ABM Equipment, the primary grain system provider for the industry, has announced two dust collection systems tailored for breweries and distilleries in response to the increasing number of cities requiring them. The regulations stem from revised NFPA 68 standards addressing explosion prevention, and more municipalities are requiring them as they become aware of the new standards. The new standards aim to prevent explosions from grain dust, which becomes increasingly flammable the finer it’s milled. While this risk is much greater for distilleries using hammer mills, there have been a few incidents in breweries, causing them to be lumped included in many areas.
The two dust collection configurations released by ABM Equipment are designed to accommodate virtually any-sized system in the space. The smaller, cylindrical model is designed for setups without silos, avoiding the 8 cu. ft. threshold that would necessitate additional explosion prevention measures. For larger facilities with silos, the larger model accounts for blowback during grain transfer and provides effective dust collection across expansive systems.
“The sudden demand for dust collection in the sector is due to local governments’ demands, but it’s not all bad,” said Austin Robinett of ABM Equipment. “Depending on the operation, dust collection can reduce airborne dust and slipping dangers, improve quality by reducing fines in the mash, and lower the attractiveness of your space to pests—because once you attract them, they’re usually around forever.”
In addition to dust collection, ABM Equipment offers comprehensive grain handling solutions, including system design, installation, maintenance, and control software, covering operations from grain intake to final output. They are also to release another product line for the brewing/distilling industry in the near future. To learn more, see ABM Equipment’s Dust Collection Systems.
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