4 More Ways To Avoid Undersizing a Dust Collection System

By Omela Filtration Engineering Team

1. Industry Background – Why Undersizing Happens

In many industrial plants — from cement grinding lines to steel furnaces and chemical processing units — a dust collector’s performance directly determines air quality, compliance, and equipment lifespan. One of the most common engineering mistakes during system design is undersizing the dust collection system.
An undersized system often leads to high differential pressure, poor suction, frequent filter replacement, and non-compliance with emission standards.

At Omela Filtration, we’ve seen that optimizing your dust collector’s size and airflow parameters is not just about equipment selection — it’s about understanding process behavior and dust characteristics.

2. Technical Insights – 4 Key Factors Engineers Often Overlook

(1) Incorrect Air-to-Cloth Ratio (A/C Ratio)

A/C ratio defines the airflow passing through each square meter of filter media. When it’s too high, filters become overloaded, leading to reduced filtration efficiency and shortened baghouse filter bag life.
➡ Recommendation: For fine dust or sticky particulate, design with lower A/C ratios (e.g., 0.8–1.2 m/min) and consider PTFE or PPS filter media for better cleanability.

(2) Ignoring Duct Line Pressure Loss

Improper duct sizing causes uneven airflow distribution. When the static pressure drop is too high before reaching the dust collector, suction at remote branches drops dramatically.
➡ Recommendation: Calculate total static and dynamic pressure, then ensure your fan curve supports it. Omela engineers use CFD-based simulations to optimize duct design and maintain balanced airflow.

(3) Inadequate Cleaning System Capacity

Pulse-jet systems that use insufficient air volume or pressure during cleaning cycles cause residual dust build-up. Over time, this leads to filter “blinding.”
➡ Recommendation: Use reliable compressed air manifolds, proper nozzle spacing, and maintain clean dry air at 5–6 bar.

(4) Ignoring Future Process Changes

Many systems are sized for today’s operation but fail to account for future capacity increases or raw material changes.
➡ Recommendation: Always add a 15–20% capacity margin in airflow design. This ensures stable filtration efficiency even under fluctuating process loads.

3. Omela Filtration Solutions & Advantages

Omela Filtration specializes in designing and supplying high-performance baghouse filter bags, cages, and components for new installations and retrofits.
Our engineering team helps clients:

• Audit system parameters to prevent undersizing risks
• Optimize filter media selection (PTFE, PPS, aramid)
• Improve dust collector performance through advanced flow modeling
• Reduce operational costs by extending filter bag life and improving cleaning efficiency

4. Typical Applications

• Cement industry: kiln exhaust and clinker cooler systems
• Steel plants: sintering, furnace gas, and rolling mill extraction
• Power plants: boiler and ash handling filters
• Chemical industry: drying, blending, and pneumatic conveying lines

5. Conclusion

Undersizing a dust collection system is one of the most expensive mistakes in industrial air filtration. By focusing on accurate airflow design, proper media selection, and system flexibility, plants can achieve cleaner air, longer filter life, and lower operating costs.