Energy-efficient use of extraction and filter systems

The energy crisis is the great spectre for the European economy. Rising electricity and gas costs coupled with rising prices in the supply chain are pushing many a company to the brink. However, as we all know, every crisis also offers opportunities - especially with regard to the energy-optimized use of production technology and accessories.

The use of air pollution control systems has become standard practice for the majority of manufacturing companies. On the one hand, this is due to their own aspiration to protect employees, production equipment and products from the influence of airborne pollutants and emissions, and on the other hand due to legal requirements and regulations. However, in times when the demand for energy savings is increasing, the use of extraction and filter systems seems to be more of a necessary evil. Yet this is precisely where the opportunity lies to save many thousands of euros over a longer period of time.

However, the approach to saving energy is not to reduce the performance of the systems. This is because the extraction systems must perform at full capacity in order to eliminate a maximum of emissions such as laser fumes, soldering fumes, dust or vapors. The key to success lies in the design of the overall systems.

An extraction and filter solution does not usually consist of just one device, but also includes collection elements, extraction arms and air ducts. It is usually an overall concept that is adapted to the working conditions in a production hall or workshop. An extraction system can be used as a mobile solution for changing workstations or as a central extraction system for several workstations or for automated material processing. The possible applications are diverse and depend on a wide range of parameters. But they all have one thing in common: an optimal design can save a lot of money. A number of criteria are decisive for efficient system design.

It is intuitively obvious that smoke should ideally be extracted directly at the point of origin. However, it is important to bear in mind that thermal effects or cross currents can cause turbulence that makes almost complete extraction impossible. In addition

certain velocities are required for the transport of airborne pollutants. This means that four times the volume flow is required even at twice the distance from the point of origin. The volume flow is proportional to the energy consumption - four times the energy would have to be expended.

Design of the piping and filters

The piping essentially determines the transportation of the extraction material. In general, the heavier the material to be extracted, the higher the transport speed. The flow velocity is even included in the energy consumption to the third power. This means that the transport speed - i.e. the cross-section of the pipe - should be selected with the utmost care, as it has an exponential effect on energy consumption. In addition, the pressure loss of the pipeline is decisive. Kinks, branches or rough inner walls can lead to high costs here, which can be avoided if these pipes are carefully designed at an early stage of development.