Wood Working and Pollution Control Engineering
BCE has extensive experience designing, supplying, and installing solutions for wood dust applications. Wood dust is known to produce significant health problems when inhaled. Having an effective dust collection system is a must for anyone working with wood, from small do-it-yourselfers to large shops.
Collection System Selection
BCE understands that many small operators find a cyclone adequate to remove fugitive wood dust from the workplace. For larger operations with multiple pick-up points, a baghouse or cartridge filter may be needed.
Operation-Specific Design Considerations
Different woodworking operations produce different types of dust, and the collector must be designed accordingly.
Saw Dust from Table Saws
- Handled easily in a baghouse
- Can usually be operated at moderate-to-high air-to-cloth ratios
Planers and Lathes
- Produce long, curly strings or shavings which can bridge between bags
- Extra-wide bag spacing needed to prevent bridging
- Rotary airlock needs to be large enough to handle very low bulk density material
- Inlets in the dusty air plenum are typically indicated to allow light material to settle
Fire & Explosion Hazard: Wood dust is a potential fire and explosion hazard. If a fire hazard exists, a sprinkler system for the collector would be indicated.
NFPA-664 Compliance
NFPA-664 (Standard for the Prevention of Fires and Explosions in Wood Processing and Woodworking Facilities) specifies the following requirements for dust collector location:
Dust Collector Location Requirements
- Outside of buildings
- Indoors when deemed to have no fire or deflagration hazard
- Indoors for dust collectors with only a fire hazard when protected by this standard
- Indoors when equipped with a listed deflagration suppression system
- Indoors, when equipped with deflagration relief vents with relief pipes extending to safe areas outside the building, and the collector meets the strength requirement of this standard
- Indoors when equipped with deflagration relief vents exhausting through a listed flame-quenching devices and the collector meets the strength requirement of this standard
It first needs to be determined whether the dust presents a fire or explosion hazard. If not, there is no restriction on where the unit may be located.
If there is an explosion (deflagration) hazard, the unit may be located indoors only when equipped with appropriate suppression, relief venting, or flame-quenching systems as specified in the standard.
In case of a fire hazard, Section 9 of the Standard provides rules for sprinkler and fire detection systems.
BCE Engineering Expertise: Our wood dust collection systems incorporate appropriate safety measures based on your specific operations, including proper collector sizing, explosion protection, fire suppression, and compliance with NFPA-664 standards to ensure a safe working environment.