Dust collection, suction and filtration plants in the rubber and plastic industry
Presentation of four dust filtration plants in the rubber and plastic industry
The dust collector filters are essential in the rubber production to guarantee the workers’ safety and the final product quality. Learn more about how these plants work and about their advantages for the industry.
Application 1: rubber compound production
The customer is a company that manufactures and markets rubber compounds. Like most of the activities of this production sector, this activity involves the emission of pollutants such as dust, fumes and odors to be treated by means of suitable plants.
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In this specific case, the customer contacted us to abate rubber dusts and black smoke emitted by four mixers used in the production process. At first, the company tried to treat these pollutants by means of an electrostatic precipitator but this solution did not solve the problem.
Tecnosida® manufactured a plant in compliance with the current standards and suitable for the customer’s needs. Let’s analyse it in detail.
Dust collector filter in the rubber production
After an appropriate technical inspection, Tecnosida® suggested the creation of a plant to treat the emissive flow. The plant is composed of:
- galvanised carbon steel suction hoods for direct collection of pollutants emitted by the mixers. To guarantee optimum aspiration, two types of hoods have been manufactured: an upper suction hood located over the machinery and equipped with side PVC strips; a lateral hood to convey the horizontal airflow to the side of the capturing surface. The collected airflow is then conveyed through suitable pipes into the treatment system (Dustdown® filter);
- self-cleaning Dustdown® bag filter for the separation and abatement of dusts emitted by the mixers and sucked by the hoods. It is made of AISI 304 stainless steel and it is equipped with a pre-abatement chamber which facilitates the precipitation of the coarser dusts.
The plant also includes:
- triboelectric probe located on the exhaust pipe for monitoring the dust emission;
- inverter for monitoring the energy consumption of the suction system;
- pressure stabilizer for maintaining a constant pressure inside the collectors by means of the inverter.
Emissions analysis:
- fume temperature: 10 °C
- pipe section: 0,63585 mq
- fume speed: 12,0 m/sec
- actual flow: 27469 mc/h
- normalised flow: 26498 Nmc/h
| POLLUTANTS | CONCENTRATION | CONCENTRATION LIMIT (mg/Nm3) |
| Dusts | 0,28 mg/Nmc | 10 |
| Dusts | 6,9 g/h | |
| Fluorinated organic compounds | Absent | |
| Plasticizers | Absent | |
| Benzopyrene | Absent | |
| Sulphur | Absent | |
| VOCs | 9,6 mg/Nmc | |
| VOCs | 254,4 g/h |
The values of the analysed parameters comply with the limits established by the current standard.
The plant designed by Tecnosida® is manufactured in compliance with the reference BATs (D.MF.01). It is an excellent solution because it fulfils the customer’s needs, reduces energy waste and protects the environment.
Application 2: elastomer production
Our customer is a company with various production plants which manufactures a wide range of elastomers: synthetic rubber compounds (EPDM, NBR, CR, HNBR, ACM, AU, ECO, EU, CSM, AEM), natural rubber compounds (NR, SBR, SN) both black and coloured, silicone compounds and fluorinated rubber.
The customer contacted us and asked for the design, manufacturing and installation of a suction and abatement system able to manage three lines with variable operation and load, equipped with mixers. The pollution load is mainly composed of dusts, some of which with an agglomerating behaviour, and it must be treated by a single centralised filter.
Dust collector filter for rubber production: abatement of dusts emitted during elastomer production
Tecnosida® carries out a technical inspection and identifies some critical points, such as: high number of release points (over 20), particular shape of some machines, type of dusts to be treated and possibility of flow surges due to opening/closing of some points of the production line.
The suggested solution is based on four points:
- dedicated design of collection points located on vents, processing zones, dosing and weighing stations. The hoods have been appropriately dimensioned according to the features of the different machines and have been manufactured in thick galvanised carbon steel sheet;
- line integration with electrically controlled mechanical winders equipped with flexible hoses and aspirators for manual cleaning of specific areas;
- balancing and design of the suction pipe directed to the filter;
- dust filtration through the self-cleaning Dustdown® bag filter, manufactured in thick carbon steel reinforced with section bars. The bag filter is also equipped with stabilisation circuit, dust collection hopper and special valve exhaust system to prevent product clogging. Together with the filter, a soundproof booth for the aspirator soundproofing has been provided.
The plant suggested by Tecnosida® has been manufactured in compliance with the reference BATs (D.MF.01). It has allowed the emissions to be reduced within the limits established by the law thus solving the customer’s problem.
Application 3: pipe and rubber compound production
The customer is an Italian company which manufactures and markets customisable pipes and rubber compounds. The compound dosing and production operations are carried out by means of three mixers and a calender, which emit rubber dusts. These pollutants pose a risk to human health and to the environment. For this reason, it is essential to install specific abatement plants.
Dust collector filter for rubber production: localised suction and dust filtration
After thorough technical inspections, Tecnosida® suggested the creation of a suction and abatement plant composed of localised suction systems and the self-cleaning Dustdown® bag filter.
Localised suction is the first step of the abatement system as it collects the pollutants directly from the source. It is composed of two suction hoods positioned over an open mixer and a calender, two articulated and self-supporting suction arms made of light aluminium alloy and a series of winders-aspirators to collect and remove dusts from specific operational areas. These devices are essential because they prevent dust dispersion and consequently purify the work environment and protect the operators’ health.
The airstream collected by the previously described devices is then conveyed and treated through the Dustdown® technology. This filter has a filtering surface of 260m3 and it is equipped with a suction unit and other components which guarantee the best operational efficiency. The filter has been manufactured in compliance with the BATs of the Lombardy DGR (Resolution of the Regional Council) of 30 May 2012 – n. IX/3552 concerning dust emissions.
Tecnosida® has manufactured the plant in compliance with the current standards and paying maximum attention to the environment. The electric panel is equipped with inverters for monitoring and reducing energy consumption and the atmospheric emissions comply with the limits established by the Legislative Decree No. 152/2006.
Application 4: manufacturing of silicone rubber coated cables
The customer is an Italian company which manufactures different types of cables for various uses: optical, fireproof, instrumentation, customised and more. In order to be customised to different applications, the cables undergo appropriate processes to acquire special features (resistance, flexibility, etc.).
The company uses silicone rubber to insulate specific types of cables. The silicone rubber is vulcanised to acquire more resistance and elasticity. In the beginning, this process was carried out only by using a melted salt vulcanisation line. The external part of the rubber profiles is covered in salt to prevent the peroxide in the compound from binding to the oxygen in the air, facilitating the profile complete vulcanisation. Following production enlargements, the client company decided to buy a new forced air vulcanisation line composed of five furnaces. The company consequently asked Tecnosida® to manufacture a suction and abatement plant to treat the dusts and VOCs emitted by the two vulcanisation lines. Let’s analyse the details of this solution.
Planning and manufacturing a plant for suction and treatment of dusts and VOCs from silicone rubber vulcanisation
Following the customer’s request, Tecnosida® carried out adequate technical inspections to assess the state of affairs and evaluate the customer’s problem. Our technicians identified the need to manufacture a plant to suck the airflow coming from 15 vents working at the same time.
The airflow had to be treated inside an appropriate abatement system. Let’s see what it is made of! As shown in the picture, the airflow emitted by the furnace vents is collected through indirect sucking fittings connected to the conveying pipes through appropriate flexible pipes resistant to the furnace high temperatures (up to 300°C).
The airflow containing dusts and VOCs is then conveyed into the Dustdown® bag filter located outside the warehouse. This technology removes the dusts in the airflow before conveying it into the activated carbon adsorber Chemsorb®. This step is necessary to prevent dust residues from damaging the activated carbon adsorbent layer of the adsorber.
After having abated the dusts inside the bag filter, the airflow passes through the fan and is then conveyed into the activated carbon adsorber. Here, the Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are adsorbed and the pollutant-free airflow is emitted into the environment through appropriate pipes.
As we have seen, the fan is located between the bag filter and the activated carbon adsorber. This means that the bag filter is located in negative pressure, while the activated carbon adsorber is located in positive pressure. For a detailed analysis of this topic, we invite you to read our blog post “Air pollution control equipment design in industrial applications”.
The technological plant supplied by Tecnosida® also includes galvanised conveying pipes, soundproof booth (to reduce the noise caused by the rotor rotation speed) and electric panel with inverters.
Our system solved the customer’s problem and allowed the emissions to be reduced within the limits established by the standard (as shown in the picture below). After this work, the company decided to rely on Tecnosida® for ordinary maintenance interventions. For further information, do not hesitate to contact us: we will find the best solution for your needs!