Bag Leak Detection Blog

What Does It All Mean

When considering a triboelectric bag leak detection system OEMs, sales reps, and other re-sellers may throw a number of seemingly confusing technical specs at the project engineer. One that frequently gets cited is whether the unit processes an AC signal or a DC signal. Often this is even touted as an advantage over other makes and models.  But not much explanation accompanies these claims as to the difference between the AC or DC signal, or why it even matters. So we often field questions from visitors to our site who have noted the various technical specifications of our units, as well as read much in our blog about our our Unified AC/DC signal processing technology.

But what is the difference between triboelectric systems that use AC and those that use DC? And what benefit does AC/DC unified technology provide? Lets take a look at the differences and highlight what one is used over the other. 

Superior Signal Vs. Adaptability to Harsher Conditions

With the push for efficiency demanded by the current economy many industrial plant managers press every department to find new ways to do more with less. In particular, maintenance departments frequently feel the pressure to do more with less, cutting costs but owning responsibility for the same or even increased number of systems. 

For this reason, maintenance departments look for any ways they can to cut capital costs and reduce labor costs. We know it's easy to wish for expensive equipment upgrades or new installations, but  these frequently fall far outside the budget for many facilities. 

How can maintenance departments deal with this situation? 

No matter what the application accumulations of dust within a duct work system can present a host of problems to industrial facilities. Dust buildup in baghouse ducts can impact operations of the dust collection system, thereby directly affecting production. Malfunctioning dust collection also generates respiratory safety hazards as well as creates a substantial risk for combustible dust fires and explosions. Additionally, poorly performing systems directly impact a plant’s emissions limits, which can lead to heavy fines, sanctions or even forced shutdowns by regulators. 

How can operators and technicians prevent this issue and avoid these serious consequences in their facilities? 

While there’s a good chance you don’t keep up-to-date with triboelectric broken bag detector news, in recent years, technological innovations have completely changed how accurate and reliable these detectors can be. Evolving with the times, today’s broken bag detectors have technical capabilities far beyond past models; older models that sometimes left a sour taste in the mouths of engineers and facility managers alike.

n this blog, we’ll take a look into some of the  modern innovations for broken bag detectors, and detail how they help engineers worldwide in their day-to-day applications.

First, what is a pico amp?

A Bag Leak Detection System using the triboelectric principal involves the transfer of an electrical charge from a moving particle to a stationary metal rod.  The transfer of an electrical charge creates a very small current measured as picoamperes which is 10^-12 amperes, commonly called a pico amp.  The current transfer occurs by two different means.  The first, referred to in literature as the DC measurement, is a result of direct impact on a surface by a particle.  As particles impact a surface, there is a current transfer from the particle to the surface.  It is the stronger and more linear of the two types of charge transfer and accounts for approximately 80% of the overall measured charge value.  A second, less robust signal is referred to as the AC measurement and occurs as a result of an induced charge transfer as particles move past, but do not contact, another surface.

Leaking dust collector filters mean serious problems for any plant. Even just one leaking filter may result in a plant exceeding the PM emissions limits on its air permits and generate a reportable event. Additionally, leaking filters may cause a buildup of dust throughout a facility, creating a respirable dust hazard for workers or in combustible dust applications a fire or explosion hazard.

We're sometimes asked whether our triboelectric detection systems work with all types of dust collectors or only with “baghouses”. When we're asked, we normally step back a bit to discuss what dust collectors are exactly and how we speak about them. So if you've ever wondered, here's a brief description on the differences between dust collector styles and where you commonly see them.

Many plants contain a mix of modern, retrofitted and legacy systems, often combined together into one imperfect, but (hopefully) functional system. Many times, a plant’s dust collection can be among the oldest and most antiquated systems in a facility. While the case for large investments such as brand new collectors is often mentioned (but rarely possible), a smaller, but more realistic area for improvement is a plant’s dust monitoring system. Many facility managers rarely consider this an area where substantial returns can be gained for minimal investment of time and resources.

NOTE: This is a two part article. Click here to read part one!

Upgrading your existing monitoring systems with innovative dust collection triboelectric monitoring technology is the surest way to streamline your facility’s compliance, and see huge savings in the short-term and long-term. But as we discussed in the previous article, it is not as simple as outlining a few key talking points from a marketing brochure and saying “It will make things run better”. Decision-makers in your facility will likely be unimpressed with such a presentation and you'll simply be given authorization for another roll of duct tape and one more pack of chewing gum.

NOTE: This is the first installment of a two part article. Click here to read part two!

Engineers need to present compelling reasons to persuade decision-makers to invest in triboelectric dust monitoring systems. Often companies only spend what's required on compliance.  And simply saying “it will save money and make things simpler” is often not enough to convince them to take up the cause and invest not just the money, but also their time and resources into the project. Persuading them may require changing how they view emissions compliance responsibilities in general. 

Changing the Way Compliance Is Viewed