Atex extraction and filtration plant for tobacco dust

GGE designed and produced an Atex Ex II 3D certified extraction and filtration plant for tobacco dust for a multinational company based in Bologna.

As a result of the company’s specific processes, the air is laden with tobacco dust: this is extracted directly from the workstations via Ø 300 mm nozzles. The extraction is generated by a 45 kW DT model centrifugal fan with an air flow of 26,000 m³/h, placed outside the factory in a soundproofing box, which is lined with sound-absorbing fabric for noise reduction.

The extracted air is then conveyed into Power Jet, the filter unit of the Atex extraction plant for tobacco dust. The flow of dusty air enters the Power Jet and passes through 30 high-efficiency filtering cartridges: the heavier tobacco particles fall, by gravity, into the collection bins below, while the lighter ones remain attached to the filtering fabric of the cartridges.
In this way, the airflow exits the Power Jet dust-free and it’s expelled into the atmosphere via a Ø 900 mm chimney, equipped with 3 circular silencers and a windproof terminal.
For the removal of dust that sticks to the filtering cartridges, Power Jet is equipped with an automatic cleaning system using compressed air jets, managed by the Eco Compact APC control unit on board the filter unit.

Two explosion-proof panels are installed on the structure of Power Jet as safety devices: these are membranes with a rupture sensor, which serve to vent any explosion that might occur inside the Power Jet.

As an additional safety system, an explosion isolation valve was placed along the pipeline: as a passive protective device, the valve prevents the propagation of any explosions in the suction lines.

The start-up and shutdown of the Atex extraction plant for tobacco dust is managed by an electrical control panel built in compliance with Industry 4.0 standards: the panel is equipped with inverter, HMI touch screen panel, PLC, software for the transmission of operating data and alarms via Modbus protocol and for the remote management of efficiency parameters.