Baghouses
Compartment isolation
Also known as isolated compartment, offline compartment.
Compartment isolation is the procedure of closing the inlet and outlet dampers on a single baghouse compartment so that compartment can be cleaned, inspected or have bags replaced while the rest of the baghouse continues to filter. It is a defining design feature of multi-compartment baghouses and the operational rhythm of reverse-air and shaker cleaning systems.
Routine vs maintenance isolation
- Routine isolation — part of the normal reverse-air or shaker cleaning cycle; each compartment is briefly isolated for cleaning then returned online
- Maintenance isolation — extended isolation for inspection, bag replacement, tubesheet repair or hopper de-bridging; the compartment is locked out and tagged out per plant procedure
Implications for the other compartments
When one compartment is isolated, total gas flow is redistributed across the remaining online compartments. The effective air-to-cloth ratio and can velocity both rise, and differential pressure climbs proportionally. Multi-compartment baghouses are sized so that the remaining compartments can carry the full duty during planned isolations.
Related terms
Related terms
- BaghouseA baghouse is the structural enclosure that holds the bags, cages, tubesheet, cleaning system and hoppers of a fabric-filter dust collector. Sized in compartments for online isolation.
- Reverse-air baghouseA reverse-air baghouse cleans bags by isolating a compartment and passing low-pressure clean air through the bags in the reverse direction. Common on coal-fired utility duty.
- Shaker baghouseA shaker baghouse cleans bags by mechanically shaking the bag-support frame during compartment-offline cycles. Legacy design still common on light industrial duty.
- Filter bagA filter bag is the cylindrical fabric sock that traps particulate inside a fabric filter. Media selection depends on temperature, gas chemistry, dust load and cleaning cycle.