Sizing Calculation of Fabric Filter

Bibhas Kumar Dey

1.0 Introduction

In this article, the discussion shall be restricted to Pulse Jet Fabric Filter, which may be
cleaned on-line or off-line. The filter media is normally shaped as bags with the gas flow
direction from outside to inside. The filtration velocity is "high" compared to other type of
filters. These filters are called High Ratio Fabric Filter (HRFF) and are most widely used in
industries across the world today to achieve compliance with regulatory norms regarding
particulate emission and to some extent heavy metal removal.

Fig:1 – Typical Multi-Compartment Fabric Filter

The Fabric Filter unit is made up of one or more compartments (Refer Fig:1) that may or may
not be isolated from one another, and which contains rows of filter bags that are shaped like
tubes, made of various type of textile fabrics. Dust-laden gas travels up the surface of the bags
before passing radially through the cloth. Dust does not pass through the fabric walls and
accumulates on the outside of the bags (Refer Fig:2A).

As the dust accumulation increases, periodic cleaning of the filter bags becomes necessary.
Although there are several types of cleaning systems, the pulse jet system is the most common
in the industry. The filter is run cyclically, with relatively long stretches of filtering and brief
stretches of cleaning. When the bags are being cleaned, the dust that has gathered on their fabric
surface is taken off and drops in a hopper for subsequent disposal.

During pulse-jet cleaning, a short burst, 0.03 to 0.1 seconds in duration, of high to medium
pressure (~4 to ~6 bar) air is injected into the bags (Refer Fig:2B).
 Sizing Calculation of Fabric Filter

Fig:2A – Filtration Process Fig:2B – Cleaning Process

The cleaning cycle is regulated either by a remote timer connected to a solenoid valve or
cleaned-on demand which is based on differential pressure as opposed to a timer. The burst of
air is controlled by the solenoid valve and is released into blow pipes that have nozzles located
above the bags. The bags are usually cleaned row by row, in the same compartment.

2.0 Dust Cake

At efficiency typically greater than 99.9%, fabric filters catch particles with sizes ranging from
submicron to several hundred microns in diameter. The primary reason of such high efficiency
is the layer of dust, or dust cake, accumulated on the fabric which has tortuous pores that catch
particles as they pass through it. The gas flow, through the filter medium and dust cake with its
small pores, becomes viscous (low Reynolds number). In effect, the dust cake works as a filter
and without it the fabric filter can only collect relatively large particles. However, a fabric filter
with a good dust cake can collect particles as small as 1.0 micron, with 99.99% overall
efficiency and can even collect some submicron particles (Refer Fig:3).

Fig:3 – Effect of Dust Cake in a Fabric Filter

3.0 Important process variables

The most important design parameters of Fabric Filters are:

i. Air to Cloth Ratio (ACR) / Filtration Velocity (VF)

ii. CAN Velocity
iii. Pressure Drop (ΔP)

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 Sizing Calculation of Fabric Filter

3.1. Air to Cloth Ratio (ACR) / Filtration Velocity (VF)

Filtration velocity is commonly referred to as the Air-to-Cloth Ratio (ACR) or Face Velocity
(VF), or superficial velocity (VS). ACR is defined as the ratio of gas filtered in cubic meter per
second (m3/s) to the area of filtering media (m2). The formula used to express filtration velocity
is:

ACR = Q/AC

ACR= Air-to-Cloth Ratio, m3/sec/m2 or m/s

Q = Volumetric Air Flow Rate, m3/s
Ac = Area of Fabric, m2

Table:1 – Safe Design Values of ACR (Source: Turner J H, et al JAPCA- i7:7-1(9 i9 87)

Dust ACR (cm/s) ACR (m/min) ACR (m/h)

Alumina 4.07 2.442 147
Cement 4.07 2.442 147
Coal 4.07 2.442 147
Fertilizer 4.07 2.442 147
Fly ash 2.54 1.524 91
Graphite 2.54 1.524 91
Gypsum 5.08 3.048 183
Iron ore 5.59 3.354 201
Iron oxide 3.56 2.136 128
Lime 5.08 3.048 183
Limestone 4.07 2.442 147
Rock dust 4.57 2.742 165
Sand 5.08 3.048 183
Silica 3.56 2.136 128
Zinc oxide 2.54 1.524 91

3.2. CAN velocity

CAN velocity is defined as the velocity of dust laden gas between the filter bags. It is calculated
by dividing the flow of dust-laden air entering the fabric filter chamber by the net flow area
available in the airflow’s direction.

VCAN = Q / (AChamber - ABags)

VCAN = CAN velocity

Q = Actual gas flow (m3/s)
AChamber = Area of the tube sheet; rectangular base width x length = L x B, m2
L = Length of the filter chamber, m
B = Breadth of the filter chamber, m
ABags = Area of the bottom of the bags = (N x π x d2)/4, m2
N = Number of filter bags
d = Diameter of filter bag

Recommended maximum can velocities for most of the applications, VCAN: 1 to 2 m/s. Most
fabric filters used in the industry can be designed with CAN velocities about 2.0 m/s. However,
CAN velocity must be lower in case of sub-microns and/or low-density or fluffy particles.
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 Sizing Calculation of Fabric Filter

Therefore, to achieve efficient filtration of sub-micron dusts, it is recommended not to exceed

the CAN velocity higher than 1.0 m/s.

3.3. Pressure Drop (ΔP):

Pressure drop (ΔP), an important Fabric Filter design variable, describes the resistance to air
flow across the Fabric Filter. The overall pressure drop in a fabric filter is the sum of
pressure drop across the filter bag and pressure drop across the dust cake that has been
deposited. Some pressure losses due to friction also occur as the gas stream moves through the
Fabric Filter.

Consequently, the pressure drop is proportional to the filtration velocity and the gas dynamic
viscosity. The filter resistance is generally a linear function of the mass of dust accumulated on
the filter during filtration in between cleanings. The filter resistance can be divided into two
parts and being influenced by certain parameters as shown diagrammatically below:

Increased
Bag Stickyness filtration
Looseness of Particles velocity
Decreased
Reduced dust
particle
particle
cohesion
Compressed diameter
Dust Particle forces
air tank
Diameter Residual pressure Resistance
resistance of
the cleaned of the
fabric dust cake

3.3.1. Pressure Drop Across Filter Bag

According to Darcy's law, which governs the flow of fluids through porous materials, the
simplest equation to estimate pressure loss across the filter bag is represented as follows:

ΔPF = K1 x VF
ΔPF = Pressure drop across the clean fabric, kPa
K1 = Fabric resistance, kPa/m/s
VF = filtration velocity, m/s

The term K1 is the fabric resistance, also known as drag, and is a function of exhaust gas
viscosity and filter characteristics such as thickness and porosity. Porosity describes the amount
of void volume in the fabric, i.e., Permeability of the fabric material.

3.3.2. Pressure Drop Across the Deposited Dust Cake

The ΔP across the dust cake is derived from Darcy's law and the simplified form can be
expressed as:

ΔPC = K2 x Ci x VF2 x t
ΔPC = Pressure drop across the cake, Pa
K2 = Resistance of the cake, Pa/(gm/m2) x (m/s)}

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 Sizing Calculation of Fabric Filter

Ci = dust concentration loading at inlet, gm/m3

VF = filtration velocity, m/s
t = filtration time, s

The experimentally obtained value for K2 is the dust-fabric filter resistance coefficient. The gas
viscosity, particle density, and dust porosity all affect this coefficient. The dust porosity is the
amount of void volume in the dust cake. The size of the particles in the gas stream affects K2.
If the particles are extremely small (< 2μm) K2 tends to become high which leads to higher
pressure drop requiring frequent cleaning of bags.

3.3.3. Total Pressure Drop Across the Deposited Dust Cake

The total Pressure Drop across a Fabric Filter is defined as follows:

ΔP = ΔPF + ΔPC = (K1 x VF) + (K2 x Ci x VF2 x t)

We can use the above equation to estimate the Approximate Pressure Drop across a Fabric
Filter. The above equation is based on too simplified boundary conditions. Just after the
filtration cycle starts, extremely complex particle-fabric interactions take place in the industrial
filtering process. In addition, the fabric resistance factor k1 can take on two different values;
one for the fabric before it is brought on-line and another after the fabric is cleaned.

When the dust cake builds up to a significant thickness, the pressure drop will become
exceedingly high (> 10 in. H2O or 250 mm H2O). At this time, the filter must be cleaned. Some
dust will always remain on the cloth even after cleaning. Therefore, the fabric resistance level
will be changing as the fabric ages. Generally, Fabric Filters are normally operated with a
typical Pressure Drop across the Inlet & Outlet in the range of 75 mm H2O to 250 mm H2O.

4.0 Simplified Calculation Method of Approximate Air-to-Cloth Ratio

Air-to-Cloth Ratio (ACR) can be worked out from the following formula:

ACR, ACFM/ft2 = A x B x C x D x E

A = Material Factor (Refer Table-1)

B = Application Factor (Refer Table-2)
C = Temperature Factor (Refer Figure-1)
D = Particle Size Factor (Refer Table-3)
E = Dust Load Factor (Refer Figure-2)

Table 1: Material Factor

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 Sizing Calculation of Fabric Filter

Table 2: Application Factor

Figure 1: Temperature Factor

Table 3: Particle Size Factor

Figure 2: Dust Load Factor

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 Sizing Calculation of Fabric Filter

4.1. Example Calculation #1:

To determine the Air-to-Cloth Ratio (ACR) of a Fabric Filter filtering process gas handling
rock dust particles of average particle size of ten microns with a dust load of 2 gr/ACF at a
temperature of 2500F, the following factors to be selected from Table-1 to Table-5:

From Table-1, we obtain the value of Material Factor, A = 2.5

From Table-2, we obtain the value of Application Factor, B = 0.8
From Figure-1, we obtain the value of Temperature Factor, C = 0.75
From Table-3, we obtain the value of Particle Size Factor, D = 0.9
From Figure-2, we obtain the value of Dust Load Factor, E = 1.1

Hence, the ACR = A x B x C x D x E = 2.5 x 0.8 x 0.75 x 0.9 x 1.1 = 1.49 ACFM/ft2
This can be converted to SI units by the following expression: 1 ACFM = 18.3 m3/m2/h
Hence the ACR for the given application = 1.49 x 18.3 = 27.27 m3/m2/h = 0.45 m3/m2/min.
Based on the above ACR, the filtering area can be calculated if the gas volume is known.

4.2. Example Calculation #2:

A fabric filter is required for controlling fly-ash emissions from a coal-fired boiler. The flue
gas stream is 23.6 m3/s at,435K. Estimate the net fabric area for this application.

From Table-1, Safe value of ACR = 2.54 cm/s = 0.0254 m/s

Volume Flow, Q = 23.6 m3/s
Minimum Filtering area required, A = Q/ACR = 23.6/0.0254 = 929.14 m2 ≈ 930 m2.

5.0 References

1. Air Pollution Control Equipment Calculations, Louis Theodore, John Wiley & Sons,
Inc.

2. Air Pollution Engineering Manual, 2nd Edition, John A. Danielson, EPA

3. Turner, J. H., and J. D. McKenna, “Control of Particles by Filters,” in Handbook of Air

Pollution Technology, ed. by S. Calvert and E. Englund, John Wiley & Sons, New
York, 1984.