Particulate Matter Control
APC Technologies provides high-efficiency industrial equipment for control of all types of particulate matter, achieving removal rates of 99%+ with our state-of-the-art systems—including our proprietary UHF®—delivering total air permit compliance.
Particulate Matter Control Needs Served
check_circle Air permit compliance with PM2.5, PM10, total PM limits
check_circle Compliance with Opacity/Visible Emission limits
check_circle Protection of downstream emission control equipment (e.g., RTOs)
check_circle Nuisance issues (e.g., deposits on buildings and vehicles)
APC’s Particulate Matter Control Systems
- Use a special design for both solid particulate and liquid/mist control including smoke, oil mist, condensed hydrocarbon fumes, haze, metals, dust and bacteria emissions
- Provides control efficiency up to and in excess of 99% including sub-micron size particulate
- Suitable for applications down to particle sizes of less than 0.05 micron
- Especially advantageous when the particulate is sticky, oily, and/or wet as the UHF® has no issues with blinding or plugging
- Simple operation with substantially lower space requirements than alternate technologies, resulting in lower capital costs
- Low maintenance
- No process downtime required for filter replacement
- No expensive wastewater problem as with wet scrubbers
- Well-known and proven technology
- Good for applications with extremely high particulate loading, where the particulate size is 1 micron or larger, and where the particulate matter is wet, oily or sticky
- Can provide good PM removal efficiencies on large particulate sizes. Not efficient for removing submicron-sized particulate due to excessive differential pressures required. Sometimes unable to reach required performance, even with very high differential pressures
- Produces wastewater stream that typically needs to be treated in some manner. Operating costs can be low if wastewater treatment capability already exists on site
- VP scrubbers offer corrosion- and temperature-resistant construction as needed
- Well-proven technology that is often best for applications with dry particulate matter
- Unable to handle wet, oily or sticky particulate
- Reasonable capital and operating costs
- Provides very good PM removal efficiencies
- Typically needed when exhaust gas has to be essentially free of all PM
- Provides 99.97-99.99% removal efficiency on a 0.3 micron size particle, which traditionally is the most difficult size of particle to remove
- Best when used as a polishing step after a majority of PM is removed by upstream PM control equipment. Requires excessive filter changeouts in most applications if used as the only PM control step
- Requires system downtime to change filters unless redundant filter banks are in place
- Can be an effective pre-treatment step for removing very large particulate from exhaust streams with extremely high particulate matter loading
- Cut points commonly around 10 to 50 microns depending on design. Generally ineffective at removing particles smaller than the cut point
- Simple, low-maintenance design
Choosing The Right Particulate Removal System
When evaluating industrial equipment for particulate matter removal, a variety of factors must be considered, including PM loadings, gas stream conditions, and capital costs. APC has no bias toward any emission control technology and will evaluate, and propose, if desired, multiple technology options, providing capital and operating cost estimates for all options.
Use the table below to understand which system aligns with your specific exhaust profile:
| Exhaust Profile | Technical Challenges | Typical Approach | Common Applications |
|---|---|---|---|
| High volume, dry coarse dust | High volume of particulate can overwhelm certain technologies. | Cyclone + Baghouse: Cyclones catch the heavy debris; baghouses capture the remaining fine dust. | Dry sawdust, paper products, grain handling, aggregate handing. |
| Explosive or combustible dust | Dry static discharge can lead to explosions and combustion. | Venturi Scrubber: The liquid medium extinguishes sparks and mitigates explosion risks while capturing PM. | Aluminum/titanium grinding, coal handling, flour mills, sugar processing. |
| Sticky, oily particulate, oil smoke | Can cause rapid filter blinding, severe pressure drop (ΔP), and frequent downtime. | Ultra High-Efficiency Filter (UHF®): Uses specialized submicron particulate control equipment to coalesce and drain liquids without plugging the media. | Plastic extrusion fumes, asphalt storage and handling, rubber curing, lubricant production. |
| Low volume fine or submicron particulate | Escapes standard mechanical filters, requiring absolute terminal capture (99.97%+) to prevent pass through. | HEPA Filters: Uses terminal mechanical filtration to capture the smallest microscopic particles that escape primary systems. | Pharmaceutical cleanrooms, medical device manufacturing, toxic dust polishing. |
| High volume fine or submicron particulate | Blinds standard media rapidly or incurs prohibitive energy/water costs if using traditional scrubbers at high airflow. | Ultra High-Efficiency Filter (UHF®) or WESP: Uses high-capacity dry or wet filtration to maintain steady-state capture of fine particulate across higher airflow. | Metal shredding, aluminum rolling mills, chemical spray drying, industrial incineration. |
Featured Particulate Matter Control Projects
Asphalt Terminal
Four opacity control systems for truck loading operations at an oil refinery in Canada.
Packaging
Ten opacity control systems for a flexible packaging customer with facilities in the Northeastern and Midwestern USA.
Roofing
Three opacity control systems for a roofing products customer with facilities in multiple US locations.
Metal Shredding
Multi-stage opacity control system for a scrap metal recycling client operating a large shredder in the Midwestern USA.
Insulation Products
Multiple baghouses for explosive particulate matter control at an insulation plant in the Eastern USA.
Power Generation
Wet particulate matter control for ash handling operations at coal-fired power plant in the Midwestern USA.
Our Particulate Matter Control Systems Serve a Wide Range of Industries
Click to flip each card.
Shredding, Recycling, and Metals
- Aluminum rolling mills and forging plants
- Auto recycling
- Electronics recycling
- Foundries
- Gold production
- Metals (non Al and Fe)
- Mining
- Scrap shredding and recycling
- Steel fabrication
- Titanium
Oil, Asphalt, and Petrochemicals
- Adhesives
- Asphalt plants and terminals
- Lubricant production
- Oil mists
- Plastics
- Polymers
- Resins
- Rubber products
Food, Packaging, and Consumer Products
- Bakeries
- Cannabis
- Drying ovens
- Fertilizer
- Foam products
- Food and beverages
- Packaging
- Spray drying operations
- Textile finishing
- Tires
Chemicals, Solvents, and Construction Materials
- Boilers
- Chemicals
- Coating operations
- Extrusion coating
- Fire testing
- Fire suppression testing
- Insulation materials
- Kilns, autoclaves, ovens
- Printing
- Refractory
- Roofing products
- Sealants
- Wood products
Energy, Electronics, and Batteries
- Batteries
- Biomass furnaces
- Combustion process emissions
- EV & lithium-ion battery plants
- Power plants
- Syngas cleaning
Incineration and Waste Management
- Hazardous waste incineration
- Medical waste incineration
- Military waste incineration
- Pharmaceutical waste incineration
- Sewage Sludge Incineration (SSIs)
- Toxic waste incineration
- Wastewater treatment
See a full list of our industries served here.
Benefits of Our Particulate Matter Control Systems
attach_money Low capital and operating cost
trending_up Removal efficiencies up to and in excess of 99%
handshake Experienced partner
Choosing Particulate Matter (PM) Control Technologies
APC has no bias toward any emission control technology and will evaluate, and propose if desired, multiple technology options. APC will provide capital and operating cost estimates. When evaluating PM control technologies, a variety of factors should be considered, including:
– Presence of wet, oily, or sticky PM
– Expected PM loadings
– Particle size distribution
– Regulatory requirements
– Other gas stream pollutants and conditions
– Capital and operating cost of each system
Need Particulate Matter Emission Control?
Talk to one of our experts today.
engineering
APC Technologies is here to support you every step of the way. We’ll work to learn the details of your process emissions and recommend the best emission control system to meet your needs and goals.
Phone: 412.344.1870
Proven Control Experience
We are an established leader in particulate matter control systems with over two decades of successful installations.
engineeringOver 50 industries served.
autorenew40% of projects are for repeat customers.
workspace_premium20+ years of proven installations in emission control applications.
punch_clock6,804,000,000,000 CF (cubic feet) of polluted air treated.
APC proudly serves Fortune 50 company customers, small businesses, and everything in between.
Check out our Selected Customers List and our Project Gallery to learn more about our work.