SPC Downdraft for Dust Control
We provided a dust control solution that addressed this manufacturer's specific work processes.
The Problem
While workers for the vitamin manufacturer scooped powders from a 55 gallon barrel into a smaller vessel, quite a bit of dust was escaping and would eventually rest on ledges and flat surfaces. As well as being messy, organic dusts used in the manufacture of vitamins and supplements are highly explosive in the right environment.
After making the customer aware of NFPA 654 and NFPA 652 standards, they recognized that they needed a safe and reliable solution.
The Solution
The customer’s unique application required custom filtration and XP components that would bring them in line with NFPA 652 standards for ST1 explosive dusts. The SPC workbench has a series of perforations on the work surface. These perforations pull air down into the filter at a rate of 200 FPM (feet per minute), which was more than enough air to pull the nuisance dusts into the filtration system. The HEPA filter allowed the same air to return back into the work space, cleaner than the air most of us breathe for most of the day. With 295 square feet of primary filter, plus a HEPA after-filter and an on board compressed air-powered filter cleaning system, an operator would be able to work a full shift without stopping to clean filters. Cleanup at the end of the shift was unnecessary as well, as every single bit of dust was pulled into the filter.
The customer was very pleased with the result, and have reported increased productivity and a safer work place.