What is the nature of dust generated by food processing? Application of downdraft workbench

Food health issues are one of the most important issues for a country. However, many companies will produce dust to pollute food during food processing, posing a threat to the health of workers.

Hebei Xintian Environmental Protection Equipment Co., Ltd. of China has customized a large number of downdraft workbenches for food processing for the food industry, which perfectly solves the pollution of dust to food.

The following introduces the hazards of food processing dust and the working principle of downdraft workbenches:

The hazards of dust generated by food processing

1. Flammability

- Many food processing dusts are flammable. Dusts such as flour and starch may explode when they reach a certain concentration in the air (the lower explosion limit of flour is about 20-60g/m³) when they encounter a fire source (such as open flame, static spark, etc.). This is because these dusts are fully mixed with air to form a combustible mixture. Once ignited, the reaction will spread rapidly and release a lot of energy.

- This flammability requires food processing sites to take strict fire and explosion prevention measures to prevent dust explosion accidents.

2. Hygroscopicity

- Some food processing dusts are hygroscopic. For example, dust containing sugars can easily absorb moisture from the air in a high humidity environment. This can cause dust to clump, affect its fluidity, and adhere to the surface of the equipment, making it more difficult to clean.

- At the same time, if hygroscopic dust accumulates for a long time, it may also breed microorganisms, which will have an adverse effect on the sanitation of the food processing environment.

3. Hazards to human health

- Food processing dust can enter the human body through the respiratory tract. When fine dust is inhaled, it may be deposited in the alveoli, causing respiratory diseases such as pneumoconiosis (long-term inhalation of flour dust may cause flour pneumoconiosis), bronchitis, etc.

- Some components in dust may also cause allergic reactions. For example, dust generated in seafood processing may contain allergens such as shrimp and crabs, causing allergic symptoms such as allergic rhinitis and skin itching in processing personnel.

Application of downdraft workbench

1. Dust collection principle

- Downdraft workbench mainly uses the suction system to collect dust. When it is working, the negative pressure generated by the fan forms an air intake flow in the working area. When dust is generated, the air flow will suck the dust into the dust collection system of the downdraft workbench. Generally speaking, the wind speed design of the air inlet is accurately calculated to effectively capture dust and prevent it from spreading into the working environment.

2. Filter system and maintenance

- Downdraft workbenches are usually equipped with a filtration system, and common filter materials are filter bags and filter elements. When dust-laden air passes through the filter material, the dust is trapped on the surface of the filter material, and the clean air is discharged into the atmosphere through the filter material. The filter bag can generally be cleaned by shaking or backblowing to maintain its good air permeability. The filter element can be cleaned by pulse jetting and other methods.

- In order to ensure the normal operation of the downdraft workbench, it needs to be maintained regularly. This includes cleaning the dust in the dust box, checking the operating condition of the fan, replacing damaged filter materials, etc. For example, under high-load use, the filter bag may need to be replaced every 1-2 months to ensure good filtering effect.