P. Bächler, V. Löschner, J. Meyer, A. Dittler

Process Safety and Environmental Protection, 2022, 160, 411-423, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psep.2022.02.005

In industrial applications of baghouse filters, emission sources other than direct penetration contribute greatly to the overall outlet dust emission. Spatio-temporal process monitoring could enable the detection of local particle emission hotspots and facilitate maintenance procedures by offering new insights regarding the emission behavior of baghouse filters. This publication shows the spatial emission behavior measured by low-cost sensors in a small scale baghouse filter with nine filter bags. After initial cleaning cycles, which cause clogging of the seams and a decrease of the particle emission level, the emission behavior corresponds to ideal filter operation. However, seemingly random continuous particle emissions are temporarily measured at individual filter bags within the baghouse. Via spatial monitoring and comparison with the total dust emission of the process, measured by a state-of-the-art precision laboratory optical particle counter, these events can be allocated to a corresponding filter bag, which serves as the source of temporary increase in dust emission. An increase in tank pressure shows a rise of the intensity and frequency of temporarily occurring continuous emissions. This behavior can be directly linked to a release of particles from previously clogged seams, thus enabling renewed particle penetration through the stitching holes of the seams.