When Principal Doorsets decided it was time to expand its business and move to new premises in Barnstaple, Devon, it selected Air Plants Dust Extraction to supply and install the dust extraction system serving a Talbott’s Biomass Energy Systems MWE300 boiler plant.

In excess of an accumulated 550 years in the interior performance timber doorset supply market, Principal Doorsets is extremely proud of its position as one of the country’s leading doorset manufacturers. 

Having developed its expertise from a broad understanding of joinery and cabinetmaking industries, Prinicpal Doorsets offers beautifully finished, high performance interior products in most finishes and designs. 

The company seeks to deliver outstanding service and quality to its clients and taked pride in delivering on its commitments. Prinicpal Doorsets is a rapidly growing business with innovation and continual improvement at the heart of what it does. Investing in a partnerships for mutual benefit, with honesty and integrity whether that is to its customers, workforce or supply chain.

At the new Barnstaple site, state-of-the-art woodworking machinery is employed in cutting, processing and finishing large quantities of timber based panels which, in turn, generates high levels of woodwaste.

Stan Bond, director of Principal Doorsets, invited Air Plants to come up with a system that would cater for the relocated and additional machines, whilst keeping the overall costs to within their budgeted allowance.

After careful consideration of Principal’s requirements, Air Plants came up with a scheme that involved the use of two refurbished modulair filters, along with new fans, ductwork and transfer system to the storage bunker of the Talbott’s boiler system.

The installed system has a total airflow capacity of 57,000m3/hr, which is 50% greater capacity than the original system’s 37,000m3/hr. The two new fans extract 37,000m3/hr and 20,000m3/hr each.

The filtered air is returned to the factory to provide replacement air for that being extracted. It also helps the boiler plant run more efficiently. 

The solid woodwaste created during cutting processes is dealt with by an Untha LR630 shredder, which reduces the waste to a chip that’s suitable for the boiler plant to handle. This waste is then transferred to the boiler via the extraction plant. 

The control system supplied links a number of control panels together, with sequencing of the system start up and shutdown processed through a PLC.

Stan Bond goes on to say: “We went out to completive tender on this latest project looking both separately and system-based. There were not many that offer the joined-up solutions that Air Plants/Talbott’s do so the selection process was not difficult as there were only three suppliers that were of the quality we sought. 

“The communication and offer front end was exceptional. Staff from both Air Plants and Talbott’s worked on the optimal solution and convinced us that we ought to future-proof the installation with the appropriate boiler. We took on board their recommendations of boiler and extraction configuration and placed our order.

 “The product was on time as promised – the lead time was short as we wanted to get ready before moving in plant and equipment that would have hindered access had it been in place. The extraction filter boxes where fully overhauled and new filter sleeves fitted. We had a new fan and motor with a frequency controller fitted to optimise the running of the unit. The electronics were overhauled and linking of the two fan sets with stop, start and emergency stop circuits. The system runs really well and does precisely what was specified.

“We now have a system that captures all of our process waste, whether that is directly extracted off the process or via a chipper that is connected into the woodwaste extraction system. There are signals to show when we are making too much that prompts us to slow the chipping of waste.

“We have been running the boiler system now 24/7 mainly to manage our waste stream. This has been tremendously helpful to our processes and we have benefitted from quality improvement and process waste reduction – oh, and the workforce are comfortable too, we have hot air heat in the factory when required, hot water and hot water piped to our radiators keeping us all comfortable.”

www.airplants.co.uk
www.talbotts.co.uk
www.principaldoorsets.com