Robert Dant/istockphoto
DCL
Baghouse may sound like a fun word but it's actually a generic name for air pollution control equipment that is "designed around the use of engineered fabric filter tubes, envelopes or cartridges in the dust capturing, separation or filtering process." Baghouses can be found in industries like foundry and steel operations, pharmaceutical producers, food manufacturers, and chemical producers.
Baghouse fun facts:
- They can come in almost any size to suit an available location or process.
- Their ability to work in almost any reasonably dry dusty atmosphere is remarkable.
- There are many available parts or retrofits available for almost any make or model.
- They can withstand a lot of abuse and still carry on operating within design specifications.
- There is a large array of filter medias available to suit every type of process.
- Most baghouses are only limited by operating temperature and chemical conditions.
- Overhaul costs are relatively cost effective if the machine is serviced on a regular basis.
Eric Kane of TreeHugger writes how baghouses are being utilized in the quest to strip mercury from the emissions generated through the incineration of coal. "One such method called Toxecon has been tested over the last year at the Presque Isle generating facility in Michigan," says Kane. "The system, which is reported to reduce mercury emissions by up to 90%, injects activated, powdery carbon into the gas generated by the coal incineration. The carbon subsequently absorbs the mercury and creates an ash like substance, which then flows into a "bag house" where it is captured inside rows upon rows of fabric bags. The bags are then shipped to landfills. The system also offers an added bonus of removing up to 70% of the sulfur dioxide and 30% of the nitrogen oxide from the gas."
