In the paper and board industry, particles generated during manufacturing processes can affect the health of operators, the quality of products and the lifespan of equipment. To reduce these risks, there’s one solution: the installation of industrial dust collectors adapted to the size of the workshop, the pollutants generated and the production operations. OberA guides you through the most effective air collection and treatment systems.
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Paper and cardboard industry: why install an industrial dust collector?
Harmful particles generated in the paper and board industry
Paper and cardboard converting operations produce significant quantities of fine dust and fibers. Whether at the raw material preparation or pulp refining stage, or during manufacturing operations (printing, die-cutting, guillotining, grinding, padding, varnishing, etc.), numerous pollutants and cellulose dusts are emitted.
These particles, often invisible to the naked eye, disperse into the air and accumulate on surfaces, creating health and safety hazards.
Risks to workers’ health and machine safety
Manufacturing processes in the paper and board industry generate various pollutants that can affect the environment, workers’ health and product quality. These pollutants are mainly distributed as follows:
- Dust and fine particles can cause respiratory problems in workers (asthma, irritation). They also represent explosion and fire hazards.
- Gaseous emissions during the pulp conversion stage, which generate VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) and formaldehyde. These components not only have toxic effects on health, but also contribute to air pollution (greenhouse effect).
Their inhalation can cause respiratory problems in employees. What’s more, theaccumulation of these particles in machines can lead to malfunctions, increased wear and even fires, due to their flammability.
In addition to these pollutants, which have a direct impact on operators’ health, thepaper and cardboard industry is also faced with the challenge of managing production waste and industrial wastewater.
The impact of particles on production quality and the working environment
Dust in production areas can contaminate finished products, affecting their quality. A dusty working environment also reduces visibility, increases the risk of accidents and requires more frequent cleaning efforts.
The advantages of industrial dust collectors
Installing an industrial dust collector offers several benefits:
- Control and reduce fine particles and dust in production areas, improving air quality and plant cleanliness;
- Improving safety conditions and reducing fire hazards by eliminating accumulations of flammable dust (e.g. cellulose dust);
- Optimize the service life of equipment such as shredders and padding machines, by preventing clogging and premature wear.
This equipment captures particles at source, particularly during cutting or grinding operations. They can be fitted with advanced filtration systems (HEPA, bag filters) to minimize the dispersion of harmful dust in the air.
How paper and cardboard dust collectors work
The dust collector is connected to dust-generating machines such as :
- HSM shredders for paper shredding ;
- Profipack cushioning machines convert cardboard into cushioning material;
- Cutting and grinding lines where large quantities of fibers and particles are emitted.
The dust collector immediately sucks up airborne particles to prevent their dispersion in the machine shop. The captured particles are conveyed via the filter unit, with two scenarios depending on the dust collection system chosen: in centralized systems, several machines are connected to a central unit via a network of ducts, thus covering the entire factory. With mobile models, the operator can easily move the dust collector to vacuum the machines at source.
In both cases, a powerful fan ensures continuous transport of the dust, and the particles are separated. The coarser particles fall into a hopper, while the finer ones are stopped by a sophisticated filtration system that can be configured according to your needs:
- Cartridge filters: offer a large filtration surface in a compact space, suitable for fine dust ;
- Bag filters: robust and effective for large volumes of dust;
- HEPA filters : capable of capturing ultra-fine particles, guaranteeing optimum air quality.
The clean air is then expelled directly into the workshop or outdoors, depending on the system chosen.
How to choose the right industrial dust collector?
To make sure you make the right choice, there are several parameters to consider:
- The nature of the pollutants to be treated ;
- Dust collector treatment capacity ;
- Its compatibility with your production equipment.
Characteristics of the pollutants to be treated
Size, density, flammability, in the form of dust, gas, chemicals… There’s an industrial dust collector for every application. For the safety of your operators and equipment, and to comply with environmental standards, it’s essential to thoroughly analyze your environment. To this end, our technicians study the specific needs of your plant.
Treatment capacity based on waste and dust volumes generated
It’s essential to accurately assess the amount of dust produced by your machines to correctly size the dust collector. For example, a centralized system is recommended if you generate a lot of dust. For more occasional requirements, a mobile dust collector offering excellent source capture performance will suffice. It’s important to seek advice, as an undersized unit will be inefficient, while an oversized one will incur unnecessary costs.
Easy integration into your production lines
The chosen dust collector must integrate harmoniously with existing machines, such as HSM shredders or Profipack padders. Optimum compatibility ensures greater efficiency and simplified maintenance.
OberA tip: for maximum efficiency, consider dust removal solutions integrated directly into production and packaging lines. production and packaging lines. This enables particles to be captured immediately at source, reducing their dispersion in the working environment.
Comparison of centralized and mobile systems for the paper, packaging and recycling industry
OberA offers several ranges of dust collectors designed to meet the needs of the paper and cardboard industry. There are two main categories:
| Dust removal system | Industry | Advantages | OberA range |
| Centralized dust collector | Large plants with several suction points | Efficiency on large surfaces, simplified maintenance, centralized waste management | DUSTMAC |
| Mobile dust collector | Small installations or one-off needs | Flexibility, mobility, fast solutions for specific operations | DUSTOMAT, ePURBOX, ePUR EX, Jumbo |
Expert advice: the paper and cardboard industry often presents explosion risks from cellulose dust. risks of explosion due to cellulose dust.be sure to choose a model ATEX-compliant model. Several of our models are available in ATEX versions, so don’t hesitate to ask us for advice.
