Motor Control Center Case Study
A steel manufacturing company had a problem keeping their motor control center (MCC) clean. Poor ventilation and filtration were allowing dust to get into the MCC room, which is a vital part of keeping the mill operational. They had recurring issues with the starters and controls due to the buildup of dust. The room was enclosed, but they were not able to keep the dust-laden air from getting inside.
Additionally, the customer had purchased a commercial-grade air handler with panel filters. They were replacing filters every week, costing them thousands of dollars per month. If you’ve ever been in a steel mill or a foundry, you would understand the large amount of dust that can accumulate. What the company needed was a self-cleaning dust collector. This would continuously clean the air while putting the room under positive pressure to keep small leaks from allowing dust to enter.
This company also needed a collector that could handle the large volume of dust that was accumulating in their facility. They needed a unit that would reliably keep their motor control center clean, protecting it from dust buildup.
Challenge
The application required taking existing air inside the control room, combining it with ambient plant air, and sending it through a dust collector. The cleaned air would then be returned to the control room. The reason for combining air from inside and outside the control room is to put the room under positive pressure. When the room is pressurized, any leaks around wires, poorly sealed doors, and other openings would have air blowing out. This keeps dirty air from getting in.
This customer was unsuccessfully using HVAC filters. The problem with these is that they are not designed to clean themselves like a dust collector. Once the HVAC filters were loaded up with dust, the customer was back to the same problem. Their goal was to filter the dust, having a system that would effectively capture even the finest material with filters that would last longer.
Solution
Imperial Systems supplied a CMAXX with a top-mounted fan and cleaning controls to this customer. The CMAXX takes dust-laden plant air, filters it, and fills the room with clean, positive pressure 24/7. Filter replacement went from once a week to an estimated two-year changeout period. Now the filters are out of sight and out of mind. Problem solved.
Contact an Imperial Systems representative today to get started cleaning up the motor control center for your facility. We will properly size a system and will work with your facilities staff. Let us show you how a system like this can save you downtime due to control room electrical failures.
Equipment List for This Motor Control Center
- 8,500 CFM fan at 6” SP
- CMAXX Model CM008
