Latex paints and stain manufacturer -- PPG Architectural Finishes of Louisville, Kentucky -- knew its filling operation was overly complicated, noisy, and required far too much operator attention.

More importantly, PPG experienced an unacceptable percentage of product loss in the filtering process. PPG replaced their vibrating screen, accumulating vessel, and diaphragm pump with a Ronningen-Petter brand DCF-800 self-cleaning filter, greatly reducing product waste, operator involvement, and line noise levels.  

SITUATION  

An air-operated diaphragm pump at the base of a blend tank pumped product onto a large vibrating screen, which was open to the atmosphere.

Product exiting the vibrating screen was fed into an accumulating vessel, where another pump would transfer the product through a polishing filter and into a rotary drum filling machine.

With the two pumps, vibrating screen and open-air vessel, this system was complex, noisy, and wasteful.

Mr. Doug Story, plant engineer at the Louisville plant, had some simple objectives for improving the company’s filling operation — produce as much finished product as possible, by using the most environmentally friendly and least wasteful methods available.

SOLUTION

Ronningen-Petter showed Mr. Story how he could greatly simplify the process by installing a Ronningen-Petter brand DCF self-cleaning filter in place of the vibrating screen.

Removing the vibrating screen would also eliminate the need for the accumulating vessel and its associated piping and controls, as well as the second diaphragm pump and its compressed air components and controls.

Mr. Story said:

"The simplicity of the new filling process gained instant approval from both our operators and maintenance personnel.”

The old equipment was removed and a DCF-800 self-cleaning filter was installed.

With the DCF filter, paint enters the top inlet of the filter housing and passes through the screen. The screen holds undispersed pigments, paint skins, and debris, while the cleaned paint exits the bottom outlet of the filter.

A cleaning disc moves up and down the filter screen, removing debris. With the aid of the downward fluid flow and the disc movement, the debris is deposited into a holding chamber at the bottom of the filter housing.

The debris is periodically purged from the housing via a valve at the bottom of the chamber.

RESULTS

The Ronningen-Petter brand DCF filter has virtually eliminated operator involvement in the operation.

Removing the vibrating screen and second diaphragm pump has dramatically reduced noise levels. Mr. Story reports significant reductions in product waste because of the DCF filter’s top-to-bottom flow design and debris purging technology.

The DCF filter purges residual paint and debris into the plant recycling system, where the solids are separated and the paint is reused. This purge system allows filtration and cleaning to occur simultaneously.

After a year in operation, Mr. Story said:

“Post installation costs for the first year were under $10 (USD).

Payback was achieved in four months, and this analysis does not include the savings generated in utilities costs for the vibrating screen, its maintenance, or additional operator time.

The DCF filter has contributed to our paint and stain production efficiency, exceeding the objectives set at the beginning of the project.

We are also providing our workers with a quieter, more environmentally friendly workplace.”

-- by Ask Filter Man

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