Most industrial processes produce dust, smoke, mists and fumes. These by-products of production not only reduce throughput and interfere with the final quality of the product, but also adversely affect the health of the personnel and operations dictated by the environmental regulations.
Inertial Separators (IS) provide an effective low-energy method of removing large particles, mists and some fumes online. IS work on a physical principle based on the inertia of the particle in the airflow.
IS operate on a fundamental principle that utilises the inertia of a particle in the airflow. As an airstream passes through an IS, particles travelling at the same speed as the air change direction when they enter a curved path due to their inertial mass. This causes the incoming particle to move in a straight line path away from the centre and into a pressure vessel where it is collected. Larger particles move at angles of varying degrees dependent on mass and velocity, hence their degree of separation.
IS are installed in industrial processes and production lines to:
♦ Reduce air pollution generated by particle emissions.
♦ Ensure that product quality is maintained by preventing particles from entering the process.
♦ Enhance the operational effectiveness and safety of personnel.
♦ Reduce energy consumption and noise associated with air handling systems.
♦ Improve production efficiency by reducing clogging and abrasion caused by particles.
♦ Reduce costs associated with disposal, maintenance and downtime.
IS design is tailored to the application and consists of four main components. The inlet section, which contains the inlet nozzle takes the dirty air in, which is then distributed into the separation chamber, the collector chamber, and the outlet section, which the clean air exits from.
The inlet section is designed to maximise the coverage of the air flow and to reduce the loss of air velocity. An optimum inlet nozzle design helps reduce the pressure drop at the same time maximising the separation efficiency.
The separation chamber is the section where the particles are actually separated. The induced turbulence created by the incoming air stream dissipates the velocity of the particles thus allowing them to diverge from the air stream, according to their inertia and mass, and finally settle on the impact surface at the base of the chamber or in the horning-out section upstream. The angle of the diverging surface is set at an optimum value to minimise fouling of the collection surfaces.
The collector chamber collects any particles that are bigger enough to leave the separator. This material is then systematically conveyed away from the installation for future disposal.
In general, the design engineers of an IS take into account both the local environment and the particle size distribution of the material to be processed to ensure that the installation is suitable for the job in question. As a consequence, IS offer the flexibility to be used in a variety of processes in the production industry.
In addition, IS can be installed for the separation of particles where pollutant remediation is required and where downtime cannot be tolerated. The system can also be supplied with different filter materials to suit the needs of specific applications that require additional filtration. IS are used with great success in a variety of industrial processes, including welding, casting, mining and in the chemical industry.
An IS offers flexibility and reliability in many applications where awkward or confined spaces restrict conventional dust collection systems. Various companies have already obtained the considerable benefits of inertial separator technology, while its installation has significantly reduced their overall costs and improved their plant efficiency.
