The Advantages and Disadvantages of Buying Used Dust Collectors

With the closing of plants in the recent past and scaling back of manufacturing there is a lot of used pollution control equipment proliferating the industry.  From a first look, buying used equipment looks like a great deal. Saving on capital expenditure along with a quick delivery to resolve an air pollution issue is very enticing. You may discover what appears to be a suitable baghouse for your application, BUT here are some questions that you need to take into consideration before you write the check and take delivery:

Is the equipment the proper design for your specific application?

• Can it handle the chemical and physical properties of the dust collected?
• Is there sufficient air-to-cloth ratio for the application?
• Is the filter media correct for the application?
• Is the interstitial velocity correct to allow for good filter cleaning?
• Does the equipment need to meet NFPA requirements for hazardous or explosive conditions?
• Do you know for sure if the dust collector will meet your EPA requirements?
• Do you know what product this existing unit was exposed to in the past? This is crucial as it is virtually impossible to completely clean the product contact surfaces of a baghouse system. Liability risks from chemical incompatibilities can range from contaminating your product to the creation of a hazardous environment.
• How old is this equipment? Is it in acceptable working order or has it been “in storage” for an extended period of time?
• Is this equipment rated for your design temperature condition?
• Is this equipment rated for your design pressure or vacuum condition?

If the answers to the above questions are satisfactory, then you may have discovered a cost effective solution for your application.

However, if the answers are not satisfactory with concerns the equipment being considered will not meet your application requirements, we submit the additional time, capital resources and logistics to bring this unit in compliance will almost certainly exceed the cost of a new system.

Additionally, if your application requires compliance with an EPA performance guaranty to meet a specific particle emission (PM) limit, this can only be provided by an original equipment manufacturer. Future fines/ court actions and legal fees can cost much more than the savings initially accrued.