Spark Trap, the Industrial Spark Arrestor
Industrial Spark Arrestors & Spark Coolers
The industry needed a simple and cost-effective means of reducing sparks from grinding, welding, and cutting applications so as to protect the worker as well as the existing dust collection system. Many industrial dust collectors have caught on fire over the years due to the absence of some kind of method of reducing the sparks. Many times, protection was left off due to cost – very few ductwork suppliers have the ability to handle both design and fabrication work in-house, and the typically high price of spark coolers reflected this.
As a design group and experienced sheet metal fabricator, US Duct is able to provide spark traps of the highest quality at a price that the vast majority of ductwork suppliers cannot match. By combining our understanding of dust collection and air dynamics with our in-house fabrication, US Duct retains build and performance quality while simultaneously passing along the price savings to our customers. The result is a patented spark trap that works and is highly cost-effective.
How the Spark Trap Captures and Eliminates Sparks
Through the use of a ‘vaned’ cone that sits in the inlet reducer, the spark-laden air is forced to the outside of the chamber while the vanes cause a simultaneous swirling action. The outlet duct is inserted into the unit so that it sits directly behind the cone.
In considering this, it is important to realize that a spark traveling in a moving air stream is essentially traveling with the air at a relative speed of zero. This is, in fact, less speed than it encounters when “sailing” in ambient air, and is the reason that a spark can carry further once in the duct. The extreme turbulence and the time in which the spark is held in the turbulence accounts for the effectiveness of the unit. While no industrial spark arrestor or trap, including US Duct’s, can guarantee 100% extinguishing, the goal is to provide reduction and limit risk.*
*US Duct’s spark trap is not for use in environments requiring fail-safe performance.
Protect Your Workers and Dust Collection System from Sparks
Reduce sparks from grinding, welding, and cutting applications.
- Proven spark mitigation
- Greatly reduced damage to filter media
- Minimal pressure drop
- Zero footprint/space requirement
- Easy installation: no factory tech or calibration required
- Works in a vertical or horizontal position
- No secondary dust accumulation point
- No distance installation requirements (can be placed at the collector)
Industrial Spark Arrestor
Other units on the market have relied on swirling the air. In fact, those units are also sold as air mixers for mixing gases or hot/cold air in a system so as to cool the air. When used as spark traps, they specifically state that you must place them a certain distance before the collector. This is because they are depending on the swirling action AFTER the unit to complete the extinguishing. HOWEVER, as stated above, the spark is traveling ‘with the air’ and not necessarily encountering the turbulence (blowing action) that is required to burn the ember/spark out.
Our unit does all the extinguishing in the chamber because we tumble the air, requiring it to reverse on itself twice. For this reason, you can put the trap right on the inlet to the collector. Because of the sizing of the chamber, as long as you stay under ~3500 FPM you should not see more than a .8” (8/10) additional pressure drop. The pressure goes up exponentially after that.
Important Information
Media & Case Studies
Spark Trap Capture of Grinding and Welding Sparks
Spark Traps – The Real Spark Trap from US Duct
