Time for a Baghouse Filter Change?

How do you determine when your filters need to be changed?

If your new to baghouse and dust collector maintenance, determining the intervals of bag filter change outs or cartridge filter change outs shouldn’t be something to cause too much anxiety for you. There are a few ways to determine the correct intervals.

Generally, it is a function of differential pressure on systems that are not leaking. The differential pressure on your manometer will increase and remain at an elevated level even though your filtration cleaning system is doing its job. When this happens, the filters have reached their useful life. The dust has impregnated the fibers of the fabric and will not clean back down. A new set of filters will get you back within normal parameters of your system.

You can also rely on history if your plant production has remained relatively the same over several years. Most maintenance departments have established intervals whereby ongoing maintenance to the baghouse filters is minimized. We often see plants with yearly change out schedules. Some industries can extend these intervals, especially if the filters are not operating at high temperatures or in an environment where they are exposed to moisture or acidic environments. Acids and moisture can shorten the life dramatically of your filtration products.

Quarterly inspection services can also help you indicate when filter changes need to be performed. Inspection service helps keep your equipment operating at peak levels. Door gaskets leaking can create moist or acidic environments in your system. Cleaning system issues can also create an environment where only a small percentage of your filters are doing all of the work. As well as the aforementioned issues, leaking bags can be identified and repaired therefore reducing the contamination of the other filters. Generally if more than 5% of a system is leaking due to degradation of the fabric during an inspection, we would recommend scheduling a filter change out.

Faukner Industrial can assist you with determining the health of your baghouse and bagnouse filters. We provide filter leak tests, scientific laboratory filter testing, and inspection services to help you maintain your system properly.