Industrial Wax Manufacturer Eliminates Hazard by Installing DCF Filters
Filter bags engorged with hot liquid wax were creating a safety hazard for employees at a U.S. based industrial wax manufacturing facility.
(PRWEB) July 11, 2005 -- Filter bags engorged with hot liquid wax were
creating a safety hazard for employees at a U.S. based industrial wax
manufacturing facility.
The company needed a safer filtration system,
and installed a Ronningen-Petter® DCF Mechanically-Cleaned Filter to eliminate
user intervention during bag change-outs. The self-cleaning DCF filter also
increased the wax manufacturer's productivity and final product
quality.
The wax manufacturer makes industrial wax used in consumer wax
products such as decorative candles. The final filtration stage eliminated fine
particles of burnt wax through a multi-bag filter system. But the system
presented some significant safety problems on the finishing line.
Wax
kept at a temperature of 300°F during processing put line operators at risk for
serious burns during the messy job of filter bag replacement.
Hot wax
trapped in the filter bags caused injuries that resulted in downtime and
worker's compensation claims.
In addition to the safety issues, the bag
filter system was labor intensive and costly to run. Operators replaced an
average of 300 bags per batch, and additional change-outs were required between
batch runs.
Ronningen-Petter's Solution
Employee safety was a
primary concern for the wax manufacturer, and the project's process engineer.
They needed a filter system that was capable of filtering thick, viscous wax
with minimal user intervention. Ideally, they wanted a filter that would also
reduce or eliminate the need to buy, store, and continuously restock the media.
Based on an evaluation of the manufacturer's project objectives and
their filtration process needs, Ronningen-Petter recommended a DCF mechanically
cleaned filter. DCF's patented design eliminates bags and their associated risks
and expense.
Like bag filters, the DCF is a pressurized filter system,
but it is self-cleaning and uses permanent, stainless steel media in place of
cloth bags. Filtrate flows from top down and from the inside of the media
outward. A spring-loaded cleaning disc travels up and down the inside of the
filter media collecting contaminants. The downward pressure of the liquid and
the continuous scraping of the disc combine to force contaminates to the bottom
of the filter where they are eliminated through a purge chamber.
A DCF
model 800 was installed on the manufacturer's finishing line, replacing a
multi-bag filter system. After just 30 days of operation, the DCF had proven
itself an ideal solution.
Results
The DCF filter eliminated the
need to change bags. The automated system eliminated operator intervention
during bag change-outs and created a safer environment for its employees.
Worker's compensation claims dropped. Downtime previously used for
change outs could now be used to extend the filtration process--increasing
productivity and throughput. The wax manufacturer also eliminated a significant
operational expense--they no longer replaced 300 bags for each batch of wax
processed.
The manufacturer ultimately installed three DCF-800 filters
at its facility--and is currently planning to replace 25 additional filters on
mixing tanks, storage tanks, and at other stages of its production process.
Do you have a question about industrial liquid filtration? Ask the
experts! Our Ask Filter Man forum can provide you information within a 24-hour
time period (business days): http://www.rpaprocess.com/Ask-Filter-Man-Blog.asp.
For
more information visit www.RPAprocess.com or call us at +1 269 323 1313.
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Source : http://www.prweb.com/releases/2005/7/prweb259421.htm