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AIR POLLUTION CONTROL, INDUSTRIAL Section Page

HYGIENE, AND NOISE CONTROL XVIII-A4 1 of 28

DESIGN PRACTICES FABRIC FILTERS December, 2001

Changes shown by ➧

CONTENTS
Section Page

SCOPE ............................................................................................................................................................3

REFERENCES.................................................................................................................................................3

BACKGROUND...............................................................................................................................................3
ADVANTAGES / DISADVANTAGES OF FABRIC FILTER SYSTEMS ...................................................3
EXXONMOBIL APPLICATIONS..............................................................................................................4

FILTRATION MECHANISMS ..........................................................................................................................4

BAGHOUSE SYSTEM.....................................................................................................................................5

SYSTEM CONSIDERATIONS .........................................................................................................................5

PURPOSE ...............................................................................................................................................5
INLET CONDITIONS...............................................................................................................................5
Flow Volume.........................................................................................................................................5
Static Pressure .....................................................................................................................................5
Temperature .........................................................................................................................................6
Moisture Content ..................................................................................................................................6
Chemical Contaminants........................................................................................................................6
Particulate Loading...............................................................................................................................6
Particulate Characteristics ....................................................................................................................6
Particle Chemistry ................................................................................................................................7

PROCESS DESIGN.........................................................................................................................................7
GAS-TO-CLOTH RATIO .........................................................................................................................7
FILTER AREA .........................................................................................................................................8
PRESSURE DROP .................................................................................................................................8
EFFICIENCY ...........................................................................................................................................9

FABRIC FILTER CATEGORIES .....................................................................................................................9

BAGHOUSE CAPACITY GROUPS...............................................................................................................10

CLEANING METHODS .................................................................................................................................10

PULSE-JET ...........................................................................................................................................11
REVERSE-AIR ......................................................................................................................................11
SHAKER................................................................................................................................................12
CLEANING METHOD ENHANCEMENTS.............................................................................................12

FILTER MEDIA..............................................................................................................................................12
FIBERS .................................................................................................................................................12
FABRICS...............................................................................................................................................13
TREATMENT AND FINISHES...............................................................................................................13
FILTER MEDIA SELECTION.................................................................................................................13

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December, 2001 FABRIC FILTERS DESIGN PRACTICES

CONTENTS (Cont)
Section Page

SYSTEM DESIGN .........................................................................................................................................14

INLET TEMPERATURE REDUCTION..................................................................................................14
MINIMUM TEMPERATURE ..................................................................................................................15
BAG SUPPORT SYSTEM.....................................................................................................................15
DIFFERENTIAL THERMAL EXPANSION.............................................................................................16
HOPPERS.............................................................................................................................................16
DUST REMOVAL ..................................................................................................................................17
SAFETY ................................................................................................................................................17

GLOSSARY...................................................................................................................................................18

TABLES
Table 1 Cleaning Method General Characteristics.........................................................................22
Table 2 Cleaning Method General Parameters..............................................................................23
Table 3 Fabric Selection Chart.......................................................................................................23

FIGURES
Figure 1 Typical Baghouse System.................................................................................................24
Figure 2 Typical Pulse-Jet Fabric Filter ...........................................................................................25
Figure 3 Typical Reverse-Air Fabric Filter .......................................................................................26
Figure 4 Typical Shaker Fabric Filter...............................................................................................27
Figure 5 Typical Filter Cloth Weaves...............................................................................................28

Revision Memo
12/01 Minor editorial changes and minor clarifications to system considerations and
process design.

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DESIGN PRACTICES FABRIC FILTERS December, 2001

SCOPE
➧ This section covers the major considerations for selecting a gas filtering system for air pollution control to reduce particulate
emissions. When applied, fabric filters are the gas filtering system predominantly used in ExxonMobil petroleum refineries and
chemical plants for the mitigation of particulate emissions during transport operations. Therefore, this subsection will focus on
these devices. As fabric filters are somewhat unusual in the petroleum and petrochemical industry, the terms used are
somewhat unusual. Therefore, definition of terms used in this Design Practice is presented in the Glossary at the end of this
Design Practice.
The fabric filters are generally configured in the form of cylindrical bags, and a multiplicity of these bags are supported inside a
flat-wall enclosure. Hence, fabric filters are also commonly referred to as baghouses. The term fabric filters and baghouses
will be used interchangeably in this section.
Three other commonly used, commercially available particulate removal devices are cyclones, wet scrubbers, and electrostatic
precipitators (ESP). For more information on these other devices, refer to Sections A3, A5, and A6 of this Section XVIII,
respectively.
This subsection has several purposes. One is to provide an understanding of fabric filters to help the designer decide if a fabric
filter is the appropriate particulate removal device. Additional purposes are to aid the designer in preparing a duty specification
for a fabric filter system and in reviewing equipment suppliers' proposals for a fabric filter system.

REFERENCES
1. McKenna, J. D., and Turner, J. H., Fabric Filter - Baghouses I, Theory, Design, and Selection ETS, Inc., Roanoke, VA
1989.
2. Greiner, G. P., Fabric Filter - Baghouses II, Operation, Maintenance and Troubleshooting, ETS, Inc., Roanoke, VA 1993.
3. Croom, M. L., Filter Dust Collectors, McGraw-Hill, Inc., 1995.
4. Air Pollution Engineering Manual, Eds. Buonicore, A. J., and Davis, W. T., Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1992.
5. EPA 450/3-90-006, OAQPS Control Cost Manual, Fourth Edition, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Air
Quality Planning and Standards, January, 1990.
6. EPA 625/-1-86/020, Operation and Maintenance Manual for Fabric Filters, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, June,
1986.
7. Air Pollution Control Equipment: Selection, Design, Operation and Maintenance, Eds. Theodore, L., and Buonicore, A. J.,
Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1982.
8. Modern Pollution Control Technology, Volume I, Research and Education Association, 1978.
9. Theodore, L., and Buonicore, A. J., Industrial Air Pollution Control Equipment for Particulates, CRC Press, Inc., 1976.

BACKGROUND
Fabric filter design is truly an art, not a science. Due to the simplicity of a fabric filter, there are many equipment suppliers who
can provide a fabric filter system. There are a myriad of choices for fabric selection; consequently, fabric material is chosen
based on experience from previous or similar services. To assure a suitable, optimum system is being provided, the designer
should gather input from a number of equipment suppliers. Selecting the optimum system from various supplier offerings can
be exceedingly difficult. In addition, supplier competitiveness may lead to a compromising of design practices and features to
gain a cost advantage.

ADVANTAGES / DISADVANTAGES OF FABRIC FILTER SYSTEMS

➧ The final choice in a particulate removal application is usually the system that reliably and safely meets regulatory requirements
at the lowest annualized cost, primarily defined by the lowest capital investment. To compare control equipment alternatives for
an application, the site-specific requirements must be known. However, considering the advantages and disadvantages of
each type of particulate removal system may perform a preliminary screening.
In general, fabric filters are among the most efficient means available for removing small particles from dry air or gas streams.
The primary advantages of fabric filters include:
• High collection efficiency (95 to 99%).
• Removal of sub-micron particles.
• Collected material is recovered dry for subsequent processing or disposal.
• No liquid waste disposal stream.

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BACKGROUND (Cont)
The primary disadvantages of fabric filters include:
• Gas stream must be above dew point to prevent condensation and below about 550°F (288°C) to use demonstrated fabric
materials. (Higher temperatures are potentially achievable with refractory and metallic fibers that are still generally
considered in the development phase.)
• Relatively high-maintenance cost, especially for replacement bags.
• Space requirements are large.
• “Sticky" dust (e.g., hygroscopic materials, moisture condensation, tarry adhesive components) may cause blinding of the
bags.
• Bag breakage can cause excessive emissions.

EXXONMOBIL APPLICATIONS
Fabric filters have been used in ExxonMobil primarily as part of pneumatic solids transport systems. One example is to remove
dust from the effluent from product coke silos for fluid cokers (e.g., Benicia) and FLEXICOKERS (e.g., Rotterdam) to clean the
transport media before it is emitted to the atmosphere. Another example is to clean the effluent air from storage silos for fines
from ESPs (e.g., Benicia, Augusta). Fabric filters are also used on coal handling systems. These applications would be
characterized as small-to-medium capacity, low-temperature services.
ExxonMobil does not have fabric filters on large-capacity systems such as combustion flue gas cleanup for fired heaters and
boilers. Fabric filters were considered for a number of larger, utility size oil and coal fired boilers in the early 1980s. However,
these units were not built due to changes in ExxonMobil's business needs.

FILTRATION MECHANISMS
Fabric filters remove particulates, often referred to as dust, from a gas stream by passing the stream through a porous fabric.
When the fabric is new, the dust forms a porous cake on the surface of the fabric. It is this cake which thereafter actually does
the filtration. Bags are sometimes pre-coated, particularly if the dusts are fine or the dust loading is low, with an appropriate
material to accelerate this cake-forming stage.
The effective filtration does not begin until the dust particles accumulate within and upon the surface of the filter. The dust
builds up with time; and at some point, the filter medium must be partially cleaned to remove part, but not all, of the dust cake.
The filter medium, with some residual dust on it, is then returned to service. This regeneration of the cleaning surface is a
feature that distinguishes fabric filters from most other filters (e.g., plate filters, where the dirty filter is replaced).
The selection of design parameters is crucial to the optimum performance of the fabric filter system. The manner in which the
dust is removed from the fabric is one of the essential design parameters. If the dust cake is not adequately removed, the
pressure drop across the system will increase to an unacceptably high value. This may lead to a high-operating cost and
possible bag breakage. If too much cake is removed, excessive dust leakage will occur while fresh cake develops. The
cleaning interval is also important with a short interval resulting in excessive leakage and/or reduced bag life.
Several particle collection mechanisms are responsible for filter effectiveness. Some of these mechanisms probably
predominate during both initial cake formation and cake rebuilding. These mechanisms are based on the capture of single
particles by single fibers and include interception, inertial impaction, and diffusion. Theoretical equations are available in the
literature for describing these mechanisms. Electrostatic attraction and gravitational settling are other forces that can also
contribute to fiber filtration.
Once the dust cake has formed or reformed after cleaning, sieving is probably the dominant mechanism. For the operating
fabric filter, the fabric is covered with a dust cake of varying thickness. As particles approach the porous mass of dust that
comprises the cake, they either strike one or more surface particles or enter a pore. If the particle is larger than the pore it
enters, it will be sieved out. If the particle is smaller than the pore it enters, it will continue traveling through the pore until it
touches the pore wall and adheres. The pore dimensions may narrow until the pore is smaller than the particle and again the
particle is sieved out. In some locations the particle passes completely through the cake pore and the fabric pore and exits on
the clean-gas side of the filter. Ordinarily, only one out of 1000, or even 10,000 particles, finds its way through the filter pore.
➧ Experimentation has shown that particle size distribution changes only slightly between gas entering and leaving the fabric
filter. This lack of change in particle size from the inlet to outlet of the filter results from the manner in which most particles pass
through the filter. Most particles that transit the filter do so by a leakage process. These leakage points, due to variability in the
fabric or defects, are the relatively few pores that are too large and cannot be bridged as the cake builds up. These points may
also be the result in the fabrics (e.g., tears, rips, etc.) that allow particles to pass through uncollected.

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DESIGN PRACTICES FABRIC FILTERS December, 2001

BAGHOUSE SYSTEM
A typical baghouse system is shown in Figure 1. The principle components in the system include:
1. Inlet ductwork to carry dirty gas to the baghouse.
2. Baghouse inlet and internals to distribute the gas and dust throughout the baghouse.
3. Tube sheet to separate the dirty and clean areas of the baghouse and to provide connections/supports for the filter bags.
4. Bag plenum(s) to support and house filter bags.
5. Bag-cleaning components, dampers and controls to clean the dirty filter bags.
6. Hopper(s) to collect the dust cleaned from the filter bags and discharge it for disposal.
7. Dust removal system.
8. Outlet ductwork to collect the filtered gas and deliver it to the fan.
9. Fan, if it is needed, to move the gas through the system.
10. Stack or vent to discharge the cleaned gas to the atmosphere.
11. Bypass to protect the baghouse from damage during process system upsets.

SYSTEM CONSIDERATIONS
There are a number of considerations that will impact the design and specification of a fabric filter, as described in the
subsequent sections. These considerations would have to be addressed and defined in the preliminary stages of a baghouse
selection and layout.

PURPOSE
The baghouse is most likely to be used as a piece of process equipment or as an environmental control device to reduce
particulate emissions.
In either case, information should be provided to the equipment supplier on current rate, future rate (if a rate increase is
anticipated), operating mode (batch versus continuous), on-stream requirement (permissibility of bypassing), retrofit versus
grass roots installation, and physical constraints (space availability).
➧ In addition, if the baghouse will serve as an environmental control device, the particulate emission requirement needs to be
identified. The emission target could be a specific percent collection efficiency, an effluent particulate concentration, or opacity.
Also, the regulation could require control of the effluent particle size distribution, especially the percentage of fine particulate
(< 2.5 micron). It should be noted that most baghouse vendors typically prefer to guarantee only the outlet loading of solids via
test methods that exclude non-particulate matter (e.g., US EPA Test Method 5F)

INLET CONDITIONS
There are a number of inlet conditions that must be specified to allow an effective and reliable fabric to be provided by the
equipment supplier. These conditions, which cover the gas and solid characteristics, are covered below.

Flow Volume
The gas flow volume in actual ft3 per minute (ACFM) or cubic meters per hour establishes the size of the fabric filter. Testing
may be required to obtain an accurate definition of the process inlet flow. Any variations in flow, especially those that cause an
increase above design, must be identified. The baghouse should be designed for the maximum anticipated rate because
higher-than-anticipated gas flow rates will result in greater baghouse pressure drop, higher cleaning frequencies, shorter bag
life, and potentially higher emissions.

Static Pressure
➧ Most baghouses are flat-sided boxes and excessive high pressure or vacuum can result in permanent distortion of the box,
which in turn may result in leaks or other equipment malfunctions, or increased emissions. The standard fabric filters used in
pressure or vacuum service are usually operated within ± 25 in. of water (1 psi, 0.07 kg/cm2). However, for special
applications, high-pressure shells can be built, but these are generally used for small gas flows due to their cost.

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SYSTEM CONSIDERATIONS (Cont)

Temperature
The inlet temperature impacts the size of the baghouse and the fabric selected. As the temperature increases, the gas flow
volume increases which in turn results in a larger baghouse.
The gas inlet temperature is a key parameter in selecting the type of fabric used for the bags. The maximum gas temperature
encountered by the filter fabric is the primary parameter that sets or limits fabric alternatives. If the gas is too hot for the fabric,
the fabric may burn or melt leading to a catastrophic failure. The chosen fabric must be able to tolerate both the continuous
and anticipated upset conditions of the system with a margin of safety (see page 15 for recommended margin).
➧ The minimum gas temperature is an important consideration, as well, since most fabrics cannot operate below the moisture or
acid dew points. When this happens, condensation occurs on the fabric, and hydrolysis of the fabric (reaction with water) or
acid attack of the fabric may occur. Condensation can also “blind” the fabric.

Moisture Content
Moisture content of the inlet gases is important for several reasons. First, the collected dust cake depending on the
hygroscopic nature of the dust may absorb the moisture. This can result in the cake sticking together or sticking to the fabric,
thereby increasing cleaning difficulty. If the dust is not adequately removed from the bags during the cleaning cycle, the bags
could become permanently blinded.
Moisture condensation on the fabric can allow strong acids or alkaline solutions to form that may attack the fiber, degrade the
fabric construction properties, and lead to bag failures.
Another effect of inlet moisture is the possibility of condensation of moisture on the walls of the baghouse, hopper, or
downstream ducting. This condensation will result in corrosion and shortening the life of the baghouse. Corrosion on the
hopper walls will retard the discharging of collected dust and may lead to bridging and hopper plugging.

Chemical Contaminants
The presence of acid gases will influence the selection of the filtration fabric, including both the fiber and the finish used. Acid
gases include sulfur oxides (SO2, SO3) nitrogen oxide (NOx), and hydrogen chloride (HCl). Their impact will depend on the
amount of acid gases present and the amount of condensation that occurs. Some fabrics are also sensitive to the presence of
alkalis (e.g., sodium, potassium) in the gas stream which can also degrade the fabric.

Particulate Loading
The amount of dust in the entering gas produces the increase in baghouse pressure-drop between cleaning cycles, thus
establishing the frequency with which the baghouse must be cleaned. The particulate loading is also important in defining the
amount of dust to be removed from the hoppers and in setting the hopper evacuation schedule. The variability of the dust
loading needs to be considered to define the degree of flexibility the baghouse will require.

Particulate Characteristics
Both particle size and the size distribution will affect pressure drop across the cake. In general, smaller particles result in a
greater pressure drop for a given dust loading and gas flow rate. Also in general, a wider particle size distribution packs tighter
and will give a higher-pressure drop than a narrow distribution, which packs more loosely. In both cases, the fine particles fill in
the flow passages between the larger particles to give the greater pressure drop.
Particle shape can also impact baghouse performance. Very spherical and hard particles can be expected to flow readily and
ease dust handling system problems. Sharp, ragged particles that do not flow as easily and may increase fabric wear. The
sharp particles may also become embedded in the fabric and cut the fibers as the fabric is flexed. Finally, flat particles can
pack together, resulting in higher-pressure drop than would be anticipated for the particle size and size distribution.
Particles stickiness is another characteristic to be considered. Adhering particles, such as oily residues, can blind the fabric.
Fabric materials and possibly pre-coats may have to be selected that provide good release of sticky particles.

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DESIGN PRACTICES FABRIC FILTERS December, 2001

SYSTEM CONSIDERATIONS (Cont)

Particle Chemistry
Consideration should be given to chemical reactions that may occur among the various constituents of the dust cake during the
time interval between cleaning cycles, or in the part of the cake that remains after cleaning. A baghouse collecting fly ash from
a coal-fired boiler is an example of an application where the particulate chemistry must be considered. Coal fly ash includes
the basic constituents of cement (i.e., lime, silica, alumina, and iron oxides). When present as fine particles, these constituents
can react to form the complex silicates, aluminates, and alumina ferrites characteristic of cements, especially if the dust
becomes wet. The result may be a hard, fused cake that cannot be removed by any normal cleaning technique.
Chemical reactions in the dust cake may be beneficial. For example, the reaction of alkaline constituents in the dust with acid
gases can produce solid reaction products that are removed with the dust thereby removing the acid gas from the gas stream.
➧ Currently, for most typical petroleum and petrochemical baghouse applications these particle chemical reactions are not
present, but this review must be made for every installation.

PROCESS DESIGN
GAS-TO-CLOTH RATIO
The most important parameter in any baghouse design is the air-to-cloth ratio, A/C, or the gas-to-cloth ratio, G/C. This ratio is
the measure of the volume of gas passing through the baghouse fabric surface area. The parameter defines how much filter
cloth is required within the baghouse and thus how large and costly the system will be. The A/C is calculated as the gas
volume (ft3/min or m3/min) divided by the fabric area (ft2 or m2).
There are different methods for defining and calculating the A/C. The frequently used A/C ratios are the Gross A/C and the Net
A/C. The Gross A/C is based on the total inlet gas volume divided by the total filter cloth in the collector. The Net A/C is based
on the total volume passing through the active bags divided by the on stream cloth area, where the total volume is the sum of
the inlet gas plus any volume that is added for on-stream cleaning of the bags plus any air that leaks into the baghouse. The
total active area is the on-stream cloth area. When calculating the active area, the area out of service for cleaning must be
subtracted from the total cloth area.
➧ A typical A/C is 2 to 10 ft3/min/ft2 (0.6 to 3.0 m3/min/m2) for industrial applications. The A/C depends on a number of factors.
These include the cleaning method, filter media, dust material, dust size, dust density, dust loading, gas temperature and
others. Consequently, selecting the A/C is an art rather than a science and requires input from the baghouse supplier
or previous experience with baghouses in the exact or similar services.
The A/C reduces to length/time and, therefore, can also be considered a superficial gas velocity referred to as the filtration
velocity, Vf, reported as feet per minute or meters per minute. This is not the actual velocity through the pores in the fabric, but
rather the apparent velocity of the gas approaching the cloth. The actual gas velocities within the openings in the dust cake
and the pores and interstices of the fabric can be an order of magnitude or more greater than the computed filtration velocity.
➧ There are two basic approaches for selecting the A/C that are routinely employed. The first approach and the one most often
applied, is to collect all of the empirical data available in the industry (for example, petroleum refining) for the source being
considered. If there is none within the industry, examine a similar industry using baghouses and determine the A/C range
being successfully applied. The risk with this approach is that subtle but potentially significant differences between the two
industries may prevent selection of an optimum A/C. Baghouse manufacturers have developed procedures that allow rapid
estimation of the A/C. These procedures comprise nomographs, charts, tables of factors, and equations. Some of these can
be found in the literature and references cited herein. It should be noted that depending on the vendor or author’s experiences
the stated ratios might vary widely for the same application.
➧ The second approach is to operate a pilot unit on a slipstream of the actual process and vary the A/C. This approach may well
provide a more optimized design but is generally more costly and time consuming. The new full-scale unit is designed based
on the A/C that appeared to give the best results. The pilot unit should be run for a period long enough, typically several weeks
to several months, to obtain sufficient data representative of the long-term, full-scale operation. One drawback to this approach
is that a slipstream of the particulate laden stream may not be available if the baghouse will be employed in a new process.
Another concern could be the potential cost for the testing, especially if the baghouse will be a small capacity unit.

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PROCESS DESIGN (Cont)

FILTER AREA
The physical size of the baghouse depends on the filter cloth area. The required filter cloth area is determined by dividing the
gas or air stream flow volume, Q, by the filtration velocity of Vf. As indicated above, Vf has the same numerical value as the
A/C. In equation form, this relationship would be expressed as:
Q Q
Filter Area = =
Vf A /C

The computed filter area must be adjusted depending on whether the A/C was gross or net ratio. The final area selected will be
derived from an interactive process that allows for an optimum number of compartments, additional compartments (if required)
for both on-line cleaning and off-line maintenance, modular construction, and standardized design features.

PRESSURE DROP
The baghouse pressure drop from its inlet flange to its outlet flange consists of the mechanical pressure drop and the bag
pressure drop (also referred to as the tube sheet pressure drop). The mechanical pressure drop consists of the drop through
ductwork and dampers, and the tube sheet pressure drop consists of the drop across the fabric and dust cake. As might be
expected, the tube sheet pressure drop is variable with time and depends on a number of factors associated with the fabric and
particles being collected.
Mathematically, the total baghouse pressure drop can be expressed as follows:
∆Pfl− f l = ∆Pm + ∆Pts

where: ∆Pfl - fl = Total pressure drop from flange to flange

∆Pm = Mechanical pressure drop
∆Pts = Tube sheet pressure drop
The mechanical pressure drop is established by the size and configuration of the ductwork and dampers and will vary
approximately as the square of the gas volume as follows:

∆Pm = K mQ2

➧ where: Km = Mechanical component flow coefficient (varies with baghouse type, size, etc.)
Q = Gas volume
The tube sheet pressure drop consists of two components, with one component associated with the fabric and residual dust
cake after cleaning and the second component associated with the new dust cake that accumulates since the last cleaning.
The tube sheet pressure drop can be expressed as follows:

∆Pts = K1Vf + K 2CiVf 2t

where: Vf = Filtration velocity or A/C

K1 = Residual flow coefficient of the fabric and residual dust cake
K2 = Newly deposited dust flow coefficient
Ci = Inlet dust loading
t = Elapsed time since cleaning
The value of K1 and K2 cover an extremely broad range and must be determined experimentally for a given filter system.
The residual pressure drop flow coefficient, K1, is determined by the fabric type, its cake release properties; the size, shape and
chemical content of the collected particulate; the gas properties; the cleaning system's energy level, frequency and
effectiveness; bag tensioning (where applied); and the age of the bags. Normally, this coefficient and thus the residual
pressure drop of the system increases as the bag set gets older. Generally, it will rise relatively rapidly over the first few hours
to months of operation, remain stable for several years, and then begin to rise again near the end of the bag sets' life.

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DESIGN PRACTICES FABRIC FILTERS December, 2001

PROCESS DESIGN (Cont)

The pressure drop rise after cleaning is due to build up of newly collected dust and increases with time. The new dust flow
coefficient (also referred to as specific cake coefficient), K2, depends on a number of factors characteristic of the gas and dust.
Experimental measurements have shown that K2 depends on particle size, shape, composition, and concentration; fabric
structure; gas velocity; and electrical field condition (if applicable) in the vicinity of the cake and fabric. Small, smooth particles
tend to have higher K2 values; while rough, large particles form more permeable dust cakes and have lower K2 values. Gas
characteristics that promote adhesion of particles to each other tend to have lower K2 values, as long as they do not become
too sticky and inhibit their removal during cleaning.
Combining the pressure drop components together, the total overall pressure drop becomes:

∆Pfl− fl = K mQ2 + K1V f + K 2CiVf2t

As can be seen from this equation, the filtration velocity or A/C is an important factor. For a given application with given gas
and dust characteristics, the A/C is a primary factor at the designer's control to determine the overall system pressure drop.
Typically, the total pressure drop for a baghouse would be 5 to 10 in. (125 to 250 mm) of water. About 2 to 4 in. (50 to
100 mm) of H2O can be expected for the mechanical component. About 3 to 6 in. (75 to 150 mm) of H2O is reasonable across
the bags, with the residual pressure drop contributing 1 to 4 in. (25 to 100 mm) and the newly deposited cake producing a
pressure drop rise of about 2 in. (50 m) with time.
The baghouse incorporates many parallel bag filters with each operating with its own filtration characteristics. At any given
time, some bags are processing higher or lower gas volumes, depending on the time since the bags were cleaned; the
effectiveness of that cleaning; and the amount and characteristics of the dust arriving at each bag. The more uniform the gas
flow within each of the bags in the baghouse, the lower the pressure drop and emissions will be, and the longer the bag life.

EFFICIENCY
Efficiency is a measure of the effectiveness of a particulate removal device, and it is defined as:
Ci − Co
Eff = x 100%
Ci

where: Co = Outlet concentration

Ci = Inlet concentration
Another measure of performance is penetration where:
Penetration (%) = 100 – Efficiency (%)

➧ Efficiency and penetration can be determined by measuring particle concentration via standard source testing methods.
There is no satisfactory set of published equations that allows a designer to calculate the expected efficiency for a proposed
baghouse. Efficiency could be estimated if experience was available from an existing baghouse operating in similar service to
the proposed baghouse. The actual efficiency must be determined from the baghouse after it has been in service.
➧ Efficiency for a baghouse is less meaningful than for other particulate control devices because it is generally very high (99%
and greater is typical). Regardless of the inlet loading, a well designed and operated baghouse is capable of reducing overall
particulate emissions to values less than 0.010 gr/dscf (grains/dry standard ft3) (22.8 mg/dNm3). In some cases, emissions as
low as 0.001 - 0.005 gr/dscf have been reported. It must be noted that deficiencies in the design, or operation, or general aging
of the baghouse system can result in emissions be significantly higher that stated above.

FABRIC FILTER CATEGORIES

There are six categories that describe baghouse design features. They are: capacity, operating temperature, operating duty,
cleaning methods, filter media, and filtering mode. The first three categories depend on the needs of the specific application
and the second three are options available. Each category is defined briefly below and several are expanded on further in
subsequent sections.

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December, 2001 FABRIC FILTERS DESIGN PRACTICES

FABRIC FILTER CATEGORIES (Cont)

Capacity - Fabric filters come in all sizes. The three traditional groupings are low (small volumes below 10,000 ACFM
(17,000 m3/h)), medium (10,000 to 100,000 ACFM (17,000 to 170,000 m3/h)), and high (large volumes greater than
100,000 ACFM [170,000 m3/h]).
Operating Temperature - Temperature requirements dictate the fabric material selected. Traditional groupings are low
temperature (less than 200°F [93°C]), medium temperature (200 - 400°F (93 - 204°C)), and high temperature (greater than
400°F (204 °C)).
Operating Duty - The dust collection may need to be continuous (24 hours/day, 7 days /week) or intermittent (e.g., one 8-hour
shift/day).
Cleaning Methods - The three major bag-cleaning methods are: pulse-jet, reverse-air, and shaker. In addition to these three
dominant cleaning methods, often there are modifications of these basic three or combinations of two of them.
Filter Media - There are two basic types of filter media, which are woven and non-woven. Woven fabrics are constructed much
like standard clothing fabric where basic fibers are made into yarns and woven into a desired fabric pattern. Non-woven
fabrics, also called felted fabrics, are constructed by needling mats of short staple fibers into a woven base (scrim) to produce
a thicker fabric.
Filtering Mode - Baghouse filtering mode is described as either inside or outside collection. This identifies which surface of the
bag collects the dust.

BAGHOUSE CAPACITY GROUPS

➧ Low-Capacity Collectors - These are small in size, usually less than 10 ft x 10 ft x 10 ft (3 m x 3 m x 3 m); readily available
either off-the-shelf or within one to two months after ordering; mostly shop-assembled and sometimes pre-bagged, requiring
little field construction; and available with usually pulse-jet or shaker cleaning. Due to the small size and “off the shelf” features,
little or no time is spent to engineer this size unit.
➧ Medium-Capacity Collectors - These are usually made-to-order systems constructed from standard models or groupings of
standard modules, and are largely shop-assembled. Some have separate bag housings and hoppers. Some, called shippable
modules, are shipped in one piece. The predominant cleaning methods employed in this capacity range are pulse-jet with high
A/C ratios, although reverse-air and shaker houses are sometimes used. Some engineering may be required, but much of the
design is typically based on industry standards. To date, most, if not all, of the ExxonMobil baghouse applications have been in
this range.
➧ High-Capacity Collectors - These can be either standard or custom designs. The standard designs are built from modules
that are the maximum size shippable over the road, the rail or water and is also dependent on the size of the module that can
be accepted at the site. They incorporate the bag plenum, cleaning mechanisms, and hoppers in one shippable unit. The
modules are usually approximately 12 ft x 12 ft x 40 ft (3.5 m x 3.5 m x 12 m) in size. These collectors require a moderate
amount of field assembly. The modules that comprise the complete baghouse are set on standard supports and joined
together in the field with inlet and outlet ductwork. Inlet and outlet valves are provided to and from each module to allow
isolation during bag cleaning and maintenance. Bags are installed on-site. Any cleaning method can be incorporated into this
design concept, and all of the major three categories are popular.
Custom designs are used for some extremely large projects where it may be economical to construct the system with modules
larger than can be shipped to the field site. For these designs, modules are constructed in the field from structural shapes and
plates prefabricated in the factory. This approach requires a high degree of field assembly with associated high labor cost and
quality control problems, and is generally used in projects of one million and higher ACFM. Clearly, this design requires
significant engineering effort.

CLEANING METHODS
Fabric filters are categorized most frequently by the cleaning method. The three basic cleaning methods are: pulse-jet,
reverse-air, and shaker. General characteristics and cleaning parameters for each method are summarized in Tables 1 and 2.

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DESIGN PRACTICES FABRIC FILTERS December, 2001

CLEANING METHODS (Cont)

PULSE-JET
Pulse-jet cleaning is applied in a high percentage of the fabric filter systems. Its popularity stems from it being very versatile.
Pulse-jet cleaning has been supplied to handle very small to very large gas volumes. Other advantages of the pulse-jet are: it
is simple with few moving parts; it can handle most particulates; it can be readily modularized; and it is low cost. Most of
ExxonMobil's baghouse applications have used pulse-jet cleaning.
Pulse-jet baghouses collect the dust on the outside of tubular bags, which are supported by an internal wire cage, and
connected at the top to a tube sheet. Arrangement of a typical pulse-jet fabric filter is shown in Figure 2.
Cleaning energy is supplied by a short burst of 80 - 120 psig (5.6 to 8.4 kg/cm2) compressed air. The air may be introduced
through a venturi at the top of the bag. The compressed air is injected at the top of the bags, expands and travels internally the
length of the bag, accelerating the bag away from its supporting cage. When the bag stops its expansion, the dust is separated
from the fabric.
The usual pulse-jet configuration has the bag closed at the bottom and open at the top. In the normal operating mode, dirty gas
enters in the hopper below the bags, flows upward, and through the bags. The metal cage inside the bags keeps the bags from
collapsing. Dust collects on the outside of the bags and cleaned gas exits through the top of the bags and baghouse. Since
the bags are usually connected at the top, the pulse-jet system allows for maintenance and removal of the bags from the clean
side of the baghouse.
There are two modes of operation during bag cleaning. One is on-line, with the duct-laden gas stream continuing to be
processed within the compartment. The other is off-line, with the dirty gas shunted from the compartment being cleaned to
other operating compartments. Off-line cleaning is usually applied in difficult situations such as when the dust is easily
entrained or when maximum cleaning energy is required because the dust is sticky.
The bags are cleaned based on a preset, timed interval or allowable pressure rise. In either case, the interval between
cleanings is typically 5 and 20 minutes, but may be considerably more or less depending on the application. The duration of
cleaning is short with a pulse lasting only a fraction of a second.
The bag material is usually felt, rather than a woven fabric and medium-to-high A/C of 3 to 10 are used in a pulse-jet baghouse.
An A/C of about 2.5 was used for the Rotterdam FLEXICOKER onsite coke handling system (DS 82-190) and an A/C of about
4.5 was used for the Benicia ESP fines handling system (DS-95-017 GCD). Bag life greater than 2 years should be expected.
The popularity of the pulse-jet results in a multitude of suppliers and difficulty in differentiating between the offerings from these
suppliers. Vendor competitiveness may lead to a derogation of design practices, design features, and “first principles” to obtain
a cost-competitive advantage. Therefore, care must be exercised in specifying fabric filters, especially pulse-jet units, to ensure
that the required design codes, features, and performance will be provided. Bag life is typically greater than two years.

REVERSE-AIR
Reverse-air cleaning is a custom design feature generally used on large gas volumes.
In a reverse-air baghouse, the dirty gas flows from inside to outside with the dust collecting on the inside of the bag. The bags
are tubular, open at the bottom and connected to a tube sheet, and supported from the top through a spring tensioning or other
device suspension system. Dust is removed from the bags by back flushing with low pressure (a few inches (cm) water gage)
reversed flow of ambient air or cleaned gas. Arrangement of a typical reverse-air fabric filter is shown in Figure 3.
In positive pressure systems, the cleaning flow is provided by a separate fan which is normally much smaller than the main
system fan, since only a fraction of the total system is cleaned at any one time. For a negative-pressure system, cleaning can
often be done without a reverse-flow fan. In high-temperature applications, the just-cleaned hot gas is used for back flushing.
The flow rate of cleaning gas is normally about equal to the forward flow of the dirty gas in the compartment being cleaned.
In the cleaning process, bags are cleaned one compartment at a time in the off-line mode. During the bag-cleaning cycle,
closing the outlet plenum damper and opening another damper that allows cleaned gas to enter the compartment on the clean
side of the bags reverses the flow. These bags are back flushed, and the dust cake falls into a hopper below. The dirty
cleaning gas exits the compartment through the inlet and progresses to the balance of the on-stream compartments. The bag
contains rings at 3 to 4 ft (0.9 to 1.2 m) intervals to keep the bag from completely collapsing during the flow reversal. Complete
collapse would prevent the removed dust particles from falling down the bag into the hopper.

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December, 2001 FABRIC FILTERS DESIGN PRACTICES

CLEANING METHODS (Cont)

Bag cleaning cycles vary from about one-half hour to several hours. Duration of reverse gas flow is 30 to 60 seconds, with null
periods of 30 - 60 seconds before and after cleaning. Reverse-air baghouses use woven bags and gas to cloth ratios of 1 to 3.
This type of dust collection is used mainly for medium-to-large applications. Bag life is on the order of 3 to 6 years due to the
gentle nature of this cleaning method.

SHAKER
Shaker cleaning is the original cleaning method, but today is generally not selected over the other two methods due to its
maintenance requirements.
The shaker-cleaning method removes the collected dust from the bag surface by mechanically shaking the bag. It can be done
manually on small dust collectors. Generally, however, it is accomplished by the use of an electric motor driving an eccentric
cam which has a rod connected to the bags. Many mechanisms are available to impart motion to the bags. All of these
mechanisms impart energy to the filter fabric so that a change of direction allows inertial forces to remove collected filter cake
from the bags. Arrangement of a typical shaker fabric filter is shown in Figure 4.
The bags are tubular, open at the bottom and connected to a tube sheet, and supported at the top from a shaker frame
attached to a shaker system. With this configuration, dust is collected on the inside of the bag. The bag normally contains no
rings or cages. When the bags are cleaned, the mode of operation must be off-line. The slightest forward differential pressure
across the bags has been shown to retard bag cleaning significantly. For this reason, some systems employ a small amount of
reverse air during cleaning to collapse the bag.
The bags are normally cleaned on a one-half hour to several-hour cycle. Duration of cleaning is 0.5 to 5 minutes. Shaker
baghouses use woven bags and A/C of 1 to 3. Shaker baghouses are used for both intermittent and continuous operations,
ranging from small to large volume gas streams. Bag life is typically 1 to 5 years.

CLEANING METHOD ENHANCEMENTS

Baghouse suppliers are continually investigating new cleaning methods and looking for alternatives to enhance the
performance of the existing methods.
Sonic cleaning is one alternative that has been applied commercially to augment cleaning baghouses with reverse-air and
shaker systems. Sonic cleaning has been shown to be effective in reducing the average weight of the residual dust load on the
bags and reducing operating pressure losses. The cleaning is produced by sonic horns that are usually powered by
compressed air, and a vibrating metal plate that periodically interrupts the air flow, thereby introducing acoustic vibration. A
cast metal horn bell is normally used for acoustic coupling. Typically, one to four horns are installed in the ceiling of a
baghouse compartment containing several hundred bags.

FILTER MEDIA
Once the type of baghouse is selected, the next important decision in a baghouse specification is the selection of the filter
fabric. This is an area where there are a number of factors that must be considered, and the ultimate selection is an art rather
than a science. Consequently, only a very general description is provided here which will cover filtration fabrics and their
properties. For more information, consult the references. For definition of terms used below, refer to the Glossary at the end of
this Design Practice.

FIBERS
The list of fibers available for consideration is very extensive. There are three general classifications of fibers that are natural,
synthetic, and mineral.
The natural fibers include cotton, paper, and wool. These are still employed for many filter applications, primarily because of
their low cost. However, they are only good for low temperature, less than about 225°F (105°C).
Synthetic (organic) fibers have greatly extended the possible range of applications for fabric filters. A great variety of synthetic
fibers are suitable for use in filtration fabrics. They are widely used because of their low cost, better temperature resistance,
better chemical resistance characteristics, and small diameter fiber. Synthetics used include acetates, acrylics, fluorocarbons
(e.g., Teflon), polyamides (e.g., nylons, Nomex), polyesters, polyolefins, polyvinyl chlorides, carbon fibers, and polymers.

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FILTER MEDIA (Cont)

The minerals (inorganics) include glass (fiberglass), ceramics, and metals. A primary advantage of the minerals is their high
temperature capabilities. Ceramics and metals have the potential to significantly extend the fabric filter temperature limits, and
are currently in the development stages with some limited commercial applications.

FABRICS
Filter fabrics commonly used to construct the bags are either woven or non-woven (the terms non-woven and felted are used
interchangeably). Most filtration fabrics are completely or partially made by weaving. Woven fabrics are generally used in
shaker and reverse-air filter baghouses in which the gas flow is from inside to outside of the bags. These baghouses generally
operate at lower A/C ratios where the flow restrictions of the woven fabric are less significant.
Woven fabric is manufactured by weaving together fibers that previously had been made into yarns. During weaving,
longitudinal yarns (the warp) are interlaced at right angles with transverse yarns (the fill) by means of a loom. There are three
basic weaves commonly used in gaseous filtration. These are plain, twill, and satin. Typical filter cloth weaves are shown in
Figure 5. Plain weave has a simple one-up and one-down construction and has the lowest initial cost, best porosity, and the
greatest particle retention. However, it has the greatest potential for blinding. Twill weave has a distinct diagonal design, which
is a result of diagonally arranging the interlacings of warp and fill. The twill weave has medium retention and blinding
characteristics and has reasonable permeability. Satin (sateen) is similar to twill, but is manufactured with fewer interlacings to
eliminate the diagonal pattern and produce a flat, smooth lustrous surface. Satin has the lowest particle retention, is easiest to
clean of accumulated dust, and has the lowest potential for blinding.
Non-woven (felted) fabrics generally are defined as sheet or web structures made by bonding and/or interlacing fibers, yarns, or
filaments by mechanical, thermal, chemical or solvent methods. Non-woven fabrics are composed of randomly oriented fibers
and are relatively thick. The thickness provides maximum particle impingement, but it also increases the pressure drop. Non-
woven fabrics are normally used in pulse-jet baghouses and are operated at high A/C ratios.
Modern non-woven fabrics are engineered to provide specific benefits and properties, such as resilience, improved strength.
The type of non-woven process employed (key-laid, wetlaid, spunbonded, needlepunched, etc.) is the key determinant of the
kind of fabric produced. The fiber or polymer selected also contributes to the characteristics of the finished fabric.

TREATMENT AND FINISHES

Unfinished (greige) woven fabrics intended for use as filtration fabrics are treated and/or finished after weaving to improve their
filtration characteristics. Fabric life and strength may also be improved. Treatments are defined as post-weaving processes
that affect the entire fabric. Finishes are post-weaving processes that affect only the surface of the fabric.
Treatments for fabrics of natural fibers usually include cleaning (washing or scouring) and bleaching. These natural fabrics
may also be chemically treated to provide waterproofing, mildew-proofing or fire retardation. One fabric treatment of
significance for synthetic fabrics is heat setting to relax internal stresses in yarns that occur during weaving. In the heat setting
process, the fabric is exposed to temperatures exceeding those experienced in service to enhance dimensional stability and
provide a smooth surface with uniform permeability. Since the fabric filter business is highly competitive, vendors may develop
treatments that they consider proprietary. If such treatments will be supplied, the user should request demonstrated
experience.
There are a great variety of finishes available. The napping process for spun fibers pulls fibers out of the yarn bundles to form
a soft pile, which promotes the formation of a dust cake on the fabric. Any fabric may be silicone-treated (also used in
combination with graphite and Teflon) to improve abrasion resistance, to facilitate cake release, and to reduce moisture
absorption. Fabric finish is extremely important for bag filtering, where nodules develop that restrict filtering and interfere with
cake release. Singeing the interior can reduce the formation of nodules or exterior to remove fibers not tightly bound in the
weave. Numerous special finishes have been developed to improve the performance of glass fabrics used in high-temperature
filtration.

FILTER MEDIA SELECTION

Once the cleaning method and A/C have been selected, the next major decision is the selection of the filter medium. This
selection is crucial, but not easy, because many, often conflicting requirements must be met. Again, as was the case with the
A/C, selection of the fabric is more of an art than a science. The list of fibers available for consideration is very extensive.
Primarily the operating environment determines the choice of a proper fiber for the filtration fabric in which filtration will take
place. The process inlet conditions that are important to the filter media selection have been described previously in this
Design Practice.

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FILTER MEDIA (Cont)

The chemical and physical properties of the filter media will determine its compatibility with the operating environment and its
suitability for a specific application. These properties include temperature limits, chemical resistance, abrasion resistance,
permeability, dust cake release, flexibility, dimensional stability, and strength. Clearly, the selection will also depend on the
cost of the fabric material.
Numerous tables and charts are available from the baghouse suppliers that describe the properties of the fabrics. Table 3 is
representative of the type of available charts. It summarizes some of the properties of some common fabric materials that
might typically be considered for a fabric filter. Reference 1 is an excellent reference for fabric material properties.
The temperature limits for the fabric is probably the single most important property. As the operating temperature increases,
fabric choices decrease. In the 1990s the maximum temperature for which economical filter media were commercially available
was about 500°F (260°C). This could change with time as experience is gained with ceramic and metallic filters which are
being developed for much higher temperature applications. When temperatures exceed 500°F, the usual approach is to cool
the gas. There are several options for cooling the gas, and these are covered below in the System Design section of this
Design Practice.
Table 3 provides temperature limits recommended in the literature for both continuous operation and surge conditions. These
limits can be used for initial screening, but they should be confirmed with a fabric filter supplier before the fabric is selected for a
specific application. EMRE recommends that filtration systems be designed/specified such that the normal maximum
inlet temperature is lower than both the fabric long term/continuous temperature and the surge temperature minus
25°F (14°C).

SYSTEM DESIGN

INLET TEMPERATURE REDUCTION

As indicated earlier, the filtration system inlet temperature must be maintained below the filtration media limit. Facilities for
reducing the inlet temperature must be provided if no fabric is available for the operating temperature, or if a process change
results in a temperature that will continuously be above the fabric limit, or if short-term surges, such as during an upset, will
result in the process temperature temporarily exceeding the limit.
Three common methods for maintaining the continuous temperature within the limit are direct evaporative cooling by water
injection, direct dilution cooling by ambient air injection, and indirect cooling via a heat exchanger. Each of these methods has
their advantages and disadvantages.
In evaporative cooling, the hot gases are cooled by injection of water upstream of the baghouse. A major design concern with
this approach is preventing water droplets from reaching the filtration media. If evaporation is not completed before the drops
enter the filtration compartments, the droplets will be captured on the filtration media and most likely blind it. Two design
considerations are atomizer/nozzle design and duct length for droplet evaporation. Smaller droplets are preferred to minimize
the evaporation length. There are two alternative atomizers: mechanical and dual fluid. Most facilities which have evaporative
cooling use mechanically atomized sprays since they are less costly and require less maintenance than dual fluid atomizers.
Mechanical atomization generally produces larger droplets than dual fluid nozzles. These droplets will be carried further
downstream before they evaporate. Dual fluid atomizers would minimize this problem because they produce a finer droplet,
however, the additional maintenance required by these nozzles and the need for a second fluid generally makes the dual fluid
nozzles less reliable. Evaporative cooling adds some nominal additional mass to the flow passing through the baghouse.
Generally, the temperature reduction still results in a lower total gas volume that is an advantage for this method. As implied
above, the principle disadvantage is potential blinding of the bags.
Direct dilution cooling can be accomplished by installing an additional fan or by educting the air if the filtration system is
equipped with induced draft fans on the exhaust of the baghouse. Once the cooling air has been drawn into the system,
thorough mixing of the two gas streams is required to assure a uniform gas temperature is entering the baghouse. While this
method has the advantage of eliminating potential bag blinding due to water, it also has drawbacks. First, the dilution air
substantially increases the total gas volume through the filtration system, which will both increase system pressure drop and
reduce performance or increase system size and cost. The second drawback is the potential for poor mixing of the gas
streams. Some equipment suppliers have developed an elaborate series of vents, mechanically interconnected to a string of
temperature-sensing elements at the inlet to the fabric filter. The excessive integration tends to reduce the reliability of this
system.

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SYSTEM DESIGN (Cont)

Indirect cooling with a heat exchanger is the least frequently used method. While this method has the advantage of reducing
the flow volume through the baghouse, the higher capital cost for the heat exchanger results in a net capital cost increase for
the complete system. The indirect cooling could be the preferred method if operating credits could be identified for the heat
recovery such as a combustion air preheater on a fired heater or boiler. Indirect cooling could also be the preferred method on
low capacity baghouse systems, where the cooling can be provided by externally finned transfer lines (see Section VI-B, page
3, and Section VI-D, page 10).
For the temperature surges, these three methods would also be considered for reducing the temperature to an acceptable
value. However, for infrequent surges, flue gas bypass could be the preferred method. The primary drawback for this method
is that temporarily no particulate emissions are removed by the system. If the temporary emissions increase is acceptable,
bypassing the hot gas around the filtration system is probably the most reliable and lowest cost system to protect the filtration
system from the high-temperature surges. Even if another cooling method is provided, a bypass may also be provided as a
backup in the event that the primary cooling system is inoperable. For locations where it is environmentally unacceptable to
temporarily bypass to the atmosphere during a temperature surge, a backup particulate removal system such as a scrubber will
have to be included in the particulate removal system. This is the case, for example, for the coke handling systems at Benicia
and Rotterdam.
The b-pass system generally comprises a duct with a damper(s) that directly links the baghouse's inlet and outlet plenums or
ducting. Temperature sensors in the inlet would activate the damper(s) and simultaneously close the outlet dampers of the
various compartments of the filtration system. The latter step is required to ensure that all the gas bypasses the filtration
system. Industry feedback indicates that this is an effective approach for protecting the media, but there are some other
drawbacks associated with this system, besides the increase in emissions. In most filtration systems, the pressure drop of the
bypass system is significantly different from that of the normal routing. If gas movement devices (fans) are employed, the
balance of these devices may be upset. Also, on occasion, there have been instances where the bypass dampers have not
fully sealed allowing some continuing bypassing with resulting higher emissions.

MINIMUM TEMPERATURE
As indicated earlier, the filtration media must be operated above the water and/or acid dew point to avoid potential problems
including bag blinding, filtration media deterioration, and corrosion of the filtration system components, especially the shell.
EMRE recommends that the outlet temperature from the fabric filter should be at least 35°F (20°C) above the dew
point.
In setting the operating temperature to avoid condensation, the temperature drop across the filtration system must be taken into
consideration. It is common for fabric filter suppliers to provide systems without insulation, especially the modular systems.
Thus, the specification of the operating temperature or the specification for insulation can become critical. Even when the
fabric filter is insulated, the high surface area and long gas residence times may result in a significant temperature drop. The
actual temperature drop will depend on the filtration system configuration, insulation, and operating conditions. Most fabric filter
suppliers claim that their units only have a temperature drop of about 10°F (6°C), but verification of more precise values of this
drop must be obtained for the specific design, application, and operating temperature. Therefore, for a typical fabric filter, the
minimum inlet temperature should be at least 35°F (20°C) above the dew point.

BAG SUPPORT SYSTEM

Proper bag support is essential for optimum bag life and control efficiency. The open end of the bags are attached to and held
in place by the tube sheet. Since the tube sheet separates the dirty gas from the clean gas, the attachment of the bags must
be carefully monitored to assure a good seal is made to avoid leakage. There are many styles of bag-to-tube sheet
connections available. The one that best fits the application should be selected and thoroughly inspected to ensure that the
required sealing is attained. The simplest and probably the most effective bag-to-tube sheet connection for pulse-jet collectors
is the snap-in type, and for reverse-air and shaker collectors, the hose-clamp type. Many bag failures occur at or near the bag
connection to the tube sheet, thus this area should receive extra attention.
Support of the closed end of the bag is also important since this supplies the proper bag tension to ensure adequate bag life
and minimum particulate emissions. Proper bag cleaning requires flexing of the surface to dislodge the cake, and if the bag
tension is low, the cleaning energy may only be partially effective. The bag should be tight enough for good cleaning and to
avoid abrasion, but not so tight as to exceed the tensile strength of the bag during cleaning.

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SYSTEM DESIGN (Cont)

For reverse-air baghouses, the bag closed end is attached and hung from a support rack, and tension is supplied by
compressing a spring. Shaker baghouses are more difficult to tension since there is no cage or tensioning spring. The bags
are attached at the top to the shaker mechanism and are usually pulled to a taut position to create the tension. How to inspect
and define a properly tensioned bag for a specific system is information that should be obtained from the fabric filter supplier
since most suppliers have their own designs.
➧ For pulse-jet baghouses, the bag closed end is free and the necessary bag tension is established by the bag-to-cage fit. The
bag diameter must be greater than the cage to allow movements of the fabric during cleaning and to accelerate the dust cake
and dislodge it from the bag. However, the bag should not be oversized to where folds, creases, or excessive flexing develop
which will shorten bag life. There are many different types of cages, and the bag-to-cage fit can vary for the different types of
fabrics. However, the bag circumference is normally 3/8 to 3/4 in. (9.5 to 19 mm) greater than the cage circumference. Also to
assure a snug fit, the bag and cage length are the same. For fabrics that have stretch or shrinkage characteristics with
temperature, special care should be taken in specifying the bag-to-cage fit. Bag cage materials must also be compatible with
the fabric to avoid excessive ware.

DIFFERENTIAL THERMAL EXPANSION

While the impact of differential thermal expansion in most fabric filters is less significant than in other particulate control
systems (especially electrostatic precipitators), it still must be considered. In fabric filters, the primary impact of differential
thermal expansion is to reduce the bag tension in reverse-air baghouses and potentially misalign the blow back system in
pulse-jet baghouses. As indicated above, the bag tension in reverse-air systems relies on a spring. As the baghouse is
heated, the elasticity of the spring changes which results in a change in the bag tension. To compensate for this situation, the
bags are pretensioned; and occasionally the entire system must be retensioned to allow for the creep that takes place in the
springs.
In the pulse-jet baghouses, the blow back system generally has more mass than the tube sheet. As the temperature increases,
the difference in growth of the two components may cause misalignment. Presetting an alignment to compensate for this
differential thermal growth can alleviate the problem. However, operation outside of the predetermined range can still cause
misalignment.
For the new, high temperature filtration systems, which are being developed, differential thermal expansion is also a concern.
Since most of the high temperature filter media have expansion coefficients significantly different from the bag support systems,
sealing the media into the support system becomes difficult. Suppliers have experimented with various springs/screws/
sealants to achieve a gas-tight fit. To date, this item remains a primary concern with the high temperature filter systems, and
extensive mechanical and process reviews are required to confirm the filters’ reliability.

HOPPERS
Hoppers are used to collect and store the dry particulate that is removed from the filtration media. Hoppers are either
pyramidal or trough shaped. Experience has shown that the pyramidal shaped hopper is generally more reliable due to the
smaller cross-section of its discharge. General practice is to have one hopper per filtration compartment so that each collection
chamber can be cleaned separately. Any design that tries to reduce cost by handling several filtration compartments with a
single hopper should be carefully examined to assure that the filtration media would meet the cleaning requirements. The
hopper is usually constructed of the same material as the filtration device casing.
In reverse air-cleaning systems (typically material collected on the inside of the filtration media), the only internal structures to
the hoppers may be some bracing. However, in pulse-jet cleaning systems the hoppers may also include some baffle(s), or
deflector(s). The purpose of these devices is two-fold. Under normal operations, these devices provide an initial inertial
separation of incoming solids. This reduces the load to the filtering media. In addition during the cleaning mode, these
baffle(s)/defector(s) provide some protection for dislodged solids.
Regardless of the filtration device, the hopper design must take into account the angle of repose of the solids that are being
collected and the storage time that is required. Storage time is generally set by time it might take to repair the solids
evacuation system. Experience indicates that the collected material should be removed from the hopper frequently and not
allowed to sit in the hoppers for long periods of time. Typically, each hopper should be emptied, at a minimum, once a shift
(every eight hours).

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DESIGN PRACTICES FABRIC FILTERS December, 2001

SYSTEM DESIGN (Cont)

A key aspect of the hopper design is to keep the collected material dry. If certain collected materials are allowed to cool,
moisture condensation, followed by caking, could occur. Caked material is difficult to remove. If the collected material is not
removed, it will build-up and eventually filtering in the compartment will stop. Keeping the collected material dry is
accomplished by heat tracing and insulating the hoppers. Electrical or steam heat tracing is acceptable, provided that sufficient
heat is supplied. As most filtration devices are modular or have been installed in power plants, the vendors are considerably
more comfortable with electrical heating systems. However, due to the typical abundance of low-pressure steam in most
refineries, steam heaters should be considered. Hopper insulation is similar to that used on the casing, but may have to be
increased to conserve heat in the hopper.
Should a hopper become plugged, two ancillary devices can be essential in returning the hopper to normal operation. A “poke"
hole can be used to insert a rod into the hopper to break up the plug. If the filtration device is operating under positive
pressure, a “stuffing box" is required to prevent blow-back of process gases. Blast connections can be used to provide a one-
time “fluffing" of the collected material. Air is typically used as the “fluffing" medium but an inert gas (e.g., nitrogen) might be
required if the solids are combustible. The blast connections should be used as a last resort in clearing hopper plugs, as their
use could result in significant increase in emissions. Vibrators on the outside of hoppers have also been used to dislodge
hopper plugs.
➧ In some baghouse installations, hoppers are not required. An example are the Benicia, Augusta and Trecate ESP fines
collection system where a baghouse is mounted on top of the fines silo to clean the vented air and the silo collects the removal
fines.

DUST REMOVAL
Equipment located below the exit flange of the filtration device hopper is considered the dust removal facilities. In general, the
dust removal facilities use pneumatic or mechanical (screw conveyors, drag chains) transport of the solids. Regardless of the
system employed, a cut off-type knife gate should be provided at the hopper outlet to isolate the filtration device from the dust
removal system. The collected solids need to be metered into the transport system. Either rotary valves or “blow pots” can
accomplish this. Based on experience with other dust transport facilities, rotary valves are recommended. They should have
six blades and open-ended rotors, whose design rpm is based on 100% full pockets with the loose bulk density of the collected
material. To prevent condensation and subsequent plugging, both the knife gate and rotary valve are heat traced and
insulated. Mechanical dust removal systems are designed in accordance with IP 13-3-1, but may require heating to prevent
condensation in the screw conveyors and their subsequent plugging. Pneumatic transport systems are designed in accordance
with Section VI-B. With either system, the solids removal system must be elevated sufficiently above grade to provide
adequate access for maintenance of the equipment. Usually, elevating the system at least 3.2 ft (1 m) is sufficient, but refinery
practices may dictate a greater elevation. Also, the feeder must be designed to seal against the differential pressure between
the baghouse and removal system. Finally, the solids disposal system must be designed such that fugitive particulate
emissions during transport are minimized.

SAFETY
S Since a baghouse will be handling dust-laden streams, there is a potential for fire or explosion hazard, depending on the nature
of the dust. Equipment suppliers' safety standards for processing equipment which handle dusts are variable and should not be
relied on. To determine if a baghouse for a specific dust requires specific safety features, it is recommended that the designer
refer to Exxon Engineering Report EE.84E.84, titled “A Guide for Safe Design of Dust Handling Systems". This report
provides guidelines for evaluating potential fire or explosion hazards of any dust and for selecting the appropriate safeguards.
As a minimum, it is recommended that all conductive materials in a baghouse be bonded and/or grounded to prevent the
accumulation of static charge that could be the source of an incentive spark. (See Exxon Engineering Report EE.3M.96,
titled “Guidelines for Prevention of Electrostatic Ignitions".)

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December, 2001 FABRIC FILTERS DESIGN PRACTICES

GLOSSARY

Abrasion, flex Cloth wear in a creased area caused by excessive bending.

Abrasion, surface Eroding away of fabric filters or fiber surface on the duty side of the cloth due to cloth-to-cloth
or gas-to-cloth contact.
Acid Dew point The temperature at which liquid droplets which are acidic condense from the vapor phase.
Acid Gases Any gases or liquid droplets which can react with water to form acids: HCI, HF, SO3, NOx.
Air-to-Cloth Ratio The volume of process gas entering the fabric filter dust collector, divided by the amount of
active cloth area filtering the dust from the gas. Normally the gas flow is given in ACFM
3 2
(m /sec) and the cloth area in ft2 (m ). The ratio then has units of feet/minute (m/sec).
Baghouse A device containing a fabric filter medium in the shape of a bag, sleeve, envelope, cartridge or
pocket, for the purpose of removing particulate entrained in a gas stream.
Bleed Particles of dust that leak through the bag.
Blinding A closing of the filter medium pores which results in either a reduced gas flow or an increased
pressure drop across the medium. If the medium cannot be cleaned readily and the pores
reopened, this condition is often referred to as “permanent blinding".
Bridge Material blockage across an opening such as a hopper outlet.
Bulked Yarn Filament yarn that has been processed by high-pressure air passing through the yarn and
relaxing it into gentle loops, bends, etc.
Cake The dust layer developed on the surface of the filter medium during the filtration process.
Calendaring A fabric-finishing process in which fabric passes between cold or heated rolls under high
pressure. This pushes the surface fibers down onto the body of the filter medium.
Carding (Garnetting) Mechanical process for forming a non-woven fabric.
Cascade Impacter Device for determining particle size distribution.
Cleaning Cycle The times and elements of cleaning one group of bags.
Cloth In general, a pliant fabric that is woven, knitted, felted, or otherwise formed from any textile
fiber, wire, or other suitable material.
2 2
Cloth Weight Usually expressed in ounces per square yard (gm/m ) or ounces per square foot. (mg/cm )
However, cotton sateen is often specified at a certain number of linear yd/lb of a designated
width.
Coating Immersing the filter medium in a solution to provide the fibers with a coating that will lubricate
and thereby reduce self-abrasion or act as protection from moisture/acid/alkaline attack; or
improve dust release.
Coronizing Thermal process for removing organic sizing from yarns.
Cuffing Sewing operations on the end of the bag.
Denier The weight, in grams, of 9000 meters of fiber.
Dimensional Stability Ability of a fabric to retain its size in hot or moist atmosphere.
Drag Normalized value for pressure drop. Pressure drop is divided by the simultaneously occurring
gas-to-cloth ratio. This property allows comparison of one dust/filter medium to another on a
common basis and at various parts of the filtration cycle.
End Same as Warp.
End Count Same as Warp Count.

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DESIGN PRACTICES FABRIC FILTERS December, 2001

GLOSSARY (Cont)

Epitropic Fiber Fiber whose surface contains embedded particles to modify one or more properties of the fiber.
Fabric A collective term applied to filter cloth no matter how constructed and regardless of the fiber
used.
Fabric Finishing Finishing are those processes applied to improve appearance or serviceability of fabric after
fabrication. Finishing process includes: scouring, heat setting, calendaring, napping, glazing,
singeing, siliconing, and water proofing.
Felled Seam Vertical seam in a filter bag which requires an overlap of the material in a particular way.
Felt Fabric structures constructed by interlocking action of the fibers themselves, without spinning,
weaving, or knitting.
Felted Bag Type of bag constructed of felt fabric, generally used on pulse-jet dust collectors.
Fiber Fundamental unit of textile raw material.
Filament A fine or thinly spun thread.
Fill Crosswise threads woven by loom. Yarn running from salvage to salvage at right angles to the
warps in woven fabrics.
Fill Count Number of fill threads per inch (cm) of cloth.
➧ Filter Media The permeable barrier employed in the filtration process to separate the particles from the fluid
stream, the filtration fabric
Filtration Cycle The time duration between the cleaning of a group of bags and the next time the same group is
cleaned.
French Seam See Felled Seam.
Gas-to-Cloth Ratio See Air-to-Cloth Ratio
Glazing A fabric finishing process in which the fibers of a textile are heated at elevated temperature and
pressed at high pressure to base surface fibers to the body of the filter medium and provide a
smooth, glass-like surface.
Grab Tensile The tensile strength in lb/in. kg/cm), of a textile sample cut 4 in. (10.6 cm) by 6 in. (15.2 cm)
and pulled in two lengthwise by two 1 in. square (2.5 cm) clamp jaws set 3 in. (7.6 cm) apart
and pulled at a constant specified speed.
Greige, greige goods Loom-State Fabric; Fabric that has received no finishing. Fabrics just off the loom are termed
greige (gray) goods. They may be characterized by the presence of sizing which is a
compound applied to yarns to bind them together to prevent linting and slubbing during the
weaving process or they may simply be unfinished. If sizing is present, it must be removed as
part of the subsequent finishing process.
Gross Air-to-Cloth Ratio The total inlet gas volumetric flow rate (including any cleaning air) divided by the total installed
filter media (cloth) area.
Total Inlet Gas Volumetr ic Flow (ACFM or m3 /hr)
=
Total Installed Cloth Area (ft 2or m2 )

Heat Setting A fabric-finishing process used to heat shrink synthetic organic textiles. The textile is heated
on a time-temperature basis to expose the textile to the maximum operating conditions before it
is made into a product.
Hydrolysis Degradation of polymer chains due to reaction with water. Hydrolysis is defined as the
chemical absorption of water and is a potential operating concern in all dust collection systems.
Hydrophilic Fibers Fibers that readily absorb water.
Hydrophobic Fibers Fibers that do not readily absorb water.

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December, 2001 FABRIC FILTERS DESIGN PRACTICES

GLOSSARY (Cont)

Interfacing Points of contact between warp and filing yarns in a fabric.

Interstices Openings between the interlacings of the warp and filing yarns in a fabric.
MIT Flex Endurance Test A test whereby a filter media specimen is rapidly flexed in an arc under a specified load until
fabric rupture occurs. Test conditions are usually: 270° arc, 180 cycles/minute, 4 pound
(1.8 kg) load, 1/2 in. (12.7 mm) width specimen.
Mullen Burst Pressure necessary to rupture a secured specimen of cloth; usually expressed in psig.
Multifilament, Multifil Yarn composed of several filaments, which are continuous strands of fiber of indefinite length.
Napping A finishing process which scrapes the filter-medium surface and raises the surface fibers. The
rupturing of the filling yarns to produce a fleecy surface on woven fabrics.
Needled Felt A felt constructed by the use of barbed needles moving up and down, pushing and pulling the
fibers to form an interlocking of adjacent fibers.
Net Air-to-Cloth Ratio The total inlet gas volume divided by only the on-stream filter media. For example, if one cell is
off-stream for cleaning, this will be deducted from the total available cloth area before
calculating the net air-to-cloth ratio.
Total Inlet Gas Volumetric Flow (ACFM or m3 /hr)
=
On − Stream Cloth Area (ft 2 or m2 )

Non-woven Felt A felt made either by needling, by matting of fibers, or by compressing with a bonding agent for
permanency.
3
Permeability A measure of fabric porosity or openness, usually expressed in ft3 per minute (m /hr) or air/ft2
2
(m ) of fabric with .05 in. (1.3 mm) H2O pressure differential.
Plain Weave A weave in which each warp yarn passes alternately over each filling yarn.
Ply Two or more yarns joined together by twisting.
Porosity Originally, a designation for the amount of air in a fabric, i.e., blankets. Sometimes erroneously
used as a synonym for permeability.
Pre-coat Material added to air stream on initial process startup to aid in establishing an initial protective
filter cake on bags.
Pressed Felt A type of felt manufactured by pressing fibers into a scrim.
Pulse Frequency The interval of time between the pulsing of one group of bags and the next.
Pulse Interval See Filtration Cycle.
Pulse-Jet Generic name given to all pulsing collectors. Dirty gas flow is from outside-to-inside of bags,
cleaning air delivered to inside of bags.
Reverse-Air Baghouse A unit employing reverse flow flushing air to clean the dust from the bags. Dirty gas flow is
inside-to-outside of bags. Reverse air is outside-to-inside of bags.
Ring Covers Fabric envelope enclosing the anti-collapse rings in reverse-air collectors.
Rings Metal bands sewn in the bag at various intervals to prevent bag from total collapse while
cleaning.
Salvage The binding of the lengthwise edge of a woven fabric.
Satin (Sateen) Weave Type of weave in which the pattern of fill yarns produces a smooth, lustrous surface.

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DESIGN PRACTICES FABRIC FILTERS December, 2001

GLOSSARY (Cont)

Scouring A fabric-finishing process in which the textile is subjected to a washing solution and agitation to
remove oils and weaving compounds.
Scrim Light, coarse fabric.
Seam Registration Alignment of filling yarn when a bag is being sewn (tubed).
Seeding The application of a relatively coarse, dry dust to a bag before start-up to provide an initial filter
cake for immediate high efficiency and to protect bags from blinding. See Pre-coat.
Shaker Baghouse A unit wherein cleaning is accomplished by shaking the bags.
Shrinkage Reduction in warp-direction length or fill-direction length operation.
Siliconizing A finishing process in which silicone oil in a water mixture is padded on to a textile and then the
textile is dried or “cured". The oil acts as a tackifier to help build the residual dust cake and
impart some degree of water proofing.
Singeing A finishing process in which the filter medium is passed over an open flame, thereby removing
the protruding surface fibers through melting of the fibers and providing a relatively smooth
surface.
Singles Term used to imply one yarn.
Sintering Compression of a heated metal powder at a temperature below the melting point.
Sizing A protective coating applied to yarn to ensure safe handling.
Sonic Cleaning Sonic energy from air-powered horns produces shock waves that enhance dust removal from
fabrics.
Specific Resistance An indicator of how rapidly pressure drop increases during filtration.
Coefficient of the Filter Cake
Spun Fabric Fabric woven from staple spun fiber; same as Staple.
Staple Fiber Short fiber cut to specific length in synthetics. 1-1/2 in. (38 mm), 2 in. (51 mm), 2-1/4 in. (57
mm), etc. Also natural fibers of a length characteristic of fiber, animal fibers being the longest.
Strand A group of filaments; when twisted together, these constitute a yarn.
Substrate See Filter Medium.
Textile That which is or may be woven.
Texturizing Processing a yarn to increase its surface area.
Thread An assemblage of fibers used to sew fabrics together.
Thread-count The number of warp and filling yarns in a fabric.
Tube Sheet The steel plate that bags are attached to in a baghouse and which separates the dirty side from
the clean side of each compartment.
Tubing Sewing of fabric in the form of a tube when making a filter bag.
Twill Weave Warp yarns floating over or under at least two consecutive picks from the lower left to upper
right, with the points of intersection moving one yarn outward and upward or downward on
succeeding picks, causing diagonal lines in the cloth.
Twist The number of complete spiral turns in a yarn in a right or left direction, i.e., “Z" or “S",
respectively.

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December, 2001 FABRIC FILTERS DESIGN PRACTICES

GLOSSARY (Cont)

Warp The yarn running lengthwise (machine direction) in woven fabric.

Warp Count Number of warp threads per inch of width.
Water proofing A finishing process in which a fluorocarbon is applied to a filter textile to prevent wicking that
can pull submicron dust into the textile structure.
Weave The pattern of weaving, i.e., plain twill, satin, etc.
Weft Same as Fill.
Woof Same as Fill.
Wovens Filter media fabrics constructed solely by weaving or interlacing yarns more or less at right
angles into a uniform structure.
Yarns A term for an assemblage of fibers or filaments forming a strand which can be woven or
otherwise formed into a textile material.
Yarn Number Mass of yarn per unit of length of yarn.
Yarn Size A relative measure of fineness or coarseness of yarn. In spun yarns, the smaller the number,
the coarser the yarn.

TABLE 1
CLEANING METHOD GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS

CHARACTERISTIC PULSE-JET REVERSE-AIR SHAKER

Volumes Small, medium, large Medium to large Small, medium, large

A/C or A/C ratio Medium to high Low to medium Low to medium
Filter media Non-woven Woven Woven
Collection Outside Inside Inside
Operation Continuous Continuous Intermittent for small volumes, continuous
for medium and large volumes
Cleaning Automatic Automatic Manual for small volumes, automatic for
medium and large volumes
Generally on-line Off-line Off-line
Compartmentation Often none Compartmentized Often none, compartmentized for large
volumes
Application Frequency Widely Mostly on large volumes Diminishing use

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DESIGN PRACTICES FABRIC FILTERS December, 2001

TABLE 2
CLEANING METHOD GENERAL PARAMETERS

PARAMETER PULSE-JET REVERSE-AIR SHAKER

Energy source 80 - 120 psig compressed air Low pressure, high- Electric motor driven cam
(5.6 - 8.4 kg/cm2) volume fan operator
Cleaning frequency 5 to 20 minutes 30 minutes to several 30 minutes to several hours
hours
Duration 0.05 sec pulse 10 to 30 sec plus settling 10 to 100 cycles
time 0.5 to 5 minutes
Motion Air bubble travels down bag, Gentle collapse of bag Simple harmonic or sinusoidal
bag distends from cage cracking dust cake motion moves bag 0.5 to 2 in.
(12.7 to 50.8 mm)
Operating mode On-stream - one row/pulse Off-stream Off-stream
Off-stream - one compartment
Bag Diameter 4-1/2 to 6 in. diameter. 8 and 12 in diameter, 5, 8, 12 in. diameter,
(114 to 152 mm) (203 and 305 mm) (127, 203, 305 mm)
Bag Length 8 to 22 ft long 22 and 35 ft long 8 to 10, 22, 30 ft long
(26.2 to 72.2 m) (72.2 and 114.8 m) (26.2 to 32.8, 72.2, 98.4 m)
Bag Internals Internal cage Anti-collapse ring No rings
Bag life Greater than 2 years 3 to 6 years 1 to 5 years

TABLE 3
FABRIC SELECTION CHART

TEMPERATURE LIMITS
RELATIVE ACID ALKALI ABRASION
FIBER
COST RESISTANCE RESISTANCE RESISTANCE
CONTINUOUS SURGE

Cotton 180°F (82°C) 225°F (107°C) 0.4 Poor Excellent Good

Poly-Propylene 190°F (88°C) 190°F (88°C) 0.5 Excellent Excellent Good

Acrylics 260°F (127°C) 275°F (135°C) 0.7 Good Fair Good

Polyester 275°F (135°C) 300°F (149°C) 0.5 Good Fair Excellent

Nomex 400°F (204°C) 425°F (218°C) 2.0 Fair Very Good Very Good

Teflon 450°F (232°C) 500°F (260°C) 6.7 Excellent Excellent Fair

Fiberglass 500°F (260°C) 550°F (288°C) 1.0 Good Poor Poor

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December, 2001 FABRIC FILTERS DESIGN PRACTICES

FIGURE 1
TYPICAL BAGHOUSE SYSTEM

11

10

9
8

3
4

6
7

1. Inlet ducting 7. Dust removal

2. Gas distribution 8. Outlet ductwork
3. Tube sheet 9. Fan
4. Plenum 10. Stack
5. Bag cleaning components 11. Bypass DP18A4f01
6. Hooper

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DESIGN PRACTICES FABRIC FILTERS December, 2001

FIGURE 2
TYPICAL PULSE-JET FABRIC FILTER

Cleaning Collecting

Outlet

Inlet

Collected Solids

Source: Reference 1 DP18A4f02

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December, 2001 FABRIC FILTERS DESIGN PRACTICES

FIGURE 3
TYPICAL REVERSE-AIR FABRIC FILTER

Tension
Adjustment

Damper Damper
Closed Cleaned Cleaning
Gas Gas Closed

Bags Reverse
Distended Air Flow
Due to
Inflation
Sewn-In
Rings

Dust
Cake

Dirty Dirty
Gas Gas to
Other
Modules for
Cleaning

Dust
Out

Dust Collecting Mode Bag Cleaning Mode

Source: Reference 2
DP18A4f03

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DESIGN PRACTICES FABRIC FILTERS December, 2001

FIGURE 4
TYPICAL SHAKER FABRIC FILTER

Side View Front View

Clean
Gas Out

Tube Sheet

Dirty Gas
Inlet Open
Dirty Gas
Inlet Closed

Slidegate
Dust Being Open
Slidegate Removed
Closed

A - Dust Collecting Mode B - Bag Cleaning Mode

Source: Reference 2 DP18A4f04

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December, 2001 FABRIC FILTERS DESIGN PRACTICES

FIGURE 5
TYPICAL FILTER CLOTH WEAVES

Plain Twill 2/1 Twill 2/2

Warp
Direction

Twill 3/1 Twill 3/2 Satin (Sateen)

Source: Reference 1 DP18A4f05

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