Mist collectors and dust collectors both help improve air quality in industrial spaces. However, they are designed for different types of air pollution. Understanding the difference between the two helps you choose the right system for your workplace.
What Is a Mist Collector?
Mist Collectors are usually centrifugal filtration systems designed for the capture and control of fine liquid droplets in the air.
The aforementioned droplets are usually produced during processes like CNC machining, milling, wet grinding i.e grinding process with coolants or metal cutting using oil-based or water-based coolants.
Mist collectors pull in the polluted air and use filters or centrifugal force to separate the mist from the air. Clean air is then released back into the work area.
What Is a Dust Collector?
A dust collector is typically a bag based or cyclone type filtration system that is used to capture solid particulate matter in the air. These particles are generally created during processes like grinding, buffing, mixing and cutting or sanding of dry materials.
Dust collectors use strong suction pressure along with physical filtration media to trap the solid dust particles and prevent them from spreading into the ambient air.There are also self-cleaning dust collectors which use a different type of filter media that is more efficient and make use of reverse-pulsed jet systems that blast air through the filters at specific intervals to keep the filters clean. These types of reverse-pulsed jet dust collectors are used where there is a much higher volume of dust or in cases of much finer dust particles.
Main Differences Between Mist and Dust Collectors
Why Choosing the Right System Matters
Using the wrong type of filtration system can reduce air-cleaning performance and increase maintenance issues. For example, a dust collector is not suited for capturing coolant mist, and a mist collector cannot trap fine dry dust. It is also to be noted that a centrifugal mist collector is not ideal for capturing oil mist. Instead, in such cases, it is more effective to use an electrostatic filtration system that would serve as an oil mist collector. Matching the system to the pollution type improves worker safety, extends machine life, and helps you meet environmental rules.