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Wet Dust Collectors – What Are They?

Wet Collectors are a common form of dust collection in the machining industry, but can be used in other fields such as food processing, pharmaceuticals and biomedical manufacturing. Wet dust collectors trap dust and particles by passing the air stream through a body of water. The design of the system directs the airflow down towards the water, through impingers or a water spray, and then up through further metal filtration to trap moisture droplets that could be carried by the airstream out of the collector. This system successfully captures airborne contaminants which may pose a risk if not properly contained.

ProVent Uni-Wash Scrub Process

The primary use of these systems is for the capture and collection of hazardous metal grindings & dust. These include metals such as Aluminum, Titanium, Magnesium, Zirconium, Tantalum, Niobium and other such materials which pose a great risk of fire or explosion when in powdered form. For this reason, wet collection is recommended by the National Fire Protection Association for containing dusts made from these metals.

NFPA 484 Section 9 requires that dry dust collectors for such metals be placed outside, and that extra precautions be placed in the form of explosion vents, insulated ductwork, moisture control, grounding of ductwork, prohibition of returning collected air into the building, and other such expensive precautionary measures.

“Industry experience has clearly demonstrated that an eventual explosion can be expected where a bag- or media-type collector is used to collect combustible metal fines. Seldom, if ever, can the source of ignition be positively identified.”
     NFPA 484 Annex A.9.3.1

By selecting a wet-type dust collector you can save money by avoiding all of these measures while also providing added process safety. Dust collectors can be placed inside and much closer to the dust producing machinery, and in most cases the collected, cleaned air is safely returned directly into the work space.

Total Air Energy offers Wet Collectors from two excellent established manufacturers, ProVent and Diversitech.

 

DUCTED WET COLLECTORS

The ProVent offerings range in size, from 500 CFM capacity up to 40,000 CFM. The Uni-Wash UC Series offers a wide range of configurations and have been an industry-leading choice with decades of proven experience. The ProScrub line offers a more economical model based on the same technology as the UC series.

ProVent ProScrub Ducted Wet Collector

Diversitech offers a line of small-to-medium sized wet collectors in the WX-Series. These compact units provide an economical means of meeting NFPA 484 guidelines with optional silencer and HEPA after-filters to minimize the impact of returning collected air into the workspace. Capacities range from 1200 CFM to 6500 CFM and runs on 230V, 460V or 575V power.

Diversitech WX-6500 Wet Collector


 

WET-TYPE DOWNDRAFT TABLES & BENCHES

A considerable amount of metal dust is produced by grinding and finishing operations using powered hand tools, so it makes sense to integrate a wet-type collector into a ventilated work surface. Diversitech and ProVent have created ventilated work surfaces which utilize their wet collection technology and expertise to provide the right solution for your workshop.

Diversitech’s Monsoon line of wet downdraft tables provide a wide selection of sizes and configurations well-suited for work pieces of any size, and come with optional casters for added mobility. The base design is built around an open workspace accessible from three sides, with the fan and outlet stack set to the left side of the work area. Options include enclosures and lighting, water auto-fill control system, auto wash-down system, sludge vacuum kit, and HEPA afterfilter.

Diversitech Monsoon 3X8 Wet Downdraft Table

ProVent has integrated a work surface into the proven Uni-Wash UC Series collectors to create the Uni-Wash DDB Series wet downdraft benches. The wet collector is positioned behind the ventilated work surface, with options including enclosures with flush-mounted lighting and crane slot add-ons, removable dividers, dual-sided configurations, and the Sani-Ball cleaning system. A full NFPA 484 compliance package is also available, including control panel interlock and an auxiliary vent fan for evacuating residual hydrogen gas after the system has been shut down.

ProVent Uni-Wash DDB Wet Downdraft Bench with Enclosure & Crane Slot

 

ENCLOSURES & BOOTHS

ProVent also offers custom-built enclosures and booths for better control of dust on a larger scale. By enclosing the entire work area, dusty air is drawn from one end towards the Uni-Wash UEWC Series wet collectors to prevent harmful or hazardous build-up of explosive metal dusts. Contact us today to determine the best enclosure solution for your dust-producing processes. Unit capacities range from 4,000 CFM to 15,000 CFM, and multiple units can be used to provide an even flow of air across the enclosure or to provide individual work station functionality.

Uni-Wash UEWC Series Dust Collection Booth