Filter Leak Detection in Flour Milling
Early warning to protect hygiene and prevent hidden product accumulation
A Finnish flour mill
Challenge: good housekeeping and hygiene
Solution: 21 Sintrol dust monitors
Continuous dust measurement downstream of filtration systems helps flour mills identify small filter leaks before escaped product can accumulate in unseen areas, supporting faster cleanup and reducing the risk of microbiological contamination or pests.
The challenge
A Finnish flour mill producing around 400 tonnes per day of rye-, wheat- and oat-based flours, mixes and premixes wanted earlier warning of filter failures throughout its production process. The mill includes storage, cleaning, crushing, milling, sifting and mixing stages, with product transferred between process steps pneumatically.
Dust generated during milling must be contained effectively to maintain good housekeeping and hygiene. The plant was particularly concerned that a small filter leak could release flour into an unseen area, such as a roof space. If the accumulated product was not found and cleaned promptly, it could create conditions for microbiological growth or attract rodents and insects.
The solution
The plant installed 21 Sintrol Snifter dust monitors at critical measurement points downstream of filtration systems in the mill. The instruments provided continuous indication of filter leakage in locations that could otherwise remain unobserved.
The monitors were connected to the plant DCS through 4-20 mA signals. During the project, RS-485 communication to Sintrol DustLog 8 was also used for data logging and comparison with earlier monitor versions. Following the comparison, the customer decided to complete the factory installation with the Snifter line.
John Korpi
Area Sales Director
Dust Monitoring Solutions
How it works
Sintrol filter monitors use Inductive Electrification technology. When solid particles contact or pass close to an insulated probe, they generate an electrical signal. Signal processing and filtration convert this response into a continuous indication of changes in dust levels, allowing small filter leaks and larger filter failures to be detected downstream of the filtration system.
Results
Twenty-one critical post-filter measurement points brought into continuous supervision.
The system gave the plant real-time warning of filter leakage and improved visibility in areas that were not continuously attended, helping maintenance and hygiene teams respond before escaped flour could accumulate unnoticed.
- Earlier detection of small filter leaks
- Real-time alarms for filter leakage
- Better supervision of unmanned post-filter areas
Relevant products
Please note: Some products referenced in this case study may be earlier-generation models. The products presented below represent Sintrol’s current solutions for these applications.
Sintrol
S101 / S103 Ex Filter Monitor
Reliable S100 Dust Monitors for broken bag detection. Real-time, ATEX Zone 22 approved, easy setup for ducts up to 800 mm.
Sintrol
S304QAL-L Filter Leakage Monitor and S304QAL-D Filter Dust Monitor
S304QAL series instruments are designed to accurately detect dust leakages or to monitor filter performance in highly demanding industrial processes found in the industrial environments.
Sintrol
DustCloud
Monitor dust measurements, device status and alerts across multiple locations with DustCloud, Sintrol’s cloud-based industrial dust monitoring service.