Dust Control Systems (DCS) has recently completed installation and commissioning of a second dust extraction system for Arbor Forest Products’ MDF mouldings facility at the company’s New Holland headquarters in North Lincolnshire.
DCS installed the extraction plant for Arbor Forest Products’ first MDF mouldings unit, which started production in early 2014, and the addition of this new £2.8m mill will double production capacity – furthering the company’s aim of become a leading supplier of MDF mouldings to the UK market. The state-of-the-art, high throughput manufacturing plant inevitably produces high levels of MDF waste and the success of the previous extraction installation was a key factor in the decision to award the contract for a second system to DCS Ltd.
The DCS installation provides a virtually dust-free environment at Arbor Forest Products’ MDF mouldings facility
At the heart of the new system is a clean side inverter driven 75kW main fan which extracts to a DCS cyclonic filter with the capacity to clean up to 45,000 cubic metres of air per hour. Standing 10m high and around 4m in diameter, its robust welded steel construction and six ATEX-certified explosion relief panels ensure the DCS cyclonic filter can safely handle potentially explosive dusts.
Melvyn Bathgate, sales director at Dust Control Systems, explains: “Cyclonic filtration is highly-suited to continuous operation processes where large volumes of heavily dust-laden air are produced. The model installed at Arbor Forest is capable of collecting up to 1000kg of dust per hour, with the initial cyclonic separation removing over 95% of the waste, which drops into the conical hopper.”
The remaining dust is filtered from the circulating air by a patented array of tubular filter bags. The efficiency of the polyester anti-static needle felt bags is maintained by a powerful reverse jet cleaning system, with automatic online management of cleaning cycles. This two-stage collection process enables very high filtration efficiency and the cleaned air, which can be either diverted back into the factory or discharged to atmosphere, contains a maximum of 0.1mg of dust per cubic metre.
75kW main fan extracts to a 45,000 cubic metres capacity DCS Cyclonic filter, delivering MDF waste to a 50 cubic metres silo or directly to a sealed bulk collection trailer
ll waste collected at the bottom of the hopper section is discharged pressure-free, via a rotary valve, from where a closed-loop transfer system feeds the waste directly to a bulk collection trailer or, when required, waste is manually diverted to an adjacent 50m3 capacity storage silo. Mirroring the previous installation, the silo is 4m in diameter, with a conical base, and features twin rotary valves; the main valve feeding a closed-loop transfer system directing waste to the collection trailer, and the second discharging to an emergency screw conveyor.
Commenting further on the installation, Melvyn Bathgate added: “DCS will never compromise on safety and always incorporate a CARZ back-pressure flap valve before the filter inlet. CARZ valves are ATEX-approved and, in the event of an explosion, are designed to prevent the effects of a pressure wave and flames from travelling back along the ductwork in which it is mounted and into the factory.”
Arbor Forest Products’ MDF manager, Gwyn Tuxford, who has been with the company for 20 years, commented: “The extraction system that DCS installed for MDF Mill 1 has been trouble-free since the day it was commissioned and provides us with a virtually dust-free environment – we’re now looking forward to the same working conditions in the new mill.”
In conclusion, Mr. Tuxford added: “Melvyn and the team at DCS deliver a first class service – from specification through to commissioning – installation of the extraction system for MDF Mill 2, including the complete ducting system, was completed in just 10 days.”
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