It is, in fact, a widely-used method across a variety of industries. This method is known for its ability to remove old coatings, rust, and other surface materials in order for new coatings to adhere correctly to surfaces. But unlike traditional processes, it is proven to be environmentally friendly and capable of eliminating toxic chemical exposure.
Sandblasting Room Preparation and Requirements
Abrasive blast systems tend to depend on modern and well-designed blast rooms. Why exactly? That is because the latter helps in ensuring a much more confined and controlled environment, let alone provide a cleaner surrounding. Whether you plan to remove an existing coat or you are simply prepping a surface, the use of air compressors is essential in achieving an optimal surface preparation.
Keep in mind, too, that proper ventilation of your blast room is crucial. You have at least three airflow choices in order to achieve the right ventilation:
Of course, no can say which one is the best and most efficient ventilation method, especially since it will depend on the specific abrasive you will be using in the room. Still, cross-draft is becoming a more popular choice due to its economical method. Remember as well that the calculation for your dust collector size is – and can only be – measured by the room’s width times its height times the cross-sectional airspeed (measured in feet). From there, it should be equalled to the total airflow, which is in cubic feet/minute or CFM.
You also have to consider the reclaim system, which is responsible for adding air volume to the dust collector. A general rule of thumb is to for one that ranges from 500 to 200 CFM. In other words, your resultant dust collector should come with a size suitable for 12,800 CFM and 500 CFM, achieving a total of around 13,300 CFM.
Apart from the aforementioned, you have to consider your return on investment or ROI when creating a sandblasting room facility. And there are different variables involved, all of which you have to carefully consider. This includes the manpower needed to get the job done and the amount of blasting done over a certain period of time. These variables, in one way or another, will influence your decision-making process.
Moreover, you have to be thorough when selecting the proper abrasive, which is required in all parts that will be blasted in the room. For instance, mineral abrasives are known to easily breakdown much faster when compared to steel grit abrasives. However, the former is capable of allowing greater flexibility for multiple blasting needs. So, in a sense, there should be a right balanced implemented. What is more, there is a need for you to factor in disposal costs. But then again, it will still vary greatly on the material and volume.
Components of a Sandblasting Room
In case you did not know, dust collection systems are considered critical components when it comes to abrasive sandblasting rooms. Nowadays, reverse pulse cartridge dust collectors are a thing and have even become a standard. In fact, this has been the status ever since they introduce a much more consistent and proficient exhaust motor, one that is capable of bringing air out of the space and trapping it in filters.
The aforementioned collectors are also excellent by nature, and this is thanks to their reinforced pleated paper. The latter, in particular, is designed to increase filter efficiency and, at the same time, reduce the much-needed size requirements of facility dust collection systems.
No matter how advanced your sandblasting room’s components are, there should be a proper maintenance procedure in place. Of course, it is consists of different tasks like occasionally removing the dust on the cartridge. Overall, it is an important thing to keep in mind every now and then.
Fortunately, though, the existence of some modern technology enables the possibility of self-cleaning through précised and inverted airflow. Let’s take for example the pulse-sensing technology. This one right here is designed specifically for the task of differentiating pressure between clean and dirty sides of filters. This is where dust collectors must have the ability to generate at least 50 feet per minute of airflow via the enclosure. Furthermore, it is possible for you to need rates of up to 100 fpm when working with dusty materials or producing hazardous ones.
