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FILTRATION & SEPARATION
BRUSH UP ON DUST EXTRACTION
James Miller, director at Dustcontrol UK, explains how the business is marking its 50th anniversary with an
upgrade of the Good For Food (GFF) process extraction and cleaning equipment range
D
ust is a major issue in the food industry due to the prevalent presence of harmful
airborne particles, which, while problematic for workers’ long- term health when inhaled, can also pose serious risks further down the line for consumers. Falling short of undertaking the appropriate cleaning measures in a food processing environment, as well as failing to tackle dust in hard to reach areas, will almost certainly affect product quality, while also running a high risk of cross contamination. In such cases, consumers could face potentially fatal consequences
in the event of an extreme allergic reaction. Therefore, it is essential that efficient and effective measures are put in place to ensure workforces and the quality of products being made are protected from such hazards, while also adhering to the relevant and up-to-date health and safety regulations.
Comprehensive source extraction systems are one of the most effective ways of achieving safe and hygienic food production, as they are designed to ensure food processing areas are the cleanest they can be – virtually eliminating the
THREE NEW FEATURES ADDED TO iCUE SERVICE
Donaldson Company has added three new features to iCue™ Connected Filtration Service’s continually evolving list of performance monitoring and data acquisition capabilities.
The subscription-based iCue service remotely monitors a facility’s dust collection equipment and provides operational insights directly to end users. This information can help manufacturers reduce unplanned downtime, support efficient maintenance and operations, and automatically capture compliance and sustainability data. The three new features are: • Fan energy monitoring allows users to assess the energy demands of a dust collector, with both fan power and daily energy use metrics. Reducing energy consumption is a key initiative, and dust collectors can be large consumers of energy. This data can help users balance the costs of filter replacement with energy usage.
• Bin level monitoring alerts users when dust collector bins are nearly full, removing guesswork about when to empty bins, and preventing filter damage and the mess caused by dust overflow. This sensor is especially useful in operations where bins fill frequently. • Pulse valve health monitoring has been expanded to work on collectors with up to three (from original support of one) manifolds to help detect compressed air problems or failed pulse valves that can affect filter life. This feature helps users prevent unplanned downtime and emergency repairs.
The iCue Connected Filtration Service can be retrofitted to most existing Donaldson and non-Donaldson dust collectors and is provided free of charge for six months on select Donaldson dust collector models sold in Europe, Canada and the United States. Donaldson
www.donaldson.com
potential hazard of dust inhalation and cross- contamination.
A complete source extraction system can be fully integrated into the food production process, where it can be utilised for recycling or as a centralised vacuum cleaning system. At Dustcontrol, to mark 50 years of business in 2022, we’ve upgraded our innovative range of Good For Food (GFF) process extraction and general cleaning equipment so that, when integrated with all our GFF components, it includes flap valves, suction brushes, flat nozzles, hose connectors, tubing system, joints, pre-separator, automatic shutter valves, and filter units. In addition, all the range’s material is approved for food contact, and several have been designed to be installed in Zone 22, according to ATEX Directives 2014/34/EU.
The GFF brushes, in particular, have been developed specifically for the needs of the food industry. For one, they are antistatic and ESD certified, being both FDA compliant and the European equivalent. The brushes’ colour coding – covering five handle colours and two interchangeable brush colours – also allows for different applications in the food processing area, or even for different days of the week depending on need. Colour-coded accessories also help reduce the risk of cross-contamination.
Furthermore, the brushes material composition makes them detectable via metal detector as well as being autoclavable up to 121˚C, allowing for high-pressure saturated steam cleaning.
By combining and integrating these components into the production line, food processing companies can yield higher quality products, whilst making savings on factory-wide cleaning costs. Overall, with companies spending a considerable amount of time and money on cleaning, it pays to make sure they’re doing it right. Streamlining cleaning processes and using the optimum equipment ensures that those in the food processing sector are utilising resources and saving time and costs on creating a safer working environment.
Dustcontrol UK
www.dustcontroluk.co.uk
MARCH 2022 | PROCESS & CONTROL 37
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