Page 1 of 9 2014-CIC-0048

Reduced Baghouse Maintenance with LPHV Pulse Cleaning Technology

Charles Leivo Jens Lange Dan Ramshaw

Sales Manager Vice President / Emission Control Sales Manager
GEA Process Engineering Inc. GEA Bischoff GmbH GEA Process Engineering Inc.
9165 Rumsey Road Ruhrallee 311 9165 Rumsey Road
Columbia, Maryland 21045 USA 45136 Essen, Germany Columbia, Maryland 21045 USA
charles.leivo@gea.com jens.lange@gea.com daniel.ramshaw@gea.com

Abstract - More than thirty years ago, the industrial gas cleaning industry began to explore low-pressure-pulse cleaning filtration
as a means to improve baghouse installations in various process industries from the standpoint of simplicity, maintenance, and
safety. "Low-Pressure High-Volume" cleaning pulse has come to be referred to as LPHV pulse-jet baghouse technology.

Early introductions were in the metallurgical and power industries beginning in the late-seventies and early-eighties. By the second-
half of the nineties, LPHV baghouses were being installed on cement kilns and clinker coolers. And by 2005 cement kiln ESPs were
being converted to LPHV pulse-jet baghouses.

Lower maintenance and operating costs have been significant factors in selection of this technology approach. Details of operation
and maintenance with LPHV pulse cleaning are presented in this paper.

I. INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

The introduction of Low-Pressure High-Volume (LPHV) cleaning pulse technology for baghouse applications in the
process industries has resulted in reduced maintenance and operating costs.

Maintenance aspects include fewer compartments and components, and therefore less equipment to maintain. For the US
cement market, a typical kiln LPHV baghouse requires only four compartments, with only one pulse valve per compartment; a
total of four compartments and pulse valves for the complete kiln baghouse. Corrosion prevention is addressed by two factors.
Since the pulse is low pressure air of 0.8 bar (12 psi), blowers are used instead of compressors; this results in heated pulsing air
and minimizes corrosion. In addition, the complete baghouse has only four clean gas compartment access doors (one for each
compartment), minimizing gasket length and the likelihood of corrosion-inducing cold air in-leakage. Low-pressure-pulsing
transports energy a longer distance than medium- and high-pressure pulsing, allowing long bag length and consequently fewer
bags (for the same fabric area), and with lower cost of compression energy. Bag lengths of 7 m to 8 m have become typical on
cement applications; 10 m appears to be on the horizon for cement.

Historically there have been three broad categories of pulse-jet baghouses, characterized by the pulse cleaning system as
summarized in Table 1.

TABLE I
HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF PULSE-JET BAGHOUSES FOR INDUSTRIAL PROCESSES

Pulse-jet baghouse
Pulse
development Pulse cleaning system Pulse pressure Bag length Remarks
air system
(all industries)

High-Pressure / Low-Volume 4.1 - 6.2 bar Air compressor / Largely

Historical / traditional 5-6m
(HPLV) (60 - 90 psi) dryer station displaced

Combined
Advancement from Medium-Pressure 1.7 - 3.4 bar Air compressor /
6 - 7.5 m HP/MP
traditional HP designs (MP) (25 - 50 psi) dryer station
is new "traditional"

Since 1970s Low-Pressure / High-Volume 0.7 - 1.0 bar Roots-type blower 7-8m Now generally
(Cement since 1997) (LPHV) (10 - 15 psi) (dryer not required) (10 m on horizon) accepted

978-1-4799-3294-8/14/$31.00 2014 IEEE

 2014-CIC-0048 Page 2 of 9

Today pulse-jet baghouses for industrial processes have evolved as two basic configurations:

HP/MP. High-Pressure / Medium-Pressure pulse system using a conventional square or rectangular array of bags, and

LPHV. Low-Pressure pulse system. A common configuration is an array of concentric rows (circles) of oval-shaped bags,
with a 0.7 to 1.0 bar (10 to 15 psi) rotating pulse system.

Basic differences between these configurations include:

Pulse air system. LPHV uses a lower-energy Roots-type blower for pulsing with big pulse-air volume; a dryer is not
required. HP/MP designs require a higher-energy air compressor station and dryer for pulsing with small pulse-air volume.

Number of pulse valves. LPHV uses a single pulse valve for one baghouse compartment. HP/MP systems require multiple
pulse valves and blow pipes for each compartment.

Pulse cleaning mechanism. LPHV uses a low-pressure, "high-volume of air to rapidly but gently inflate the bag" for
dislodging the dust cake. HP/MP systems work with a high-pressure, low-volume "shock wave that ripples down the bag
to release the filter cake." [1]

Filter bag length. Filter bag length is dependent upon the cleaning system. HP has been typically limited to 5 to 6 m on
cement. Filter bags with lengths of 6 to 8 m have become typical for MP and LP.

II. LPHV BAG FILTER CONFIGURATION AND CLEANING SYSTEM

As with all pulse-jet baghouses, the particulate is collected on the outside of the bag, with the cleaned gas passing through
fabric and out the open top of the bag into the clean gas compartment, and from there to the clean gas exhaust duct. LPHV
filters with concentric bag rows have a rotating cleaning manifold inside the clean gas compartment to pulse the bags. All of
the maintenance components such as pulse diaphragms and drive are installed outside the compartment on the roof for easy
access as depicted in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 1. Low-pressure-pulse bag filter Fig. 2. Maintenance access on roof

This LPHV pulse cleaning system, when configured with concentric (circular) bag bundles and oval bag cages, can result in
the maximum filtration fabric area and a baghouse compartment that handles vary high gas flow.

The low-pressure pulsing system transports energy for longer distances down the bag for the cleaning cycle, which allows
long-bag operation with on-line cleaning; whereas HP/MP systems may require compartment off-line cleaning as bag length
increases. Longer filter bags provide greater cloth area for the same baghouse compartment footprint.

978-1-4799-3294-8/14/$31.00 2014 IEEE

Page 3 of 9 2014-CIC-0048

Low-pressure baghouse designs have evolved in the process industries to have an arrangement of oval bags/cages in
concentric circles. The oval configuration combined with low pulse pressure has resulted in some favorable technical features.
In concentric array and when pulsed individually, the bags can be packed tighter for high cloth area. [1]

The gas inlet and distribution provide homogeneous flow via baffle-plates into the lower section of the compartment. For
LP designs having circular bag bundles, approximately 65% of the gas flow is upward in the compartment corner areas and
center of the bag bundle, such that dust-laden gas approaches the bags horizontally at all levels. Only 35% or less of the gas
flow is upward between the bags; traditionally this is called "can velocity", but "interstitial velocity" would be a more correct
term. As a result, the up-flow gas velocity between bags is significantly lower than in conventional filters which may be more
fully packed with bags across the complete compartment. This means for circular LP the dust pulsed off bags and falling to the
hopper encounters less upward gas velocity, resulting in less dust recapture and, over the operating life, fewer pulses. Very low
interstitial velocity has resulted in very long bag life and low emissions for a given air-to-cloth ratio.

Each compartment is equipped with a pulse-cleaning manifold rotating at approximately 1/3 rpm. Nozzles are installed in
the manifold for pulse-air distribution to the bags. The cleaning system allows for bag exchange without removal of any pulse
cleaning equipment. The pulse-cleaning manifold and onset of cleaning cycle are presented in Figure 3.

Fig. 3. Walk-in clean gas compartment with low-pressure-pulse cleaning by rotating manifold.

The bags are supported by the tube sheet which separates the raw gas chamber from the clean gas chamber. The air pressure
is approximately 0.8 bar (12 psi). The cleaning air is supplied by Roots-type blowers to the air tanks installed on the baghouse
roof top, above the pulse-cleaning manifold drives. Figure 4 depicts the LPHV pulse into an oval bag/cage.

Fig. 4: LPHV manifold pulse with oval cage

Bag cleaning is initiated when a pre-set maximum pressure drop across the bags has been achieved or on the basis of a
timer, and it is stopped when a pre-set lower pressure drop set-point has been achieved, or on the basis of a timer. The cleaning

978-1-4799-3294-8/14/$31.00 2014 IEEE

 2014-CIC-0048 Page 4 of 9

system is easy to operate and maintain because of the low pressure pulse air requirements with the rotating manifold bag
cleaning mechanism.

Only one diaphragm valve per filter compartment is required. Controlled by one solenoid valve, it creates the air pulse for
bag cleaning. Figure 5 presents a 4-compartment cement kiln baghouse with only 4 roof-top pulse valves.

Fig. 5. 4-compartment cement kiln baghouse with four roof-top pulse valves

III. MAINTENANCE AND OPERATING EXPERIENCE WITH LOW-PRESSURE CLEANING

LPHV baghouses have been designed for large-scale industrial process applications and, over several decades, LP designs
have evolved to ensure low Operating and Maintenance cost. Key design features providing low O&M cost are described
below.

A. Fewer Compartments - Less Maintenance

Only 4 compartments would be typical for a US cement kiln; typically this is a reduction in maintenance.

A key factor is that an oval cage design with long bags and without use of blowpipes allows tighter packing and high cloth
area in a compartment. Up to 1200 oval bags can be installed in a single compartment, whereas 300 to 400 or so might be a
typical maximum for HP/MP designs.

Smaller US kilns and clinker coolers could be fitted with a 2- or 3-compartment LP baghouse. However, the US cement
industry generally prefers greater sectionalization, to allow taking one compartment off-line for maintenance while continuing
to operate at full production (instead of production turndown).

B. Fewer Pulse Cleaning Valves - Less Maintenance

With LPHV technology, only one pulse cleaning valve per compartment is required. A 4-compartment kiln baghouse has
only 4 pulse cleaning valves total. Whereas conventional HP/MP designs may require 100 to 140 pulse-cleaning valves at high
pressure.

Such a big reduction in pulse valves results in significantly less mechanical and electrical maintenance for low-pressure
baghouse designs. This is illustrated in Figures 6 and 7.

978-1-4799-3294-8/14/$31.00 2014 IEEE

Page 5 of 9 2014-CIC-0048

Fig. 6. One roof-top LP pulse valve per compartment versus twelve or more valves for HP/MP compartments

Fig 7. Walk-in clean gas compartment

978-1-4799-3294-8/14/$31.00 2014 IEEE

 2014-CIC-0048 Page 6 of 9

On-line (kiln operating) or off-line (kiln down) bag replacement designs can be supplied. Compartments have full-size,
walk-in access doors and there is easy and direct access to bags.

The use of a rotating cleaning manifold allows bags to be inspected or replaced without the need to remove blow pipes and
venturis as required for HP/MP baghouses.

Bags and cages in LPHV baghouses can be changed without tools. These features reduce installation time significantly over
conventional HP/MP designs as can be seen in Figure 8.

Fig. 8. Comparison of LP bag changing with HP/MP requiring blowpipe (and sometimes venturi) removal (Figure on right reprinted by permission [1])

C. Low-Pressure Technology

With 0.8 bar (11.2 psi) cleaning air pulse pressure, there is less stress on the bags and longer bag life. Simple Roots-type
blowers are used and power consumption is less than with air compressors, resulting in lower operating costs. No plant
compressed air is required.

Conventional HP/MP baghouse designs may have 30 psi to 40 psi pulse cleaning or higher and require air compressor
stations with dryers and oil traps to prevent moisture and oil vapor carryover to bags. Maintenance is higher than for blowers.
Further, conventional designs typically require venturi inlets at the bag opening to draw in additional air, since the HPLV pulse
alone is insufficient to clean the bag.

D. Bag Life and Maintenance

Changing bags is the highest maintenance cost in a baghouse.[2] Documented bag life with LP technology is 8 years and is
expected to exceed that.

Compartments are fitted with broken bag detectors (tribo-electric detection meters) which can identify a leaking bag before
allowed emission levels are exceeded. The compartment access doors are fitted with view ports which permits locating the bag
by dust deposited on the cell plate nearby. There are two options for dealing with a leaking bag. One is to take the compartment
off line and change the bag. The other is to seal off (cap off) the bag and wait for a regularly scheduled outage for changing;
this requires entering the compartment but is a relatively quick 5-min. procedure.

E. External Maintenance Items

Maintenance items are located on the baghouse roof for easy access. They include the air reservoir with pulse-diaphragm
valve and the cleaning manifold drive. These are very low-maintenance items and mainly require periodic inspection.

Any required maintenance can typically be performed while the plant is running, while taking the compartment off-line if
necessary.

978-1-4799-3294-8/14/$31.00 2014 IEEE

Page 7 of 9 2014-CIC-0048

F. Corrosion Prevention

Corrosion is typically caused by cold air in-leakage from gasket failure and from cold air introduction by air compressor
cleaning pulses in the case of flue gases having acidic characteristics. Both of these situations are addressed by LP technology.

Gaskets. Very few gaskets are required for Low-Pressure baghouses; they are required only for the compartment access
doors. Since a typical US kiln LP baghouse has only four compartments, only four walk-in access doors are required.

LP baghouses generally have the minimum gasket lineal length of any conventional design. There is no lift-off
compartment top and therefore no gaskets whatsoever besides door gaskets. Lift-off compartment tops have long gasket-length
and potential for being a long-term maintenance issue.

Heated pulse cleaning air. Pulse cleaning air from blowers is continuously hot and acts against corrosion including blow
pipes, cages, and clean gas compartment. The LP blower air temperature is in the range of 70 C to 80 C and avoids
condensation, whereas HP/MP air compressor stations are pulsing with close to ambient air temperatures, which can lead to
corrosion.

G. Long Bag Technology

Bag lengths of 7 m to 8 m are typical for cement, although up to 10 m can be supplied. With the use of long bags, fewer
bags are required for the same filtration area. This directly results in reduced maintenance.

H. Oval Cage Design

An oval shape has been found to pack tighter in the baghouse raw gas compartment (casing), typically with higher cloth
area for the same size casing as an HP/MP design.

A typical oval cage employs a 16-wire heavy gauge construction for cement application with fiberglass / PTFE membrane
(which results in less flexing of the membrane), and a 10-wire heavy gauge with Aramid (Nomex) bags (e.g., for clinker
coolers).

The oval design has been found to provide longer bag life and result in less maintenance. Note the bag is sewn in round
shape like conventional bags, but with an oval cuff sewn into the bottom instead of round.

The filtration industry has adapted rigid two- and three-piece quick-snap couplings which do not require tools to install or
remove.

IV. CONVERTING CEMENT ELECTROSTATIC PRECIPITATORS TO LOW-PRESSURE BAGHOUSES

As a further and related step to reducing maintenance, cement ESPs can be converted into low-pressure baghouses using,
where possible, the existing casing, support steel, and dust transport system. The converted unit has most of the advantages of a
new replacement baghouse.[3]

A highlighted example for a cement kiln ESP conversion to baghouse follows in Figures 9-14.

978-1-4799-3294-8/14/$31.00 2014 IEEE

 2014-CIC-0048 Page 8 of 9

Fig. 9. Removing cement kiln ESP penthouse Fig. 10. Removing ESP internals

Fig. 11. Assembling baghouse 4 clean gas compartments Fig. 12. Installing baghouse clean gas compartments

Fig. 13. Installing 4 pulse-cleaning valves and air reservoirs Fig. 14. Completed 4-compartment baghouse, using existing ESP casing,
support steel, and dust transport system

978-1-4799-3294-8/14/$31.00 2014 IEEE

Page 9 of 9 2014-CIC-0048

V. SUMMARY

To summarize, "Low-Pressure High-Volume" pulse cleaning technology for baghouses has been developed since the
seventies and today is widely accepted in many process industries, including metallurgical, power, and others. LPHV has been
introduced in cement since the nineties.

LPHV and HP/MP (High-Pressure/Medium-Pressure) pulse cleaning baghouse technologies are both supplied
competitively in the cement market.

This paper presents that LPHV technology can result in fewer equipment components requiring maintenance, online
maintenance capability, and very long bag life combined with low emissions.

REFERENCES

[1] P. Verbraak, P. Klut, T. Turco, E. Dupon, E. Engel, Danieli Corus BV the Netherlands, "Compact Filter Designs for Gas Treatment Centers", TMS
2013, The Minerals, Metals and Materials Society, San Antonio.

[2] "Fabric Filter Operation & Maintenance", Environmental Programs APTI Course SI: 412A, North Carolina State University, EPA Cooperative
Assistance Agreement, 1995.

[3] F.Steyn and L.Baidjurak, Bateman Howden SA, and R. Hansen, Eskom, "Fabric Filter Retrofits, an Electrostatic Precipitator Upgrade Technology,",
ICESP X, Australia, June 2006.

978-1-4799-3294-8/14/$31.00 2014 IEEE