{"id":34700,"date":"2026-04-20T12:13:25","date_gmt":"2026-04-20T12:13:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/baghouse.com\/?p=34700"},"modified":"2026-04-20T14:57:32","modified_gmt":"2026-04-20T14:57:32","slug":"case-study-how-we-designed-a-dust-collection-system-for-1440-foods-powder-mixing-expansion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/baghouse.com\/es\/case-study-how-we-designed-a-dust-collection-system-for-1440-foods-powder-mixing-expansion\/","title":{"rendered":"Case Study \u2014 How We Designed a Dust Collection System for 1440 Foods\u2019 Powder Mixing Expansion"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

Transformaci\u00f3n digital<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\"14401440 Foods<\/strong> <\/a>was expanding its operation in Jeffersonville, Indiana and needed a dust collection system that could keep up with a growing food production process. The expansion included new mixing equipment, updates to the kitchen area, and new pickup points where powdered ingredients were being dumped, blended, conveyed, sifted, and packaged. An outside engineering firm, Haskell<\/strong><\/a>, first brought us into the project for a budgetary proposal and system concept. From there, the project evolved into a full design-and-install effort.<\/p>

The facility\u2019s process had two main powder-handling areas. The first was the powder blending and packaging side. That part of the operation included three bulk bag unloading stations in the powder mixing room, a bag dump station for 50-pound ingredient bags, a vacuum filter receiver, inclined helix conveyors, a mixer, a mixed powder hopper, a sifter, a helix conveyor inlet hopper, and a powder filler. Powders such as whey protein, soy protein, milk protein, maltodextrin, and other ingredients were unloaded, conveyed to the mixer, blended, sifted, and then sent to filling equipment.<\/strong> The second area was the bar kitchen side, where operators manually scaled powdered ingredients, carried them to bar kitchen mixers, and dumped them into mixing tanks with liquids to create dough for nutrition bar production.<\/p>

What made the project especially interesting was that this was not a standard nuisance-dust application. The powders involved were part of a food process, which meant sanitary materials and food-grade construction mattered, but they were also combustible.<\/strong> So the design had to solve two problems at once: capture dust effectively where operators were creating it, and do it in a way that addressed combustible dust hazards identified in the facility\u2019s dust hazard analysis.<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

Scope of Work<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Our role started with early layout information and concept-level planning. We were given basic 2D CAD drawings, pickup point locations, and general information on the equipment being added. From there, we took the lead on the dust collection side and developed a practical system around how the operation would actually run.<\/p>

That included engineering the capture hoods for the mixing areas, sizing the ductwork, selecting and sizing the dust collector and fan, and building the design around the real geometry of the equipment. One of the bigger challenges on the front end was that some of the mixing equipment had awkward access points and unusual angles. Product was being poured in manually, and dust was visibly billowing out during loading. Off-the-shelf hood designs were not going to solve that. We designed custom hoods to fit the way the mixers were actually being used, while still giving operators the access they needed.<\/strong><\/p>

Because the project was in a food production environment, we also had to account for sanitary construction. That meant stainless steel ducting, stainless hoods, and food-appropriate design choices throughout the collection side of the project.\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

Combustible Dust Considerations<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

This project required more than ordinary dust control because the dust being handled was combustible. The facility\u2019s Dust Hazard Analysis<\/strong><\/a> identified that the powder blending and packaging process, along with the bar kitchens had multiple areas where combustible dust could be present, become airborne, and potentially ignite. That included the bulk bag unloading stations, bag dump station, vacuum filter receiver, mixer, powder hopper, sifter, filler, and parts of the bar kitchen process where powders were dumped into mixing tanks.<\/p>

The dust testing behind the DHA showed why this mattered. Several of the ingredients handled at the facility had measurable explosibility values. Whey protein finished product tested with a Pmax of 7.5 bar and a Kst of 93 bar-m\/s. A whey protein from Fonterra tested at 7.3 bar and 87 bar-m\/s. Caseinate tested at 7.5 bar and 106 bar-m\/s. Star-Dry 100 NG maltodextrin tested even higher at 8.8 bar and 145 bar-m\/s. These are combustible dust values, and they put the materials in the St-1 range, meaning they are capable of a dust deflagration and need to be treated accordingly.<\/p>

The DHA also identified process-specific concerns that are common in powder handling but easy to underestimate in food plants: fugitive dust around filling and dumping points, potential tramp metal entering the system at manual bag dump stations, the need for bonding and grounding, the need for proper housekeeping, and the importance of preventing ignition sources from turning a manageable powder-handling system into a fire or explosion event.<\/strong><\/p>

To address that, we included combustible dust protection equipment as part of the system design. The final package included explosion vents<\/strong><\/a> on the collector, an explosion-rated rotary airlock<\/a><\/strong>, and a Vigiflap explosion isolation valve<\/strong><\/a>. Just as important, the overall design supported the broader needs highlighted in the DHA, including better source capture, safer handling of airborne dust, and equipment choices appropriate for a combustible dust environment.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Summary\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\tThese are some of the values the Dust Explisitivity Test included in the DHA provided for 1440 Foods. Pmax and Kst values are used for characterizing the explosive properties of a\ndeflagration of the particular powder. The Pmax is the maximum pressure developed from an ignited dust cloud. The Kst is the rate of pressure rise from a deflagration, normalized to the volume of the testing vessel. The MIE is the amount of energy required to ignite a dust cloud. This is useful to determine which potential ignition sources generate enough energy to ignite the material. The MEC is the minimum concentration required for a deflagration.\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/blockquote>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

soluci\u00f3n<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

The final solution was a cartridge-style dust collection system built around an ACT cartridge collector with a top-mounted fan. Because the application needed a slightly larger fan than usual, the collector was reinforced to accommodate it. On the capture side, we designed custom hoods to fit the mixers and loading points where operators were dumping product and generating visible airborne dust. We also sized the ductwork to match those hood requirements and keep the system performing the way it was intended.<\/p>

Equipment Specifications<\/h2>

TOTAL FILTER AREA:<\/strong> 4,572 SQ. FT.<\/span><\/p>

TOTAL VALVES:<\/strong> 9<\/span><\/p>

TOTAL CARTRIGES:<\/strong> 18 AT 13.8″ X 26″ LG<\/span><\/p>

TOTAL UNIT WEIGHT:<\/strong> APPROX. 2,950 LBS<\/span><\/p>

CONSTRUCTION:<\/strong> 10GA & 7GA STEEL<\/span><\/p>

COMPRESSED AIR:<\/strong> @ 90-95 PSIG: 2.0 SCF PER IMPULSE <\/span>(12 SCFM @ 6 PULSES\/MIN)<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"cartridge-style\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

For the food side of the application, we supplied stainless steel ducting and stainless custom hoods so the system matched the hygiene expectations of the plant.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
<\/div>
<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div>
<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div>
<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div>
<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div>
<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div>
<\/div><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

For the safety side, we incorporated the combustible dust protection equipment<\/strong><\/a> needed for this type of powder-handling process. The result was a system that capture dust where it was escaping, route it safely, and handle it in a way that fit both the production environment and the hazard profile of the materials.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
<\/div>
<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div>
<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div>
<\/div><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

One thing that helped the project move in the right direction was that the DHA gave a clearer picture of where the higher-risk process points were.<\/strong> In the powder blending area, the critical points were the bulk bag unloading, bag dumping, mixing, sifting, and filling steps. In the bar kitchens, the critical issue was the temporary dust cloud created when powdered ingredients were dumped into the mixing tanks. That gave us a roadmap for where local capture and properly designed collection mattered most.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

Installation Challenges<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Like a lot of good industrial projects, this one changed as it moved forward. The early concept work took time because the expansion itself was still being shaped. There was about a year between the early budgetary phase and final completion, with several design revisions along the way. At one point, the original engineering work from Haskell<\/strong><\/a> was handed off directly to 1440 Foods<\/strong><\/a>, and from there we worked with the customer to update the quote, revise the design, and adapt the system as the project became more defined.<\/p>

Once the purchase order was released, the schedule moved much faster. Equipment was delivered in about eight weeks, and our crew then went to Jeffersonville for installation. The field work took a couple of weeks, but the install was not a simple drop-in job. Some equipment locations changed late in the process, and some of the final machine configurations were different than the earlier assumptions. That meant we had to stay flexible with the duct arrangement and make field-driven adjustments to some of the custom hood designs.<\/strong><\/p>

In this case, we were able to adapt without losing the thread of the overall design. The key was understanding what the system needed to do once the equipment was actually in place.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

Outcome and Conclusion<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

The project was completed toward the end of 2025, and the system was up and running once installation was finished. 1440 Foods<\/strong><\/a> ended up with a dust collection system that fit the real needs of the process:<\/p>