How To Choose The Correct Filter

With so many filter choices it can leave you wondering if you purchased the best value filter available. We make every effort to make sure you get the right filter for your application by considering all the appropriate information. We stock and guaranty prices on common dust collector filters, envelope filters and cartridge filters. To place an order call 800 584 4720, one of our Bagologists can get or make hard to find filter types for any dust collector. All Materials, All Finishes and All Construction. Top Load, Bottom Load or Side Load Fast Response, Budget Estimates and Firm Quotes. BPS can be Your Single Source Supplier For All Your Baghouse dust collector and Filter Needs.

4 Steps to Specify a Filter Bag

Jump to - Step 1, Step 2, Step 3, Step 4

Step 1 - Dust Collector Filter Material Selection Top Of Page

How to choose the right filter media for your application. You should choose the media from which your filter bags will be constructed based on the type of application they will be used for. Take the following things into consideration prior to selecting your media:

Temperature - do your bags need to withstand extreme temperatures
Product - what are you filtering
Chemistry - can your bags withstand the chemical make up of the dust particles
Resistance- is the filter media able to resist the wear and tear of the dust particles

Choosing the correct filter media is an important and sometimes difficult process. To assist you in the identification of the right media for your bags, keep the following in mind. Filter bag performance is directly related to how well it can tolerate the environment in which it is being used. How efficiently it can remove the dust particles from it's fabric, it’s ability to be cleaned by the dust collector. You must first learn to identify the type of filter media currently used in your application. Below you will find a list of typical construction methods:

Woven felts
Non-woven felts
Natural fibers
Synthetics (Thermoset or Thermoplastics such as Polypropylene "PPRO" - Polyphenylene sulfide "PPS" - Polyester "PE")

For additional information on media types please examine our Filter Fabrics Chart. A simple test to determine if a material is a thermoplastic is to take a small swatch and put a flame to it. A thermoplastic material will begin to melt when exposed to direct heat. The selection criterion eliminates materials based on temperature and chemical characteristics. The first cut is usually made based on temperature. Then the chemical characteristics of the gas stream are considered to further refine the search. Next, the efficiency of the material further dictates the construction of the material i.e. – the weight – oz/sq. ft., fiber and surface treatments/membranes. Last but not least, if there are still two or more candidates it comes down to a price versus performance trade off.

Step 2 - Dust Collector Filter Measurements Top Of Page

Accurate measurements lead to the best fit. Most dust collectors have been upgraded over the years due to the need for new permits which called for reconfiguration of the bag house in which case OEM configurations will not fit. Because of this you will need to obtain accurate measurements for your filters before ordering replacement filter bags. If you currently have filter bags installed that are functioning properly, you can pull out one of those bags to get the proper measurements for your replacement order. A spare bag that has not been used yet can also be measured if available. However verify the bag measured is the same as the bags currently being used in the dust collector. If you are removing a used bag to measure, please be sure to use all necessary precautionary measures set in place prior to removal i.e. gloves, protective garments, & respiratory equipment if needed. It is best not to pull the numbers off the unit because of possible changes to the configurations. Of course the best solution is to mail us a new or used bag that can be used a guide sample.

Step 3 - Top and Bottom Construction Top Of Page

The top and bottom construction of a filter bag involves a variety of possible configurations. The type of cleaning process used by the dust collector determines which configurations will be used in the design of the filter bag. The most common types of dust collectors are "Pulsejet" "Shaker" "Reverse Air". The chart below can help you identify which type of dust collector filter you use. Filter Configurations Chart

Pulsejet Dust Collectors (Reverse jet) - found in almost every industrial environment. They are by far the most popular design and are seen in nearly all industry segments.

Typical Top Configurations	Typical Bottom Configurations
Double-Beaded Snap Ring	Double-Beaded Snap Ring
Snap Band	Snap Band

Shaker Dust Collectors (Mechanical Cleaning) - usually found in business critical applications where unscheduled down time will shut down an entire plant.

Typical Top Configurations	Typical Bottom Configurations
Loop Top	Corded Cuff with Clamp
Grommet Top	Double-Beaded Snap Ring
Strap or Tail Top	Snap Band
Metal Hanger or Cap
Snap Ring

Reverse Air Dust Collectors - usually found in very large air handling environments such as power and cement plants although they do have uses in a variety of industries.

Typical Top Configurations	Typical Bottom Configurations
Cap Top with Hook	Snap Band
Corded Cuff with Clamp
Snap Band

Universal Applications -

Typical Top Configurations	Typical Bottom Configurations
Snap Band	Snap Band
Raw Edge	Hem
Snap Band	Beaded Cuff
Loop Top	Over lock Disk
Grommet Top	Lockstitch Disk

Step 4 - Additional Options Top Of Page

Ground Wires - Use to comply with Factory Mutual requirements for static dissipation. Ground wire can be made from stainless steel or copper however this technique only works on a localized area of the filter. For optimal static dissipation look at conductive fiber filter made with Epitropic or Stainless Steel fibers.

Wear Cuffs - Used to combat abrasion at the bottom of the bag either from “sandblasting” of the bags or bag-to-bag abrasion due to turbulence in the bag house. Usually 2 to 4 inches in length and made of a material similar to that of the body of the filter bag.

Special Finishes - There are many finish options that can be added to the filter media at the time it is manufactured. Please refer to the materials selection area for further details.

Dust Collector Filter Configurations

Snap Band	Raw Edge	Cord
A-Hanger	Grommet	Loop
Strap	Support Ring	Rubber O-Ring
Disk Bottom	Disk With Wear Strip	Flange
Hem	Sewn Flat	Envelope

Dust Collector Filter Fabrics

Dust Collector Filter's Most Popular Materials Top Of Page

Polyester Felt / Dacron® Recommended continuous operation temperature: Maximum (short time) operation temperature: Supports combustion: Biological resistance (bacteria, mildew): Resistance to alkalis: Resistance to mineral acids: Resistance to organic acids: Resistance to oxidizing agents: Resistance to organic solvents: Available weights:		275°F 300°F Yes No Effect Fair Fair+ Fair Good Good 10 oz. - 22 oz.

Polypropylene Felt Recommended continuous operation temperature: Maximum (short time) operation temperature: Supports combustion: Biological resistance (bacteria, mildew): Resistance to alkalis: Resistance to mineral acids: Resistance to organic acids: Resistance to oxidizing agents: Resistance to organic solvents: Available weights:		190°F 210°F Yes Excellent Excellent Excellent Excellent Good Excellent 12 oz. - 18 oz

Combo Felt Recommended continuous operation temperature: Maximum (short time) operation temperature: Supports combustion: Biological resistance (bacteria, mildew): Resistance to alkalis: Resistance to mineral acids: Resistance to organic acids: Resistance to oxidizing agents: Resistance to organic solvents: Available weights:		210°F 225°F Yes Good Good Good Good Good Good 12 oz. - 18 oz.

Dust Collector Filter High Temperature Materials

Conex® / Nomex® Felt (Aramid) Recommended continuous operation temperature: Maximum (short time) operation temperature: Supports combustion: Biological resistance (bacteria, mildew): Resistance to alkalis: Resistance to mineral acids: Resistance to organic acids: Resistance to oxidizing agents: Resistance to organic solvents: Available weights:		400°F 425°F No No Effect Good Fair Fair+ Poor Good 10 oz. - 22 oz.

P84® Felt Polyimide Recommended continuous operation temperature: Maximum (short time) operation temperature: Supports combustion: Biological resistance (bacteria, mildew): Resistance to alkalis: Resistance to mineral acids: Resistance to organic acids: Resistance to oxidizing agents: Resistance to organic solvents: Available weights:		475°F 500°F No No Effect Fair Good+ Good+ Good+ Excellent 14 oz. - 18 oz.

Ryton® Felt / PPS Recommended continuous operation temperature: Maximum (short time) operation temperature: Supports combustion: Biological resistance (bacteria, mildew): Resistance to alkalis: Resistance to mineral acids: Resistance to organic acids: Resistance to oxidizing agents: Resistance to organic solvents: Available weights:		375°F 400°F No No Effect Excellent Excellent Excellent Fair Excellent 16 oz. - 18 oz.

Dust Collector Filter Specialty Materials

Homopolymer Acrylic Felt Recommended continuous operation temperature: Maximum (short time) operation temperature: Supports combustion: Biological resistance (bacteria, mildew): Resistance to alkalis: Resistance to mineral acids: Resistance to organic acids: Resistance to oxidizing agents: Resistance to organic solvents: Available weights:		250°F 275°F Yes Good+ Fair Good+ Excellent Good Good+ 15 oz. - 18 oz.

Epitropic Felt Antistatic Recommended continuous operation temperature: Maximum (short time) operation temperature: Supports combustion: Biological resistance (bacteria, mildew): Resistance to alkalis: Resistance to mineral acids: Resistance to organic acids: Resistance to oxidizing agents: Resistance to organic solvents: Available weights:		275°F 300°F Yes No Effect Fair Fair+ Fair Good Good 14 oz. - 16 oz.

Dust Collector Filter Woven Materials

Acrylic	Cotton	Fiberglass
Polyester	Polypropylene	Ryton®	Nomex® / Conex®

Additional Dust Collector Filter Bag Fabrics and Finishes Top Of Page

Filter Bag Fabrics	Filter Bag Finishes

Aramid	Plain
Bean Knit (PE)	Acrylic surf coat
Copolymer Acrylic	Eggshell
Dacron	Fibertaxis
Duo Density P.E.	Flame Retardant
Epotropic - PE with blended carbon filters	Glazed
Fiberglass	Gortex®
Gortex®	Micro coat
Gortex® Remedia® Catalytic Filter System	Mirror
High Temp PE (RK-5)	Oleophobic
100% Homopolymer Acrylic	Portex
Huyglass®	Silicon
Nomex®	Singed
P-84®	Tetratex
P-84/Homopolymer Acrylic	10% Teflon B coating
P-84/Nomex	Teflon emulsion - bath
P-84/PE	201 T-snap band, bottom disc
P-84/Ryton	202 SS ground wire
P-84/Teflon	203 Wear Strip
PE/Oleophobic	210 T-raw edge, bottom disc
PE/PP Combo Felt	Copper and stainless steel ground wires
PE with blended stainless steel
Polyester
Polypropylene
P-Tex 500
Ryton
Teflon®