Bag Houses

Definition

Bag houses, also known as fabric filters, are air pollution control devices used to remove particulate matter from industrial exhaust streams. They consist of a series of fabric bags or sleeves that trap and collect dust and other solid particles as the exhaust gas passes through the fabric.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Bag houses are commonly used in industries such as cement manufacturing, power generation, and metal processing to capture and contain particulate emissions.
2. The fabric bags in a bag house are periodically cleaned, either by mechanical shaking or by reverse air flow, to remove the accumulated dust and maintain the system's efficiency.
3. Bag houses can achieve high particulate removal efficiencies, often exceeding 99%, making them an effective solution for controlling air pollution from industrial processes.
4. The choice of fabric material for the bags is crucial, as it must be able to withstand the temperature, chemical, and physical conditions of the exhaust stream.
5. Proper maintenance and monitoring of bag houses are essential to ensure their continued performance and compliance with environmental regulations.

Review Questions

• Explain how bag houses work to remove particulate matter from industrial exhaust streams.
  • Bag houses work by using a series of fabric bags or sleeves to trap and collect dust and other solid particles as the exhaust gas passes through the fabric. The fabric acts as a filter, capturing the particulate matter while allowing the cleaned gas to pass through. The bags are periodically cleaned, either by mechanical shaking or reverse air flow, to remove the accumulated dust and maintain the system's efficiency. This process allows bag houses to achieve high particulate removal efficiencies, often exceeding 99%, making them an effective solution for controlling air pollution from industrial processes.
• Describe the key factors that influence the design and performance of bag houses.
  • The choice of fabric material for the bags is a crucial factor in the design and performance of bag houses. The fabric must be able to withstand the temperature, chemical, and physical conditions of the exhaust stream. Additionally, proper maintenance and monitoring of bag houses are essential to ensure their continued performance and compliance with environmental regulations. The efficiency of the system is also influenced by the use of pre-treatment devices, such as cyclone separators, to remove larger particulates before the gas enters the bag house.
• Analyze the role of bag houses in the context of the applications of electrostatics, specifically in the control of air pollution from industrial processes.
  • Bag houses are an important application of electrostatics in the control of air pollution. By using fabric filters to capture particulate matter, bag houses leverage the principles of electrostatics to remove solid particles from industrial exhaust streams. The fabric bags act as a medium for electrostatic charge separation, allowing the particulates to be efficiently captured and contained. This process is particularly effective in industries such as cement manufacturing, power generation, and metal processing, where bag houses play a crucial role in meeting environmental regulations and reducing the environmental impact of industrial activities. The integration of bag houses with other electrostatic-based technologies, such as cyclone separators, further enhances the overall effectiveness of air pollution control systems.

Related terms

Electrostatic Precipitators: Electrostatic precipitators are another type of air pollution control device that use electrostatic forces to remove particulate matter from exhaust streams.

Cyclone Separators: Cyclone separators use centrifugal force to remove larger particulates from exhaust streams before the gas enters a bag house or other filtration system.

Particulate Matter: Particulate matter refers to the solid or liquid particles suspended in the air, which can be harmful to human health and the environment.