Where can sheet metal ductwork fabrication go wrong? It starts with improper material selection. If an abrasive particulate such as silica isn’t matched with an abrasive-resistant duct material, the duct will not withstand wear and tear over time. Incorrect thickness can also lead to premature wear when the duct is too thin for the application’s pressure or abrasiveness. Poor welding can also affect the structural integrity of the duct, which causes premature failure.

Inferior ductwork fabrication comes with hidden costs

Problems often arise when sheet metal duct fabrication doesn’t meet quality standards. Time may pass before leaks and corrosion are identified, leading to more extensive damage and frequent repairs. Risky, expensive and time-consuming issues may include:

• Structural failure: Ductwork could fail and fall out of the ceiling causing damage to buildings, equipment, and creating safety risks
• Subsequent costs: Wasted materials and downtime needed for repairs result in material replacement costs and lost revenue.
• Potential health issues: When ductwork is faulty, employees may be exposed to dangerous particulates that lead to hazardous health problems.
• Increased energy costs: Improper ductwork may not be able to handle necessary air flow, causing energy inefficiency.
• Compliance violations: Faulty ducts may cause noxious fumes to be released into the air or harmful particulates to remain in employee work areas. These compliance violations may result in costly fines.

Expensive system replacement may be needed when these issues go by undetected for long periods of time. When dust settles within ductwork, it can decrease the capture effectiveness of the hood, resulting in costly replacements.

How to ensure quality for your application

A quality industrial ventilation partner will conduct a thorough evaluation of your industry, products and air stream condition to help ensure proper sheet metal ductwork fabrication. The right ductwork material and design will be determined by whether your product is sticky, moist, dry or in vapor form. An assessment of the speed of materials passing through the ductwork also determines the proper design requirements.

Common ductwork materials per industry include:

• Foundry: Mild steel (hot/cold rolled)
• Paper: Aluminum and stainless steel
• Mining: Abrasion-resistant or stainless-steel
• Silica: Abrasion-resistant steel

Materials may vary based on individual applications.

Enjoy the lasting benefits of ductwork fabrication done right

Properly fabricated ductwork helps ensure employee health and stringent regulation compliance. On-target ductwork fabrication stands the test of time to minimize issues, repairs and downtime. It also delivers a low-maintenance solution and energy efficiency for industrial ventilation.

���ձ�’s unmatched craftsmanship delivers excellence

With 30 years of expertise, ��һ��ݶ�brings knowledge learned from numerous projects to industrial ductwork fabrication, including design, engineering, fabrication, installation and maintenance. ���ձ�’s trained sheet metal workers complete an apprenticeship program with hands-on application and written classwork to achieve a journeyman position. ��һ��ݶ�journeyman continue to train in and be tested on numerous weld processes to meet the fabrication needs of our customers. Plus, laser-cutting and other CNC controlled equipment delivers more exact cutting and better welds during
fabrication.

Get started with quality sheet metal duct fabrication

Contact IVI for proper duct fabrication that lasts.

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Transcript

Industrial Dust Collection Systems Start to Finish (And Beyond)

We design, build and install our own dust collection systems, as well as maintain other dust collection systems and ductwork and HVAC systems all around the country. It really sets us apart from any other contractor in the country, because there’s a lot of contractors that deal with just the engineering piece and rely on another company to install it.

There are some contractors that can just do the installation but not the engineering. Because of that we have a lot more experience than the average contractor when it comes to installation.

Dust Collection Installation Experience Across Industries

We have a rigorous safety program within our own industry as well as we are up to date and follow protocols for each individual industry. Many of our staff in the field are trained on cranes, rigging, multitude of lifts, forklifts, material moving equipment. Due to the experience and the vast amount of collection systems we work with all around the country, pretty much everybody knows how to do all of these various aspects of the project. So that enables us to get by with fewer people.

I think one of the reasons we can do that is we just have guys that have been around for a lot of years and know what they’re doing and we can get the jobs done safely, efficiently and ultimately it’s going to result in a more cost effective job for you.

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Transcript

Why ��һ��ݶ�Excels at Plan and Spec Projects

��һ��ݶ�excels at plan and spec projects because we have the experience of engineering and designing projects as a design-build contractor. When we’re awarded a project that is plan and spec our field crews, our project managers bring their experience on our own design-build projects to that project.

Industrial Ventilation Experience Across Industries

IVI’s worked on a number of different projects in a number of different industries. From foundries, to the pulp and paper, automotive, mining. We’ve even done some commercial HVAC work as part of bigger projects so there’s not many plan and spec projects we haven’t been a part of.

Making Industrial Ventilation Installation Easier

On plan and spec fabrication, ��һ��ݶ�with their experience on the field install side, fabricates to the knowledge that that field crew needs a quality product to install. Something that has been reviewed through our quality process to make sure ninety-degree elbows are 90 degrees, and that everything fits and is aligned properly for an easier install. Making sure that the fabrication matches the prints.

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Transcript

Industrial Ventilation Design to Find Solutions

A design-engineered solution is a project that does not have a defined scope. It can be as small as a duct work problem that has a moisture issue and is plugging to as large as a greenfield construction site that needs a completely designed and engineered ventilation system.

Leaders in Industrial Ventilation Design

What really sets ��һ��ݶ�apart in the industry is our full staff of engineers ranging from mechanical, environmental and civil engineers. Having this whole team of engineers in-house allows our customer to have one point of contact for their engineer solutions. Not only does ��һ��ݶ�have a full line of engineers on staff, we also have eight full-time designers that bring the engineered solutions to life.

During many plan and spec projects IVI’s engineering design services can aid the customer with unforeseen delays and obstructions within the project. ��һ��ݶ�can react quickly and come back with a engineered solution to correct the problem to keep the project on track.

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Benefits of proper industrial airflow by dust collection type

• Dust collection systems: Proper airflow contributes to high air quality and a clean work environment.
• Fume collection systems: Proper airflow helps mitigate hazardous airborne particles (HAPs).

Design methods for industrial airflow

• Blast gate/orifice plate method: This method is somewhat flexible. Flow rates can be changed, and it’s easier to make additions and changes using this method. The location of blast gates depends on the location of elbows, hoods, straight duct and access. This is the most common method of design.
• Balance by design method: This method achieves a “balanced” airflow system without blast gates or orifice plates. The method calls for calculating static pressure of airflow in each segment. Factors that influence static pressure include duct sizes, elbow radius and hood design. This method is best for hazardous materials. Adding, removing or adjusting a collection point requires a complete system redesign.

Duct Network Design

Either the blast gate or balance method can be used to design the industrial duct network.

• Tapered system: The ductwork gets larger closer to the collector as additional airflows are added. Tapering the ductwork helps ensure the velocity at each branch is constant.
• Plenum system: The ductwork is generally larger, the airflow velocity is lower and there’s low resistance for airflow to the air cleaner or fan. A plenum system is typically used on supply air systems.

Distributing airflow in duct routing

Ductwork design plays a big role in improving and maintaining airflow. Ductwork designed for maximum airflow efficiency:

• Minimizes pressure drop across the system
• Is routed to reduce potential wear spots
• Takes aesthetic appeal into consideration

For more details on optimized airflow design and duct network design, reference . Learn more about how to maintain proper airflow with ���ձ�’s blog: “Maintain proper industrial airflow for dust collection systems”

���ձ�’s Experience and Innovation

At IVI, We help design, build and install industrial dust collection systems for any operation. Read more about ���ձ�’s fume collection systems and dust collection systems. Start on these pages to answer basic questions, and contact  IVI, Inc. to dive deeper into industrial ventilation solutions.

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Hood Types

Enclosing hoods:

An enclosing hood will completely or partially surround the point where contaminants are generated. An enclosing hood is typically preferred but may not be practical due to potential interference with employee workstations.

• A partial enclosing hood has two to three sides where an inward flow of air through the opening will contain the contaminant within the enclosure and prevent its escape. Examples include paint spray booths or grinder station.
• A completely enclosing hood has all sides and is preferred whenever possible. A laboratory hood is an example of this use.

Exterior hood:

Exterior hoods are placed next to the point where contaminants are generated without creating an enclosure. An exterior hood may be an opening on a welding table or slots on the side of a tank. The exterior hood should be located in the path of the emission if transferring larger particulates such as sand.

There are four main types of exterior hoods:

• Canopy: A one- or two-sided overhead hood that receives upward airflow from hot air or gas.
• Close-capture: Mounted directly over the source of a contaminant.
• Push-pull: A hood placed on the side of a push-pull ventilation system.
• Side-draft (also called lateral exhaust hood): This is not as efficient as other containment or down-draft hoods.

Hood Velocity Considerations

A specific velocity is required, depending on the type of contaminant being captured. To achieve the required velocity, carefully consider the hood’s shape, size and location.

• Face velocity: Velocity right at the hood opening.
• Capture velocity: Velocity at the dust generation source to capture the contaminant and transfer it into the hood.

Ergonomic Considerations:

An industrial ventilation system hood is one of the most important components of an individual’s workstation. A worker will be more likely to use the hood and the ventilation system properly if ergonomic elements are considered. Among these considerations are:

• Accessibility to parts within the hood
• Size, design and weight of objects handled
• Safety cables
• Overhead clearance
• Sharp edges
• Lighting
• Ease of cleaning

���ձ�’s engineering and design team has years of experience designing and sizing industrial ventilation systems.  ��һ��ݶ�can assist in the design of a new system or the redesign of an existing system.

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Types of Industrial Ductwork

• Tapered systems: The velocities are nearly constant as the airflow is merged together and the duct becomes larger. Tapered systems are typically used for dust collection systems.
• Plenum systems: The velocity is usually lower and generally is larger than a tapered system. Plenum systems are typically used for HVAC systems and occasionally used for fume extraction.

Industrial Ductwork Sizing

Determining the size of the ductwork for an industrial dust collection system requires a few key pieces of information:

• What exhaust volume is required at each duct collection point?
• What are the sand, dust and/or particulates being collected?
• What are the conveying velocity requirements?

Exhaust Volume

It is best practice to first check with the equipment supplier for the recommended exhaust volumes. Calculating the size of the duct segments can be done using a series of calculations known as the Velocity Pressure Method consisting of two primary variables:

• Q = Airflow (sometimes referred to as volume)
• SP = Static Pressure

Calculations for determining the appropriate airflow (Q) are provided in the . Air is also required to overcome the resistance of the duct and other parts of the industrial dust collection system. This resistance is referred to as the total system static pressure (SSP).

Collecting Sand, Dust and Particulates

The type of contaminants being carried through the industrial ventilation system should be understood while determining the size of its ductwork. Various contaminants have different characteristics including:

• Size
• Size distribution
• Shape
• Density
• Surface

Contaminant variations for sand, dust and particulates

There are large varieties and sources of contaminants that may be transported  through an industrial dust collection system, including:

• Vapors, gasses and smoke
• Fumes and metal smoke produced by welding
• Light or fine dusts such as cotton or flour
• Average dusts produced by grinding, buffing, material handling and foundries
• Heavy dusts such as sawdust, sandblast dust, boring dust and lead dust
• Heavy and moist dusts such as most cement, asbestos and lime dust

Conveying Velocity Requirements

It is also key to consider the minimum conveying velocity, referred to as Transport Velocity, that is required to move the dust with particulates (dust, condensable vapors) without creating build-up, static or other obstacles to the airflow.  Learn more about how the velocity varies by dust types by reading Control Costs by Carrying Dust at the Right Speed.

Other Velocity Considerations:

• What size of material is being transported?
• Does it have any specific qualities, such as high moisture content, abrasiveness, corrosiveness or combustibility?

Calculating Ductwork Size

Upon a final understanding of the exhaust volume, the contaminants being collected and the velocity requirements, sizing the ductwork for an industrial ventilation system can be determined with the Flow Rate Equation Q=VA.

Volume = Velocity X Area

���ձ�’s engineering and design team has years of experience designing and sizing industrial ductwork. ��һ��ݶ�can assist in the design of a new system or the redesign of an existing system.

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The rate at which the dust is carried through the system is known as the conveying velocity. And the correct velocity helps with system safety and maintenance, as well as energy use. Too low a velocity and the danger is that dust will start to collect within the duct system; too high, and the threat is wasted energy and faster erosion of the ductwork. Sticky or moist dust could also smear the duct wall if the velocity is too high.

Dust Control Systems: Velocity Matters

So, it is important to maintain the conveying air velocity in every part of the duct within a reasonable range.  The determination of that range is dependent upon the kind of dust that is being transported. For example, an extremely fine, lightweight material that will not clump together, such as cotton dust, may need a velocity of 3,000 fpm. However, if you are handling something like lead dust, or other metalworking dust, you may need to accelerate the system to between 4,500 fpm and 5,000 fpm.

A good rule to follow: the heavier the dust, the higher the velocity. And the higher the velocity, the higher the potential operating costs. So, it really is good to understand the demands that will be placed on your system. For guidance on the appropriate velocity for your application, refer to the recognized industry resource: The Industrial Ventilation Manual from .

Too Slow: Dust Collection Can Be Dangerous

As mentioned, the collection of dust within the ductwork is really something that you want to avoid. This can happen when the dust is moving too slowly through the ductwork and starts to settle inside the pipes. As it collects, this dust can lead to a number of potential problems:

• It could fuel a combustible dust explosion
• Ductwork and hangars can fail due to the additional load or corrosion
• The system may not perform as well as expected as the ducts narrow due to the dust build-up

Too Fast: Abrasive Dust Wears on Ductwork

Dust moving too quickly through the system is also clearly a problem. Dust can be abrasive. This causes wear and tear on the ductwork, which will have to be replaced at some point at an additional cost. Transporting the dust faster may also require a bigger fan than you really need. These fans cost more and also have higher operating costs.

So, you don’t want that dust moving too fast or too slow. You are aiming for just right when you are designing your system.  The things you can do at the design stage to help control conveying velocities include:

• Sizing the ductwork to allow for adequate volume and velocity for the dust it will be carrying
• Calculating the static pressure level required to determine the size and power of your dust collection unit

Just the Right Speed Dust Collection Systems

So there you have it. Moving dust through your collection system too fast or too slow comes with undesirable costs and problems, from dust collecting within the ductwork to parts wearing out faster than necessary. When designing your system, make sure you have an accurate understanding of how fast you will need the dust to be transported through the system. And then design your system around that conveying velocity. It will save you money in the long run.

��һ��ݶ�has years of experience conveying all sorts of dusts. Whether you are designing a new system or troubleshooting an old one, ��һ��ݶ�has the solution for your dust conveyance needs.

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Building and Managing a Dust Collection System

Many factors affect the performance of Dust Collection Systems. In a previous blog post, Dust Collection System Design Considerations – Part 1, we summarized five key considerations for the engineering and design phase of a dust collection system. The post was based on an Engineers Collaborative article, (Unfortunately, this is now only available via the Internet Archive.)

For this post, we return to that article to summarize its advice for managing the following phases of a dust collection project:

• Construction
• Startup
• Training
• Maintenance

The Construction Phase

Appropriately detailed engineering and design documents produced in the design phase help ensure the construction phase meets design intent, reducing future operating and maintenance problems.

During the construction phase, you should:

• Conduct fabrication checks: Inspect components for proper construction and gauge as they are being made, not just before they are shipped.
• Inspect the ventilation and exhaust system:
  • Make sure components do not block access to each other or to other plant services and equipment.
  • Repair or replace components damaged during shipping or installation.
  • Protect dust collector filters from weather and construction activities.
  • Before startup, ensure your ventilation or exhaust system satisfies engineering and design documents.

The Start-Up Phase

These elements need to be validated at startup:

• Airflow in the duct system: The dust capture hoods should exhaust the designed air quantities, according to standards in the Industrial Ventilation Manual published by the . The data collected during this air system balancing becomes the project’s baseline information.
• Industrial ventilation system safety components: Check that fire and explosion protection components, pressure gauges, and low-flow and over-pressure alarm systems are set up as intended in the engineering and design documents.
• Component baseline documentation: Record baseline information for all other system components, including dust capture hood static, dust collector and safety monitoring filter system (HEPA) static pressures, and main duct velocity pressure to ensure it complies with the level recorded in your state permit application.
• Industrial hygiene particulate air sampling: Monitor air for particulates to ensure that dust sources are controlled to the desired level. Make modifications to the dust control system components as needed and then update component baseline documentation.

Staff Training

Plant supervisory, production and maintenance personnel should be trained in the following areas:

• Safety features and components
• Air meter read-outs and alarms
• Baseline documentation for components
• Operating and maintenance instructions and recommendations
• Operation and use of dust capture hoods and dampers
• Preventive maintenance

Preventative Maintenance Activities

Component repair activities include greasing fan bearings and emptying dust collector hoppers on schedule, replacing obsolete dust capture hoods and ductwork, and repairing damaged dust control system components. However, these and other component repair activities should be supported by four critical activities:

1. Check system operating characteristics: Periodically inspect the system visually and ensure components’ operating characteristics, such as static and velocity pressures, meet standards set during the start-up phase. Analyze and correct any deviations.

2. Inspect explosion protection components: Inspect explosion relief or suppression systems to ensure they comply with manufacturers’ recommendations and applicable safety guidelines.

3. Consider the effect of product changes: Include maintenance personnel in new product discussions as changes to the processed dust can affect the dust control exhaust system’s performance.

4. Sample air for particulates: Periodic air sampling should be performed to ensure the dust control system is meeting standards set during the start-up phase. Investigate any deviations you find.

��һ��ݶ�performs all aspects related to the construction, start-up, training and maintenance of industrial ventilation systems to ensure customized dust collection systems operate at optimal performance.

Contact us for more information.

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Many factors impact the overall effectiveness of the system. In order to ensure your dust collection system reaches peak performance, it’s critical to have the proper groundwork in the engineering and design phase.

In the article, the Engineers Collaborative identifies and summarizes five key considerations for the engineering and design phase. ��һ��ݶ�takes each of these into account when we are developing custom solutions for our clients and is capable of performing all aspects related to industrial ventilation system design and engineering.

Key Considerations for Industrial Ventilation

• Provide detailed dust collection system engineering and design documents.
  Outline detailed engineering specifications and design documents, including design drawings. Inadequate engineering and design documents may add construction costs and lead to a poorly installed system.
• Specify the right construction materials.
  Identify the right materials for construction—for example, if you are removing corrosive dusts, you’ll want to use stainless steel rather than mild steel.
• Think about component location.
  Component location is often overlooked, but the system needs to be strategically placed to accommodate inspection and repair.
• Outline dust collection system component specifications.
  Be comprehensive in the systems approach and specify all components, including dust collectors, exhaust fans and other OEM components that are needed.
• Identify services and support for ventilation equipment.
  Engineering, design, fabrication and installation representatives should be available to address immediate issues in future operations and maintenance emergencies. Seek to hire firms that provide the dedicated personnel and teams in every phase of the system’s development.

Dust Collection System Considerations: Next Steps

These are only the guidelines for the engineering and design phase. A future blog post will review considerations for construction, start-up, training and maintenance. But with proper preparation to engineering and design, you’ll have a head start in making sure your dust collection system reaches optimal performance.

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