“A potent compound collection system was mandatory.”
Donaldson Torit DFT 2-4 dust collector with an IEP explosion protection system.
A Princeton, NJ based multinational pharmaceutical manufacturing company required a dust collection/product recovery system for an anti-infective Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) micronization process. The equipment requirements included ensuring operator safety, allowing for facility wash down, and meeting all current FDA Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) and OSHA requirements.
Collection of product or nuisance dust is a necessity for many pharmaceutical manufacturing processes. The particulate might be unwanted airborne dust or process material, an explosion or fire risk, or perhaps a potent pharmaceutical compound. The material characteristics of the particulate will dictate the dust recovery system requirements. In this particular instance, the material was a highly potent and potentially explosive API.
SysTech-Design, founded in 1985 and located in Exton, Pennsylvania, with extensive experience working in the pharmaceutical, biopharmaceutical and biotechnology industries and specializing in air handling and dust collections issues, was selected to develop the required dust collection/product recovery system for this high potency API. SysTech-Design’s skilled technical team of engineers worked closely with the Company’s engineering staff to develop a design which included equipment specifications that met their stringent requirements for operator safety, cleaning, and explosion suppression while also complying with facility design limitations.
A dust collection system and receiver, capable of being washed down and meeting FDA food grade specifications was developed. It was constructed of 316 SS with a 4B finish for both the collector and conveying tubing.
Product Recovery System
SysTech-Design provided the major components which included a dust collector, which acted as a product receiver. It was sized for 600 CFM and designed with active explosion protection, a conveying tube network and NEMA 4X electrical controls with a variable frequency drive. The dust collector was a Donaldson Torit DFT 2-4 continuous duty pulse clean cartridge style unit with Ultra-Web filter media. Ultra-web filters have high initial filtration efficiency with an easy release surface. A “clean in-place” hopper discharge rotary valve completed the collection system package.
Located inside a wash down GMP processing suite, the product collector was designed for a Kst of 400. The design included an IEP Technologies-HOERBIGER Safety Solutions (formerly Fenwal Protection Systems) explosion suppression system which incorporated four (4) PistonFire Explosion Suppressors (Bottles of Sodium Bicarbonate) positioned to “fire” should a pressure rise be detected, a MEX-3 detector, a FAB-3 connector box, and EX 200 Control Panel. Also, meeting the NFPA 654 2013 Edition Standard, the system included inlet and outlet tubing isolation, dynamic pressure detector on the collector and an infra-red sensor on the outlet duct.
This dust collection/product recovery system has been in operation for several years without any known issues. There’s a lot to consider when installing a new system. Call SysTech at 800-456-9460 and we’ll provide the right equipment that is built to last and meets all standards to keep you compliant.
