13 July 2016
 Categories: , Blog

The clean air system in an industrial atmosphere is designed to draw dust away from the production area. With that system comes an inherent risk of fire that many business owners don't recognize. The dust that the clean air system draws away is combustible and can put your entire facility at risk. Because of this, it is important for you to have a solid system in place to minimize your risk of fire. Here are a few things you should know about preventing fire in clean air systems.

Where Does The Fire Safety Equipment Go?

The clean air system is equipped with a primary air trunk line that flows to an air duct. That's the line where your fire safety equipment should be installed. This puts it far enough downstream of the branched-off air pipes to minimize the risk in the rest of the system while still protecting the entire inlet. For clean air systems that rely on positive pressure fans, fire prevention systems should be installed downstream from that discharge fan. This monitors what comes through that discharge fan.

What Kind Of Water Pressure Is Required to Protect The Air System?

In most cases, you'll need to have a consistent water pressure level in the fire prevention system. That means hooking it up to a reliable water supply or to your main plumbing lines. When the fire prevention system is connected to the clean air system, the installers will help you ensure that the pressure regulator is sufficient. You'll need enough water to cover the entire air duct network in case the fire spreads through the ducts rapidly.

What Happens To The Products On The Line?

Many businesses hesitate to add fire protection to their clean air system out of concern of water damage to the products on their manufacturing line. The good news is that when you integrate it into the clean air system, it can be configured to only use the water necessary for the given situation. A series of sensors help to regulate the water flow. The valve opens only long enough to ensure that the fire is extinguished, which means you don't end up with a lot of unnecessary water affecting the production floor itself.

Since combustible dust is a vital concern for most any industrial environment, clean air systems fitted with a fire prevention device are important. With the information here, you can be better informed about this type of investment. Don't leave your facility at risk any longer than necessary. Talk with a clean air system technician today about how to protect your business.