Steel and Metallurgy
High Temperature Pleated Bag Retrofit for Steelmaking Dust Collection
Replacing 4,992 six-metre conventional filter bags with compact aramid ePTFE pleated bags reduced resistance and operating cost
Project Overview
| Industry | Steel and Metallurgy |
|---|---|
| Application | Basic Oxygen Furnace Secondary Dedusting and Refining Furnace |
| Temperature | 120-200 °C; maximum 200 °C |
| Original Elements | 4,992 conventional filter bags, Ø135 × 6,000 mm |
| Retrofit Elements | 4,992 pleated bags, Ø135 × 2,500 mm |
| Filter Media | Aramid with ePTFE membrane |
| Retrofit Goals | Lower resistance, energy and carbon reduction, and lower maintenance cost |
| Key Outcome | Average pressure drop reduced by 500 Pa; emissions remained below 10 mg/m³ |
The Challenge
The customer's converter secondary-dedusting and refining-furnace system used 4,992 conventional filter bags, each measuring Ø135 × 6,000 mm. Operating temperatures ranged from 120 to 200 °C, with a reported maximum of 200 °C.
High dust-collector resistance was increasing energy use and operating cost. The customer also wanted to reduce the labour and resources required for maintenance while continuing to meet strict particulate-emission requirements.
The Solution
Farrleey Filtration developed a retrofit that replaced conventional filter bags with pleated bags while retaining the same 4,992 filter positions. The original six-metre conventional bags were replaced with Ø135 × 2,500 mm pleated bags, creating a more compact filtration element for the existing dust-collection application.
Aramid filter media with an ePTFE membrane was selected for the 120-200 °C operating environment. The membrane supports surface filtration and dust release, while the pleated bag design was applied to help reduce system resistance and maintenance demand.
Retrofit Configuration
| Original System | 4,992 conventional filter bags; Ø135 × 6,000 mm |
|---|---|
| Retrofit System | 4,992 pleated bags; Ø135 × 2,500 mm |
| Filter Media | Aramid with ePTFE membrane |
| Operating Range | 120-200 °C; maximum 200 °C |
The Result
According to the customer's operating records, the retrofit delivered the following results:
| Particle Emissions | Stable below 10 mg/m³; approximately 5 mg/m³ initially and 8 mg/m³ after two years |
|---|---|
| Pressure Drop | Average reduction of 500 Pa |
| Electricity Saving | 1.12 million kWh per year |
| CO₂ Reduction | 594 metric tons per year |
| Operating Reliability | No shutdown failures during a full year of operation |
| Compliance | All four supervisory inspections by the environmental authority met requirements |
| Monitoring | Online emissions data connected and published in real time |
After two years, particulate emissions remained below 10 mg/m³, demonstrating that the retrofit maintained stable emissions performance while reducing resistance, energy consumption and operating cost.
Considering a Pleated Bag Retrofit
Farrleey Filtration develops high-temperature filter media and customized pleated bag solutions based on equipment dimensions, temperature, dust characteristics, airflow and pulse-cleaning conditions.
Recommended Internal Links
- Steel and Metallurgy
- High Temperature Filter Media
- Aramid Filter Media with ePTFE Membrane
- Pleated Filter Bags
- Contact Us
