The Spark Cooler dramatically reduces the life and freqeency of sparks in these systems.

Problem
The presence of sparks is a significant problem in the filtration of combustible particles in industrial air handling systems. Sparks in these processes get buoyancy from a surrounding bubble of hot air and move along virtually uninterrupted in a duct. Like a hot air balloon carrying its cargo, the spark ember moves along at the same velocity as the gas stream, until the spark reaches the filter media, where it deposits on the media surface. At this point, the hot air balloon is disrupted and gets stripped away from the ember. Typically, the spark is cooled in this gas-stripping process and therefore self-extinguishes before igniting a fire. However, if the spark is large enough and hot enough, it will ignite the media and may cause baghouse, duct and stack fires.

Spark temperatures typically range between 700-1400 degrees F. If the spark is hot enough and large enough, and where there is insufficient cooling effect on the spark, there may be enough heat energy in the spark ember to raise the surface temperature of the filter media to cause ignition. A spark measuring 150 microns in diameter and 700 degrees F can carry enough heat energy to ignite a fire and/or burn a through-hole in filter media.

 

Solution
The concentrated heat energy in a spark quickly dissipates when a spark ember is enveloped with cooler air, essentially rendering it incapable of starting a fire. The Spark Cooler^™ is a static turbulator that achieves this end by snuffing out sparks before they reach combustible material within your system. There are no moving parts. The spark cooler is easy to install—once installed, there are no strict operation or maintenance procedures that need to be followed for proper function of the spark cooler. The spark cooler works whenever your system fan is turned on.