the exact industrial filter you need look here.