Factors That Impact Industrial Duct System Performance

You typically utilize industrial duct systems for air and dust management or fume control during industrial production. While most residential and workplace HVAC systems have designs that use fans to pressurize the duct and blast conditioned air into the building, industrial ducts create negative pressure that acts as a suction.

This type of duct system has unique parameters and issues that can arise. Here are factors that impact industrial duct system performance.

Leakage and Plugging

It's essential to maintain and clean ducts to prevent plugs and leaks from occurring. Here are some different circumstances and issues you should be aware of when inspecting ducts.

• Low air velocity: The airspeed inside the ducts must be adequate to transport contaminants efficiently. The entire system's performance and minimum transit speed can be affected by tiny changes in just one section, such as a modification in duct size.
• Duct system modifications: When you add other hoods and ducts to the current duct system, the airflow must be adjusted or re-equalized. If you do not accurately rebalance manually, it will rebalance on its own. In most cases, your airflow will decrease in parts with higher resistance. Particulate matter will settle out of the air stream, and your ducts will clog when the airflow is diminished.
• Particulate traps, cleanouts, or settling chambers that are not installed or utilized: Regular cleaning of duct system locations that tend to clog first can decrease the requirement for a large-scale cleaning. Cleanout or access doors make cleaning considerably easier in areas where clogging occurs frequently. If you do not perform this cleaning routinely, it can diminish the performance of the entire duct system.

Improperly Sized Ductwork

Industrial duct systems have tapered central systems, which means that the larger the duct, the more air enters the main trunk line. If the duct is too large, the material will fall out and settle at the bottom of the duct; too small, and the dust will continue to circulate, though the fan size required to pull the higher volume of air through the smaller hole will increase. This result is not only wasteful, but it will also cause the dust to travel faster and can quickly wear out the duct, especially at the branches and elbows where it must turn.

Integrity of Materials

Damage to any section of the ductwork, such as dents and holes in ducts and pipes, can reduce the entire system's functionality. Cracks and leaks will reduce airflow, cause contaminants to escape, and reduce indoor air quality, which can be a hazard for employees. Be sure to repair or replace damaged ducts and pipes as soon as possible to prevent these issues.

Hopefully, this guide helps you recognize some of the factors that impact industrial system performance. If you need to replace pipes in your industrial ductwork system, Monkey Industrial Supply has a wide selection of vent duct pipes for all types of applications. Feel free to contact us with any questions regarding our products.