CASE STUDY

TCO optimised dust extraction solution in a medical laboratory

KEY ACHIEVEMENTS

Compliance with ATEX directives

Reduced system energy consumption

Additional savings due to air recirculation

Customer:

Manufacturer of medical compresses

Location:

France
 

Sector:

Life science
 

solution

For the customer´s new production line Camfil offered it´s modular and industry proven Gold Series dry dust collector, fully ATEX-compliant and ready for air recirculation. The solution contains the following:

  • Gold Series GS16 dust collector equipped with HemiPleat filter cartridges.
  • To safely handle explosive ST1 dust, the unit is configured with an explosion vent panel, a passive explosion isolation valve and an ISMF Integrated Safety Monitoring Filter.
  • The integrated ISMF H13 HEPA filter prevents collected dust from re-entering the workspace if there should be a leak in the primary filters but also acts as an independently tested and ATEX-certified flame barrier.
  • This installation not only treats the dust effectively, but also allows to return the cleaned process air back into the production room via textile diffusion ducts.
  • The unit operates with an energy efficient VSD inverter in order to always provide a constant air volume.

PROCESS OVERVIEW  

To increase his production capacities, the customer put a new manufacturing line into operation which included a carding process for raw materials needed to manufacture medical compresses.

Therefore he was looking for a fully ATEX-compliant and more energy efficient dust extraction solution compared to the ones he operates on his other existing production lines. Especially the integrated ISMF filter allowing air recirculation was a key requirement of the customer.

  CHALLENGES  

Extraction of light organic dust from carding processes.
The dust is explosive and the dust collection system had to be suitable to handle ST1 dust to be compliant with current ATEX regulations.
The extraction system should allow recirculation of the cleaned process air in order to reduce energy costs.

product

Product:
Gold Series
Model:
GS16
Air volume:
up to 15,000 m³/h
Filter Offering:
HemiPleat filter cartridges
Accessories:
Explosion vent, passive explosion isolation valve, ISMF Integrated Safety Monitoring Filter, Variable Speed Drive inverter
Application:
Carding process of alginate fibers
Installation Date:
November 2023
Learn more about the Gold Series dust collector

RESULTS

ATEX compliance: With the new dust collection system in place, the customer meets all local regulations required for safe handling of explosive dusts and therefore increased operator safety by mitigating explosion risks.

Air recirculation: Thanks to Camfil´s sophisticated solution, now the conditioned and cleaned process air can be recirculated into the workspace with very little heat loss as all external ductwork is insulated. Expected savings per annual: 10,432 EUR. 

Energy consumption: The VSD-controlled fan provides the optimal airflow depending on process conditions which in turn reduces system energy consumption and extends filter lifetime. Estimated savings per annual: 4,771 EUR.

Maintenance: The installed maintenance platform provides safe and easy access to the filter chamber. Large service doors and tool-free removal of filter cartridges reduces maintenance downtime.

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Proof

Local conditions:

  • UDD (Unified Day Degrees) over 213 days: Average temperature difference = 9.4°C
  • Heat loss (extracted air): Flow rate (m³ /h) x delta temperature (°C) x volumetric heat capacity of the air (Kcal.m³) 12,500 x 9.4 x 0.3 / 860 = 40 kWh

Savings achieved operating 8 hours/day:

  • Consumption (kWh) x (number of working heating days) x number of operating hours per day:
    40 X (213 - 50 ) x 8 = 52,160 kWh
  • Savings with an estimated price of 0.2 €/kWh:
    52,160 x 0.2 = 10,432 € over 1 year.

Variable Speed Drive (VSD)

A VSD allows to adjust fan speed and flow rate of the dust collection system. Operating on a constant flow rate not only reduces the power consumption of the dust collector fan, it also extends the lifetime of the filter cartridges. Without this function, the flow rate at the start-up will be higher because of the low pressure drop in the media thus shortening filter life.

Estimated fan energy consumption:

With VSD:

  • Media pressure drop of 100 Pa for a flow rate of 12,500 m³/h
  • Static pressure of 3,000 Pa
  • i.e. fan speed of 40 Hz with a power consumption of 15 kW

Without VSD:

  • Flow rate of 15,625 m³/h
  • Static pressure of 4,600 Pa
  • Rotation speed of 50 Hz and a power consumption of 29 kW

Conclusion:

  • Using a VSD-controlled fan can reduce the energy consumption by up to 14 kW per hour.
  • Savings with an estimated price of 0.2 €/kWh:
    (Difference of 14 kw/h x 213 working days / 8 hours = 1,704 working hours) = 4,771,20 EUR