Putting your finger on the pulse of dust collection costs

Where high performance dust collection is essential – to protect the health of staff, preserve the operation of machinery, and prevent the risks of fire and pollution – effectiveness takes priority. But that doesn’t mean cost has to be ignored. By talking to SMC about air consumption reduction, one customer managed to virtually eliminate leakage and significantly reduce system running costs – while still maintaining effective dust collection.

Highs and lows

It was clear to SMC that getting this customer’s air consumption under control required a multi-faceted approach. As well as the obviously poor control of consumption, undetected leaks and speed of system shutdown were all playing their part in reducing efficiency.

Fortunately, the SMC JSXF Pulse Valve has been developed to tackle exactly these issues.

Using high peak pressure, the JSXF offers increased pulse blow efficiency compared with standard designs. So the amount of compressed air used per cleaning cycle is kept to a minimum. This in turn means that energy is saved, and the operational costs associated with compressed air generation are reduced.

By generating rapid and intense pulses of compressed air, the JSXF valve ensures dust particles are dislodged more effectively from the dust collector’s filter cartridges. So even the most deeply embedded particles are removed. This more intense and thorough cleaning process reduces the risk of dust build-up and clogging, which can lead over time to impaired system performance. Filters remain cleaner for longer, and the dust collector can run at optimal efficiency for longer.

In this customer’s case, once the JSXF Pulse Valve was installed at their plant, the high peak pressure coupled with the low air consumption design meant that their mains air supply pressure could be reduced, with little to no effect on cleaning performance.
 

Keeping up the pressure

Pressure loss is another potential problem with compressed air systems. Valve seal wear, improper installation and incorrect valve sizing can all contribute to pressure loss, as can inadequate maintenance and dust build-up. Yet it’s an area that’s often overlooked: wasting money and resources as air quietly leaks out unchecked.

The JSXF Pulse Valve has been designed to tackle the issue, by removing the requirement for welded connections. So seal failure becomes a thing of the past.

With a choice of compression, threaded port and immersion-style connections in 3 port sizes (32mm, 40mm and 50mm diameter), the JSXF enabled fitting in a large number of different locations – virtually eliminating the customer’s air leakage problem. This flexibility means the JSXF can also easily be integrated into new or existing dust collector applications.

A less moving story

Like any manufacturer, this customer wants to avoid costly downtime for system repair or maintenance. So they were impressed by the SMC valve’s high-strength elastomer diaphragm, compared with the traditional spring-operated design.

The diaphragm is the valve’s only moving component – enabling the product to reach an exceptionally long operational lifetime of 10 million cycles or more. The elastomer diaphragm forms a tighter seal, reducing or eliminating leakage and ensuring a consistently powerful pressure pulse. It is also more resistant to abrasive dust particles, which is a vital consideration in harsh environments such as sawmills and cement plants, where coarse dust is an issue.

And unlike metal springs – which become misshapen over time or eventually wear out completely – the high-strength material of the JSXF diaphragm has been specifically designed to withstand repetitive flexing without cracking or deforming.
 

When ‘OFF’ means ‘OFF’

How a valve operates when it’s on is important, of course. But how it responds to the ‘OFF’ command is often overlooked. A slow response to the command means unnecessary air consumption and energy use, which will significantly add up over time.

The design of the JSXF has enabled a 45% reduction in ‘OFF’ response time compared with SMC’s previous model – contributing to lower operating costs in the long run.

In total, for this customer, the JSXF Pulse Valve has led to a significant reduction in air consumption, and a consequent cut in running costs of up to 35%. So anyone who has their finger on the pulse of energy costs will be contacting their local ERIKS Service Centre in a heartbeat.