What is the Best Centralized Air Filtration Unit?

There are many different ways to configure your air filtration systems, but one very popular method is a centralized system. Centralized systems use one air cleaner to filter out the pollutants from many different machines. This can save money on equipment and service. Not all air cleaners are designed to be used as a centralized system, so what do you have to consider to find the best solution?

There are several factors to consider in order to determine the best centralized system for your application.

Do all machines use the same oil?

If all the machines use the same type of coolant, an electrostatic system will work great; however, if some use a water-based coolant and some use an oil-based coolant, electrostatic air filtration may not be your best choice. A Smog-Hog SHM or Absolent A-smoke or A-mist would probably be your best choice.

Suppose you are running a combination of water and oil-based coolants but still want to use an electrostatic filtration system because of cost savings, energy efficiency, environmental footprint, or consistent pressure drop. In that case, the Smog Hog SG series is best suited to handle mixed coolants.

What is the contaminant type? (oil, water, smoke, mist, flammable/combustible)

Different types of contaminants are better suited for different types of filtration. If the contaminant being collected is flammable or combustible, electrostatic filtration is not a safe option, and an Absolent or Smog-Hog SHM would be better suited for the job.

If the contaminant collected has a high percentage of oil smoke, you will need to use either electrostatic or HEPA filtration to capture the submicron smoke particles.

If the contaminant collected is sticky or low-viscosity or has a lot of grinding mud or other particulate mixed with the oil, a SmogHog SHM is not recommended. If using an Absolent on this type of application, additional filters may be required to remove grinding mud and extend the life of the main filters. SmogHog SH and SG series electrostatic air cleaners can handle these types of contaminants, especially the SG series.

Is there a lot of heat in the process?

If the contaminant being collected is from heat treatment, food manufacturing, or another similar high-heat manufacturing process, additional considerations need to be made. The temperature of the air as it passes through the filtration unit needs to be under a certain limit depending on the type of air cleaner.

The maximum recommended temperature for a SmogHog SG or SH series is 120° F. For a standard Absolent A-smoke, the air temperature should not exceed _____; however, Absolent makes an A-smoke food that can handle temperatures up to 200° F. A SmogHog SHM series media collector can handle temperatures up to _____.

If the air temperature needs to be lowered, you can dilute the hot air with cooler room air before it enters the pollution control device.

Where are you located?

Another factor to be considered is the location of your manufacturing facility. While Smog Hogs and other electrostatic air cleaners make great centralized systems for the collection of oil smoke, they do require service on a regular basis to continue to operate efficiently. If you do not have someone on staff with an in-depth knowledge of how to service an electrostatic air cleaner, an outside service company should be used to maintain filtration efficiency.

On-site electrostatic service is not available throughout the country, so if you are far away from a service provider, it is better to use a simpler and easier-to-maintain media filtration system like an Absolent A-smoke or a SmogHog SHM series.

How much floor space do you have?

Absolent centralized systems typically use an A-smoke 20 or larger. These systems are usually floor mounted, especially if it is an A-smoke 40 or larger. If you do not have the floor space to accommodate that type of system, a SmogHog’s shape and lighter weight allow it to be hung from a ceiling or mounted to some larger machines.

What is your personal preference?

Smog-Hog and Absolent systems are both very effective centralized systems for oil smoke collection, and a lot of it comes down to personal preference. Do you prefer the easy-to-maintain Absolent filter that guarantees 99.97% capture efficiency until filter failure, or would you rather have an electrostatic system with a lower overall maintenance cost, has a consistent pressure drop, and uses less energy?

What makes an air cleaner good for a central system? 

In order to be used effectively for a centralized system, the air cleaner needs to have the cfm (cubic feet per minute) capacity to collect the smoke from multiple machines. 

SmogHog SG series: The SmogHog SG series works great as a centralized system because it is available in higher CFM, it can be ceiling mounted, it has consistent pressure drop, and is great at collecting oil smoke and mist, even if it is sticky and low viscosity. 

SmogHog SH series: The SmogHog SH series also works well as a centralized system. It has many of the same features as the SG series; however, it does not work as well on water-based coolants or applications with fine metal particles in the oil.

SmogHog SHM series: The SmogHog SHM is a great centralized filtration solution for water-soluble applications and high-viscosity oil. It is also easy to maintain and can be fitted with a 95% or 99.97% final filter to maintain exceptional air quality.

Absolent A-Smoke series: The modular A-smoke 40s or 80s can be configured so that they can handle a wide range of air volumes, making them a great option for a centralized system. The A-smoke 40  One advantage that Absolents have over SmogHogs is they do not need as much maintenance, and there are fewer parts that can fail because it is a simpler air filtration system.

Need help improving your air quality? Bee Clean Specialties has 40-plus years of experience servicing industrial air cleaners. We have multiple brands and types of air cleaners available and service of any existing electrostatic air cleaners or mist collectors. Give us a call today to resolve your air problems. 888-451-0444.