Project SF2 – CleanPulse cartridge filter system with spark arrest box and control panel

In 2020 the project involved providing a CleanPulse cartridge filter with ducting for a steel production company based in Sheffield. 

Along with providing a CleanPulse cartridge filter and ducting, FDL also installed a spark arrest box, centrifugal fan, control panel with inverter and manifold tanks.

During the project, access to the company’s site was restricted due to additional COVID-19 safety measures. This had a major affect on the timing of the project.

Many other suppliers were also on lock down or had additional restrictions during this time period and this resulted in minimal work being done over the course of a month. Once the project picked up again FDL went straight back into it.

Filter details

• Cartridge diameter 48mm

• Cartridge length 1400mm

• Filter arrangement 12 rows of 4 cartridges

• Length per cartridge 1400mm

• Total cartridges 48

• Filtration gas volume 45,720m³/hr

Project summary

Within this project Filter Designs was responsible for the design, fabrication, installation and commissioning of the filter system. At the beginning of the project there was quite a lot of back and forth regarding the requirements needed to ensure the filter system would work. After working in partnership with our client along with site visits FDL gathered all information needed in order to figure out the correct specification for the filter system needed. Each of the separate filters were pre-assembled at the fabrication site to save time on site, also so the lift from the delivery lorry to the assembled support structure would be a straight and easy lift.

Filter Designs created one big filter which divides into three separate filters, and a filtration velocity of 0.9m/, even when one section was offline.

Once we had all the correct specification, we started detailed designing. Within the process of designing there were changes to the initial design, like the spark arrest box. We had to redesign the spark box because of the high temperature of potential incoming gases, creating a hot surface easy for an operator to touch. The spark arrest box also went from having one layer of steel to two layers of steel to protect the outside layer of steel from over-heating.

Another change that occurred during the project was the weather cowl. The outlet ducting system goes through the wall to ensure the gasses released from the system are released safely into the atmosphere. FDL had to cut a hole into the side of the building wall so the outlet ducting could go through the wall and straight up as agreed with our client. FDL reused some of the existing ducting already at the clients site, which was the existing inlet ducting going from the hood where the client completes their arc gouging processes. This ducting was set on the filter outlet. All inlet and outlet ducting are sealed with glass fibre ladder tape and silicone sealed between flanges.

Once FDL received the original order from our client and FDL previously giving our client the option of having an inverter with the control panel being provided, our client decided they would like the inverter along with the control panel already being provided so FDL used our functional design specification to determine the correct specification for the inverter and supplied an inverter to accompany the control panel.

As this project required an off-line cleaning filter and the space was reduced by several overhead cranes, FDL decided to use bigger cartridges with more surface area, FDL was originally going to use 75 smaller cartridges but changed this to 48 cartridges with a length of 1400mm. Our Client was responsible for the organisation of the electrics needed for the control panel and inverter, fan and spark detection system, the compressed air needed for the manifold tanks and Kinetrol valves. The water supply for the spark detection system and drain was also supplied by the client.

This system has a spark detection and arrest system by Grecon. This detects sparks just after the spark arrest box. Should the system detect a spark, 6 litres of water is sprayed at 6 bar by a single water nozzle in fractions of a second. This gives a high level of protection against fire for the cartridge filter. Should the system detect multiple sparks within a short time, the main fan will be shut down. This can offer the possibility of an insurance costs saving for our client.

Design: Simon Callis

Project Managers: Jerri Campbell and Simon Callis

Filter Designs