The pharmaceutical industry involves a wide range of manufacturing processes that can generate significant amounts of dust and other airborne contaminants. This is why dust collection systems for pharmaceutical and biotech industries are essential for maintaining a safe and clean working environment. In this article, we will explore the importance of pharmaceutical dust collection systems and the principle behind them.
What is a dust collector in the pharmaceutical industry?
Many processes in pharmaceutical industries produce high concentrations of hazardous dust. It’s important to understand the toxicological properties of dust and know how to determine the proper method for dust control. Because excessive dust can cause numerous issues like it can affect the health of the operator or can get mixed with other samples and contaminate it, which can weaken product integrity. To avoid such unpleasant situations pharmaceutical industries use well-equipped dust collectors which help in minimizing such risks.
The pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, and cosmetics industry generates various products that can become nuisance dust during production and packaging. There may be concerns with cross-contamination of other products, cGMP issues, as well as occupational exposure limits to limit plant worker exposure to active pharmaceutical ingredients (API’s).
Pharmaceutical Dust Collection Systems
Pharmaceutical dust collection systems are designed to capture and remove dust and other airborne contaminants that are produced during the manufacturing process. These systems use a combination of filtration and collection methods to achieve this goal. The collected dust and contaminants are then disposed of safely, typically in a designated waste disposal area.
There are several processes in the pharmaceutical industry that produces dust which are,
- Blending
- Granulating
- Pelletizing
- Coating
- Fluid bed drying
- Spray drying
- Packaging
- Vacuum systems
Here are some proven measures to help your Pharmaceutical dust collection system meet this challenge around the clock.
Choose the right dust collector for your pharmaceutical process
Continuous solid dose manufacturing usually requires smaller processing equipment and facilities. Process machines are small and floor space could be challenging, Hence a compact, fully integrated dust collector that can meet these demands without compromising on product quality or operational safety is needed. These can be cartridge-style filters that dry dust applications typically use because they have a greater surface area and smaller footprint than bag filters.
Enable continuous operation via a self-cleaning filter system
In a pharmaceutical application, Dust collectors typically need to run continuously, so a reverse pulse dust collector is preferred which uses compressed air to remove dust on the filter cartridges that are restricting the airflow and raising the dust collector’s differential pressure (dP). The ejected dust is stored in a suitable bin where it can be emptied when necessary without having to shut down the dust collector.
Improve energy efficiency
In continuous manufacturing, energy efficiency is a primary consideration for the design of all ancillary equipment, including dust collectors.
Dust collectors consume energy in two main areas:
- The fan
- The pulse cleaning system.
Compressed air used in filter cleaning is expensive so the more efficient the filter cleaning process is, Therefore, it is important to consider the design of the filter cartridges, & the pulse cleaning mechanism dust release characteristics of the filter media, and how they all work in concert to reduce energy consumption. Also since the fan produces the negative pressure to remove the dust, Dust collectors connected to correctly sized ducting minimize the fan’s power consumption while also using variable frequency drives and energy-efficient motors can also reduce energy consumption.
Use the right safety features
Many pharmaceutical bags of dust are combustible and those operations generating or handling pharmaceutical dust can require special mitigation efforts to minimize fire and explosion risks. Standards such as NFPA 654 can provide guidance for those who generate and handle these types of dust.
Pharmaceutical dust may also have identified adverse health impacts, and special mitigation strategies may be required to limit occupational exposure below levels OSHA or other health organizations have established for these materials. It is also important to fully understand the characteristics of the manufacturing process and dust explosion properties of the materials being processed.
A lot of times the manufacturer will conduct explosives testing to determine values such as the Kst (rate of explosion), Pmax (maximum explosion pressure), and MIE (minimum ignition energy). So the equipment designer can select the most appropriate explosion protection equipment for the dust collection system and make it an NFPA-compliant system for the specific conditions.
Pharmaceutical Dust Collection Fittings
Pharmaceutical dust collection fittings are the components that connect the dust collector to the manufacturing equipment. These fittings are designed to fit tightly and securely, ensuring that no dust or contaminants escape into the air during the manufacturing process. Properly designed and maintained fittings are essential for ensuring the dust collection system works effectively.
The Principle of Pharmaceutical Dust Collector
The principle of a pharmaceutical dust collector is based on a combination of filtration and collection methods. The system draws in the contaminated air, which passes through a series of filters designed to capture the dust and other contaminants. Once the air has passed through the filters, it is discharged into the environment, typically through an exhaust vent.
The filters used in pharmaceutical dust collectors are designed to capture even the smallest particles, ensuring that the air quality in the workplace remains within safe levels. Different types of filters can be used, depending on the specific contaminants being generated during the manufacturing process. Some filters can capture particles as small as 0.3 microns, making them highly effective at removing even the tiniest particles.
Conclusion
Pharmaceutical dust collection systems are essential for maintaining a safe and clean working environment in the pharmaceutical industry. These systems are designed to capture and remove dust and other airborne contaminants that are produced during the manufacturing process, ensuring that the air quality in the workplace remains within safe levels. Properly designed and maintained pharmaceutical dust collection fittings are also essential for ensuring that the system works effectively. The principle of a pharmaceutical dust collector is based on a combination of filtration and collection methods, with the filters used designed to capture even the smallest particles. As regulatory requirements continue to become more stringent, the importance of effective pharmaceutical dust collection systems will only continue to grow.
Special Considerations
- ASHRAE Standard 199 For Dust Collector Filters
- Sometimes there is a bit of confusion amongst industry professionals on test standards for dust collector filters between MERV and ASHRAE Standard 199.
- ASHRAE Standard 199 was released in 2016 as a quantitative laboratory testing method for dust collection performance measurement by The American Standards Testing Institute (ANSI) and The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE),
- Ideally, MERV ratings are best applied to HVAC and ASHRAE Standard 199 For Dust Collector Filters because the functionality and operation of dust collector filters are slightly different. Moreover, Standard 199 testing helps pharmaceutical manufacturers make the right decisions on dust collectors and dust collector filter performance and considers multiple dynamic factors in dust collectors like emissions, pressure drop, compressed air usage, and energy consumption in conjunction with VFDs.
- The ASHRAE Standard 199 test is designed to account for these fluctuations in a way that MERV does not. How well a dust collector and filter would perform depends not only on Air To cloth ratio but also on the interstitial velocities in the dust collector. Considering all of the above the ASHRAE Standard 199 is a more accurate reflection of a dust collection system’s performance over its lifetime not just in brand-new condition.
You can get in touch with us about your Pharmaceutical Dust Collection needs. Our experienced staff first understands your requirement and then guides you through the appropriate filtration solution so as to comply with mandatory standards.