At its manufacturing plant in Sleaford, Lincolnshire, leading snack foods manufacturer Humdinger Foods Ltd has recently invested in new dust extraction equipment from Dust Control Systems Ltd (DCS). Serving Humdinger’s new peanut coating line, the dust extraction system is designed to effectively contain and capture airborne starch dust from within the coating process.

DCS has designed and installed a complete dust extraction system, incorporating custom-built extraction hoods, and ductwork which runs at high level in the coating room to an externally-sited filter plant. All the ducting and extraction hoods are constructed in stainless steel and the system is configured to ensure optimum extraction conveying velocities. A clean air input system is included, and the main ductwork also incorporates an APEX approved CARZ back-pressure flap valve to prevent the effects of a dust explosion from travelling back along ductwork into the coating room.

The high-performance pulse-jet filter unit has an airflow capacity of 4,400m3/hr and is fitted with special Dura-Life water-resistant filter media. Waste is discharged into a quick-release collection bin.

Nik Durrant, Humdinger Engineering and Health & Safety Manager, says: “Having a clean and dust-free food processing facility is vital to worker safety and the DCS plant contributes greatly to this end. We were also very impressed with the standard of work and the way DCS handled every aspect of what was a very time-contingent contract.”