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Oil-Mist-Collection-for-Industrial-Food-Production---Air-Purification-for-Food-Manufacturing---1
June 3, 2021

Oil Mist Collection for Industrial Food Production

Take a Bite Out of Bad Air Quality with Oil Mist Collection for Industrial Food Production

Industrial food production is Canada’s second-largest manufacturing sector, accounting for 17% of manufacturing sales in Canada and 2% of total GDP. Not only that, but according to the Government of Canada, food production is only going up, with the industry growing at a rate of approximately 6% per year. When industrial food production rises to the scale and scope of Canada’s, environmental and workplace safety can become limiting factors due to the demands and emissions associated with industrial food systems. Aeroex is a manufacturer of industrial air purifiers experienced with industrial food operations that is ready to deploy the solutions needed for any emissions or assembly line issue.

A Healthy Diet of Food Industry Applications at Aeroex

Air quality and emissions issues vary significantly across a food production industry that includes meat products, beverages, bakery, grain/seed milling, animal feed, produce preservation, specialty products, dairy, seafood, and sugars. In Aeroex’s experience, the requirements for air purification or oil mist collection are very industry-specific. Each type of food production has different emissions, both as a function of the machinery being used, the design of the facility, and the types of products being applied during food production.

To increase the challenge, environmental and health and safety regulations place constraints on production and raise the need for mitigation measures. Aeroex has worked with several industrial food producers to solve these challenges and is ready to customize a solution that meets your needs. We outfit our air purifiers with oil extractors and have several accessories that modify our machines to meet your needs.

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Pizza, Pie, and Bagels? Yum! Oil Mist and Smoke? Yuck! To appreciate our understanding of the many industry-specific needs for air purification during food production, consider a couple of examples:
1. Pizza

Whether you like a classic cheese and pepperoni pizza, vegetarian, or Hawaiian, we all love the smell of pizza once it comes out of the oven. However, industrial pizza production comes with its challenges. For example, consider the example of Dr. Oetker (founded in 1893 and established in Canada in 1960), famous for the Ristorante Pizza. When producing pizza, olive oil is used. Suction cups used in the process bring the pizzas to another production line, but the activity caused olive oil mist to be disseminated within the area. To mitigate risk to quality, equipment, and health issues at play, oil mist collectors were installed by Aeroex to align with the challenging steps of production involving olive oil mist.

2. Bagels

Montreal bagels are famous for their sourdough recipe combined with malt, eggs and honey to provide a distinct flavour. Even today, Montreal Bagels are often produced by hand and in-shop. The wood-fired ovens used to cook the bagels are a trademark and a source of big flavour, but also contribute to big environmental and health issues. When wood is burned at conventional cooking temperatures, the smoke presents a large number of health concerns including benzene, formaldehyde, acrolein, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Inhalation causes respiratory problems and can be asthma triggering. Exposure can also lead to other occupational health issues include things like irritated eyes. Air purifiers like those produced by Aeroex are needed to keep the workplace (not to mention the community near an emissions source) safe and free of wood smoke so their bagels can be enjoyed in peace. Aeroex has proven experience with Fairmount Bagels that can attest to this.

3. Pies

Industrial food production for baked goods like pie often has challenges with oil mist on the production line, or for that matter any time those convenient tinfoil trays are in use. To give the customer the added convenience, most frozen or baked products have a “no stick” guarantee or feature. This means spraying the container with pressurized oil to line the baking sheet or crust tray. Oil mist issues here are common, as the oil applicator may not be perfectly directed at the target container. The concentration of the spray often means that fine oil spray mists get introduced into the broader environment of your production facility, causing unwanted health and safety issues or films forming on your equipment. Oil mist collectors are modular on the production line and will provide source control for oil mist, leaving you to rest easy and enjoy that perfect slice of pie.

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Air Purifiers in Your Workplace Are a Recipe for Success

In the food production industry, there is little room for error, and the space for staff and equipment is often at a premium. Even if you recognize the need for air purification, solutions that don’t fit into your food production line won’t work. Aeroex’s affordable models are also small enough to fit right into your workplace, with our best sellers having a footprint of only 15” x 15” and weighing 65 pounds. There are portable and mounting options to choose from that can be deployed anywhere in your facility.

Aeroex often provides solutions for the restaurant industry that include oil and fume extraction in the kitchen or air purification in the dining room. Mounting options we offer like hoods are a great choice for industrial kitchen appliances. Food production takes place in many settings and institutions. For example, our medical-grade filtering options with the highest performing HEPA filters work very well in long-term care facilities. Whether you are an industrial food manufacturer, food preparation facility, or restaurant, Aeroex has an air purification solution that will hit the spot.

Made in Canada: The Aeroex Secret Ingredient

Aeroex is a proud supporter of the Canadian food manufacturing industry. Whether you are a meat producer in Alberta or Manitoba, a beverage producer in British Columbia, a grain mill in Saskatchewan, a seafood packager in Nova Scotia, or a bakery in Ontario, Aeroex believes you deserve industry-leading mist collector units at prices that don’t hurt your bottom line. Even more so, as a Canadian producer yourself you deserve a made in Canada solution. All our products are proudly assembled at our facility in Barrie – stop by and we can discuss the air purification needs in your food production facility!

Blog Mist Collectors
What-Are-Mist-Collectors2-Mist-Collector-Blog-Aeroex-1
April 15, 2021

What are mist collectors?

Mist collectors are industrial-grade machines designed to remove airborne particles from industrial working environments. While more commonly found in the metalworking industry, innovation in mist collector technology has also enabled their utility in other industrial applications including commercial food production, air purification, and other specialty uses. 

Businesses that rely on machining processes that emit harmful pollutants must ensure that the working conditions, including indoor air quality (IAQ), are compliant with contemporary exposure standards set by regulatory bodies like the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) and Health Canada. For instance, OSHA limits exposure to 5 mg/m3 for all employees that work 8 hours/day and 40 hours/week, and any employer that does not comply with these restrictions could risk a lawsuit or fines. Health and safety committees work to achieve a recommended limit of 0.3-0.5 mg/m3 to provide a safe working environment. To be certain that your industry stays within the stated guidelines, an industrial hygienist should be consulted to determine the air quality in your environment. 

Luckily, Canadian-made Aeroex Technologies Inc. has engineered mist collectors for a large range of industrial applications in addition to metalworking, such as commercial food production, air purification, and other specialty uses that are compliant with the standards set by these regulatory bodies. 

 

Tsugami Mist-Fit

MIST COLLECTOR MF-350 ON TSUGAMI

Where are mist collectors used?

Mist Collectors in the Metalworking Industry

Mist collectors used in the metalworking industry serve to trap harmful oil and coolant mist that is formed during machining processes. Oil and coolant mist exposure poses a significant health hazard risk to personnel and shop equipment. Regular and proper maintenance of metalworking machines can cut down on production time and aids in preventing machine failure. One way machine operators ensure proper maintenance of metalworking machines is by keeping their metal cutting tools lubricated. This keeps metals cool while in action, reduces friction, and protects their integrity in the long term. 

Amid machining processes such as milling or grinding, oil or coolant mist may be generated and can easily disperse throughout the work environment. When exposed to high temperatures, oil mist can develop into oil smoke in which the oil begins to burn before it is released into the air. This can pose a great health risk to machine operators and can contaminate CNC machine assets. Oil mist exposure can also leave behind a slick residue on the machines as well as the working environment. Slick working conditions can damage machines, as well as increase the risk of slips and falls occurring if not properly controlled.

Exposure to oil mist can occur through skin contact, breathing oil mist in, or ingesting it. People that are exposed to oil mist can experience symptoms such as irritation of the eyes or skin, a burning sensation in the mouth and throat, fever, rapid heart rate, shortness of breath, vomiting, and headache. Long-term exposure to oil mist can also increase the likelihood of developing skin and respiratory diseases, as well as cancer. With a growing shift in the industry toward the use of high-pressure coolant systems, many mist collectors on today’s market fall short in their ability to filter through the byproducts these coolants produce. 

Fortunately, Aeroex Mist Collectors are made to effectively remove byproducts that are produced by high-pressure oil and coolants used in metalworking processes to mitigate the risks associated with oil mist exposure. Aeroex Mist Collectors are built to be durable and low-maintenance to meet the everyday demands of your facility’s regular operations. Regardless of machine size, Aeroex Mist Collectors can be fitted to meet the needs of your equipment and can be customized with accessories that further ensure quality air filtration.

Mist Collectors in Commercial Food Production

Mist collectors can also be used in commercial food manufacturing processes to remove cooking odours, grease, smoke, and oil mist from food production facilities and commercial kitchens. Hygiene is essential when it comes to food and beverage processes – ensuring a sanitary work environment is imperative to reduce the risk associated with contamination necessary for quality. Moreover, clean working conditions allow your equipment to work at peak performance while also maintaining a safe work environment for employees. 

Requirements for businesses to meet air purification and oil collection standards in commercial food production will depend on a myriad of factors. Many businesses will seek professional advice when it comes to health, safety, and environmental standards concerning air purification and oil collection. Aeroex engineers offer years of experience in outfitting commercial food production facilities with air purification and oil collection solutions that meet the specificity of food production industry standards. Air purification systems can be equipped with Oil Extractors and other accessories needed to ensure your machines are fully capable of meeting everyday air filtration demands.

Mist Collectors in Speciality Applications

The modular nature of Aeroex Technologies air purification systems allows great flexibility when it comes to outfitting the needs of specialty filtration applications. Fume extraction in laser engraving, 3D printing, plastic welding, wet scrubber exhaust, mobile applications, odour and fume control, cold heading, stamping, heat treating, and parts washers applications can all be custom outfitted with Aeroex air purification solutions to control the release of undesired airborne particles such as mist, smoke, aerosols, fumes, odours, and exhaust. 

Mist collectors are vital for maintaining air quality standards in metalworking, commercial food production, as well as a myriad of specialty applications. It is no wonder why more and more businesses are seeking effective ventilation of unwanted airborne particles by opting for a mist collector machine that is compliant with industry air quality stands.

How Do Mist Collectors Work?

Many mist collectors work by using centrifugal technology where a rotating drum is used to intercept unwanted particles and merge into larger droplets that ultimately drain out of the unit. The disadvantage to centrifugal separation is its inability to separate fine mist particles. This is often supplemented with an afterfilter. The downside to relying on an afterfilter to eliminate fine mist particles is short filter life leading to diminished airflow. To maintain operational performance these mist collectors require frequent service with a high cost of consumables. 

The engineering experts at Aeroex Technologies Inc. have found a solution by using innovative filtration techniques and cutting-edge materials to ensure high-efficiency mist collectors that can maintain consistent airflow with industry-leading maintenance intervals. Aeroex mist collectors feature several innovative design elements that guarantee high efficiency, the extensive lifespan for its filters, and low operational costs. Design elements such as; first-stage mechanical element filters use inertial separation technology to drain up to 85% of contaminants from the airstream before entering consumable filters. Further filtration is achieved by using depth loading fiber bed filters to progressively capture the remaining mist particles, consolidate them to a central drain for return to the machine sump.  

Source Capture vs. Ambient Capture

In air filtration, source capture and ambient capture refer to where the air filtration takes place. As its name would suggest, source capture filtration occurs at the source where unwanted airborne particles are produced. In contrast, ambient capture works by continuously circulating plant air through overhead filtration units.

The main benefit of choosing a source capture mist collector is that it eliminates the mist directly at the source. This is a much more efficient and cost-effective solution. 

With ambient capture, the contaminants are allowed to exit the machine and circulate through the facility before it is captured by the ambient air cleaner. .. That’s why Aeroex designs machine-mounted mist collector solutions to effectively and efficiently capture air contamination at the source.

What Factors Should I Consider When Purchasing a Mist Collector?

Are you in the market for a mist collector for your unique application? Choosing a mist collector that meets your demanding day-to-day operations can feel overwhelming. However, meeting industry air quality standards and ensuring the safety of employees, equipment, and their working conditions should never be overlooked regardless of the industry you work in. The following, are guidelines that industries should look out for when purchasing a mist collector:

Air Quality Standards and Filtration Capability

  • The efficiency or MERV rating of filters indicates the specific size of particles in microns that can be collected by the mist collector. 
  • Delivered Airflow indicates the amount of airflow that a mist collector can intake factoring airflow loss with filters installed. Usually measured in cubic feet per minute (CFM).
  • Minimum particle size is measured in micrometers. Signified with the unit µm, they show the minimum diameter of aerosol that a mist collector is capable of filtering.

Air Purification requirements can be determined using our calculator.

Application, Size, and Weight Specifications

  • Consider what size mist collector you require to meet the needs of your industrial application. Use our calculator to help you determine which is the best unit for your specific needs. 
  • Size specifications indicate the dimensions of the mist collector unit. They are usually measured in feet (ft) and inches (in), and they go a long way in helping to determine the positioning and mounting opportunities available. 
  • The weight of the mist collector in pounds (lbs).

Sound Level Considerations

  • The sound levels of mist collectors are also indicated to show the amount of noise that it would generate while operational. This is measured in decibels (dBA). Top-of-the-line mist collectors aim to reduce noise levels as much as possible.

Power and Usage

  • Power specifications refer to the voltage requirements to power the mist collector and should be matched based on the power supply available at the facility.
  • Maintenance intervals will determine how frequently the filter must be cleaned or replaced.

Installation Options

  • Installation indicates how the mist collectors are to be mounted and connected for optimum performance. Generally, numerous mounting options will be available to accommodate the wide range of applications.
Air Purification Blog
Air-Filtration-For-Schools---Air-Purification-For-Educational-Facilities---HEPA-Filtration---Aeroex-Iris---RESIZED
March 5, 2021

Air Purifier For Schools and other educational facilities.

Air quality has always been important, however, it’s never been more top of mind than now! The current global situation has compelled us to reconsider air quality, particularly indoor air quality in enclosed spaces such as educational facilities. Let’s talk about the importance of air purifiers at schools

Maintaining air quality in daycares, schools, colleges, and universities presents unique challenges. Essentially, they are densely populated spaces in which people tend to spend extended periods of time, thus increasing exposure for students and faculty to contaminated air that may be present.

It is not uncommon to find airborne particles such as dust, viruses, bacteria, allergens, and mold circulating in the air.

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Our local schools should be clean and fit for learning. One way to reduce airborne contaminants and potential exposure to disease in classrooms and lecture halls are by using air purifiers. There are various options available, but essentially they all try to achieve the same result – clean air by neutralizing or filtering out contaminants.

What are Air Purifiers?

Air Purifiers are machines that either filter or neutralize airborne contaminants. They achieve this by employing various methods, but most can be classified in one of two ways: Filter driven air purification systems (such as HEPA air purifiers) or Needlepoint Bipolar Ionization, which neutralizes contaminants by ionizing the air.

What is a hepa air purifier?

HEPA filtration works by forcing air through a filter media, with numerous redirections in its path, causing 99.97% of microns smaller than 0.3 μm to be trapped. HEPA air purifiers are ideal for educational facilities as they are designed for use in occupied spaces, produce no byproducts, and can operate continuously with minimal maintenance.

Public Health Ontario has stated that “Air cleaners equipped with HEPA filters should be able to remove COVID-19 virus-sized particles from indoor air, which may contribute to a reduction in exposure to the virus.” (https://www.publichealthontario.ca/-/media/documents/ncov/ipac/2021/01/faq-covid-19-portable-air-cleaners.pdf?la=en)

Which hepa air purifier is the best for air filtration in Schools?

Aeroex has engineered the IRIS series of medical-grade HEPA Air Purification systems to tackle contaminated air in enclosed spaces. Ideal for applications in school classrooms, university and college lecture halls, medical waiting rooms, offices, and other high-traffic spaces. Aeroex air purifications systems are excellent for use in educational facilities as:

  • IRIS air purification systems come equipped with a 1st dual-stage MERV8 Carbon filter and 2nd stage HEPA filter with a rating of 99.97% at 0.3 microns.
  • Portable and central solutions are available.
  • Wall and ceiling mounts available.
  • Variable speed control is standard for many models allowing infinite adjustment to an ideal airflow and sound level.
  • Our units are classified by delivered airflow instead of rated airflow, making it easy to identify the suitable unit for a specific application. For example, the IRIS-400 delivers post filter airflow at the rate of 400 CFM.

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With over 20 years of experience in emission control and air purification, we have the right unit for your application. Our production facility is proudly located in Barrie, Ontario, Canada, and services all of North America.

Which IRIS unit is right for your application?

We have developed an online calculator to help you determine which unit is suitable for your specific application based on the room area and the required number of Air Exchanges per hour. (https://aeroex.com/air-purification-calculator)

If you have a hard time choosing the right air purifier for schools , or have questions about any of our products, and would like to speak to one of our clean air specialists, reach out to us.

Blog
Why-You-Need-Hospital-Grade-Air-Purifiers-1-RESIZED
December 14, 2020

Why You Need Hospital Grade Air Purifiers

Hospital grade air purifiers are effectively inconspicuous devices, and they purify the air in hospital waiting rooms, hallways, operating rooms, and wards. By so doing, they aid ventilation and reduce the spread of diseases from healthy people inhaling or contacting germs and other contaminants that are released into the air by the immuno-compromised or the sick.

Hospital grade air purifiers are very common in hospitals, and this is for a reason. Hospital air is known to contain a high concentration of contaminants and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC), and with patients, doctors, visitors, other workers, etc., moving through the hallways, it has become a paramount necessity for hospitals to install hospital-grade air purifiers to reduce disease spread and other health implications that can be caused by these contaminants and VOCs.

Volatile Organic Compounds and Hospital Grade Air Purifiers

Volatile Organic Compounds are usually liquid materials that can change form and evaporate into the air. Since they are common hospital materials, they may seem like chemicals that are inherent to the atmosphere. However, a high concentration of these chemicals in a space with inadequate ventilation could lead to the creation of compounds like butane and other anesthetic gases. It is for the specific purpose of collecting these chemicals from the air and filtering them that hospital-grade air purifiers become important.

  • Examples of VOCs that are common to hospital environments are;
  • Alcohol: this is a liquid chemical used in hospitals as solvents and disinfectants,
  • Formaldehyde: this can be found in plastic and lacquers,
  • Acetone: this chemical can be found in furniture polish, and wall paint,
  • Ethanol: This chemical is used in cleaning glass containers, and in hospitals, it is found in cleaning solvents and detergents,
  • Dichloromethane: this is found in aerosol and paint removers.

Places in the hospital where air purifiers should be Installed

Hospital Wards
Hospital wards can be contaminated with viruses and bacteria that could cause an asthmatic reaction. Depending on the equipment installed in the wards, and the types of gasses they emit, there could be events where they contain fumes and some amounts of carbon dioxide. With the risks of transmission of disease and contamination, hospital wards must have hospital-grade air purifiers installed. These wards include burn units, hospital wards, pediatrics, geriatrics, TB isolation wards, etc. Having a hospital-grade air purifier improves hospital ventilation and ensures that the hospital facility maintains a clean atmosphere with untainted airflow. These devices can also protect respiratory health by removing contaminants in form of mold spores before they get inhaled by patients.

Operating Theatres and ICU
A study of hospitals in China found a reduction in healthcare infections in hospitals where air purifiers were being used.[1] Patients coming out of surgery are usually at a high risk of infection from particles flying around the operating theatre or the ICU. However, with hospital-grade air purifiers installed and the air purified of all contaminants, it would become less likely for them to be reduced as the study cited above shows.

Hallways and Waiting rooms
It is typically demanded that at least 20% of hospital air should be fresh air from outside. However, this fresh air could contain germs and contaminants. Considering these risks, it is therefore important to install hospital-grade air purifiers in corridors and waiting rooms are essential for ridding the atmosphere of these contaminants before they get inhaled by patients and cause further health complications.

Sick Building Syndrome

Hospital grade air purifier devices are also useful in preventing what is known as Sick building syndrome (SBS.) Sick building syndrome is usually a result of poor ventilation and poor indoor air quality. As such, the syndrome and can be prevented by installing the right hospital-grade air purifier to remove viruses, bacteria, enzymes, and other particles from the air, and improving indoor air quality that may be tainted by the exhaust, moisture, and concentration of harmful chemicals.

Categories of Hospital Grade Air Purifiers

Hospital-grade air purifiers can be categorized by size as well as the budget of the person trying to purchase them. When buying hospital-grade air purifiers, factors like the space available for accommodating the devices, and the funds available for the purchase should be considered. Below are the several categories of Hospital-grade air purifiers that we have.

Budget-friendly
This air filter is very portable and easy to install. It is often hung on walls in hallways, waiting rooms, and wards. As the name suggests it is also budget-friendly and it is suitable for hospitals that have an HVAC system already installed.

Middle-priced
These categories of air filters are larger than their budget-friendly counterparts and are also more quality. These air filter makes use of HEPA filters and allows for quite effective airflow. It uses activated carbon and zeolite in removing fumes, gases, and odors from over 700 feet of its environment. The middle-priced air purifier also runs silently, and with its build, it retains the capacity to trap more particles.

Step-Up Price
These hospital grade air purifiers take the cake in terms of quality and can purify the air of rooms with an area over 1000 square feet. They are the largest purifiers one can find, and they are the most suitable large wards or hospital halls. Equipped with HEPA filters, they are also capable of filtering the finest particles, and step-up filters are best installed in hospital wards that hold patients suffering from asthma or allergies.

What is HEPA filtration?

HEPA stands for high-efficiency particulate air. HEPA filters are mechanical filters that work by pushing collected air through a mesh while trapping fine particles, fumes, and smoke. The most effective air purifiers are determined by their ability to filter the finest particles, and as discovered by a NASA study[2], HEPA filtration is capable of filtering particles that measure down to 0.01 microns, making it the most effective yet known with most viruses and particles measuring between 0.06 – 0.14 microns, the most effective hospital-grade air purifiers should be equipped with HEPA filters.

Sources:

[1] Zhing, Bingli et al. Analysis of Air Purification Methods in Operating Rooms of Chinese Hospitals. February 1, 2020. Bio Med Research International. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7016480/
[2] Perry, J.L. Submicron and Nanoparticulate Matter Removal by HEPA-Rated Media Filters and Packed Beds of Granular Materials. June 5, 2017. NASA Technical Memorandum. https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=20170005166

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