Filtering systems for laser cutting

[Dave Sheldrake]

If you want to clean up the air before venting it outside, you could run a vertical pipe, say 6 inches in diameter and 8 feet tall. The bottom of the pipe is capped off, the air from the laser come in about 12 inches from the bottom. On the top of the pipe mount a sprayer that is spraying a mist of water down the pipe. At the bottom of the pipe you could either have a drain or a pump that recirculates the water back up to the sprayer. That way when the air is pulled through the pipe the falling water will filter some of the smoke out of the air.

Of course by doing this you now have some tar filled water to git rid of and all you did was trade clean air for dirty water.

Pretty much what I did Joe, it works but is messy, it needed high water pressure to atomise the droplets to make it efficient and even then was far from perfect.

Afterburner filters also work well on sticky wood smoke but as was said, none of the good methods are cheap

Readings all the comments I received, apparently I must try to find an industrial place and vent happily to the sky...

pretty much so Rony, it's far easier so long as you don't have too many regulations on industrial discharges in your country.

cheers

Dave

[Larry Robinson]

If smell is your problem, perhaps you might consider injecting some type of fragrance in to the exhaust line to cover the odor. I experimented with this last year for cutting Baltic Birch. It work, however, it took a lot of the liquid solution I used. It was a very primitive setup to test and a lot of maintenance. Just have not taken the time to look for a different fragrance. Now I just check the wind direction and laser on the days where I know I will not get any complaints.

[Dan Hintz]

That would require a LOT of scent fluid, and without the proper makeup you'd end up with pine- or rose-scented burning wood

[Rony Nemi]

pretty much so Rony, it's far easier so long as you don't have too many regulations on industrial discharges in your country.

As I have only one laser machine running, I think I could work without severe restrictions, so, apparently it would be the easy way...
But I still would like to test water in order to know what happen...
I´ll check with filtration systems using water...only to know options...but in accordance with lot of comments I´ll probably waste my time...


I am starting the high season in my country, so I guess I could only try near January...if I get the 1,5HP blower...

[Rony Nemi]

If smell is your problem, perhaps you might consider injecting some type of fragrance in to the exhaust line to cover the odor. I experimented with this last year for cutting Baltic Birch. It work, however, it took a lot of the liquid solution I used. It was a very primitive setup to test and a lot of maintenance. Just have not taken the time to look for a different fragrance. Now I just check the wind direction and laser on the days where I know I will not get any complaints.

Thanks for the idea Larry...
My friends gave me that idea as a joke...I never thought it could work!
When I have to cut some special materials (such as leather or some plastics) I use the same method...checking the wind...I love South East wind that keeps me working with all type of materials!