Applying Custom Industrial Dampers To Industrial Process Control, Airflow Modulation, and Airflow Shutdown

Custom Industrial Dampers for Air Control

Choosing the optimal custom industrial dampers for industrial process control rests on a large set of variables. Industrial Dampers that may promote the most efficient industrial air control in one application might not be the optimal choice for another application.

The type of industrial air that needs to be controlled  – clean air, particulate air, corrosive gas, or more – helps determine which type of damper is optimal, as does the method of air control, generally airflow modulation versus airflow shutdown.

Louver industrial dampers are strong for airflow modulation in clean air environments, for example, but are less suitable for airflow shutoff in a particulate air environment.

Meanwhile, slide gate (or guillotine) industrial dampers are ideal for airflow shutdown and system isolation, and can be used in installations with particulate, polluted, or corrosive air. But the binary, on-off nature of slide gate dampers eliminates airflow modulation applications.

Butterfly industrial dampers are typically strong for light or medium particulate air, but may sometimes be an overapplication for clean air installations where louver industrial dampers would suffice.

Industrial process control installations may also rely on combinations of air types and airflow controls that call for combinations of louver, butterfly, and slide gate industrial dampers.

Why Dampers Emerge In Industrial Process Control Applications

The type of air and how to control it determines the optimal damper for a given industrial air control application. And combinations of variables create almost countless iterations of the optimal industrial damper.  

Industrial dampers furthermore need to suit not just the air type and air controls, but also size, space, and fit requirements dictated by other pieces of the industrial process control installation.

The dampers also often need to be part of an installation that withstands environmental stressors, most notably high temperatures but also vibration, movement and pressure. Without mitigation, these stressors cause leaks, misalignment, and other damage that diminish operational efficiency and eventually result in downtime.

Custom dampers that can address the host of variables therefore emerge as a strong consideration for most industrial air control installations.

In addition to accounting for combinations of air types and airflow controls, custom industrial dampers are fabricated to meet system design, size and space requirements and to mitigate environmental stress.

Custom industrial dampers are often the only dampers that can meet the large set of variables to fully optimize an industrial air control application

FlexCom designs and fabricates louver custom industrial dampers, butterfly custom industrial dampers, and slidegate custom industrial dampers that meet system requirements and withstand the harshest environments across air-type and air-control combinations in a wide variety of industries.

Louver Industrial Dampers

While louver industrial dampers can include seals to shut off 99% of airflow and may be used for airflow shutdown or isolation in clean air applications, the strength of louvre dampers is in airflow modulation, or throttling the flow of air.

Louver dampers are fabricated in a number of variations including multi-louver dampers, stationary-blade louver dampers, and adjustable-blade louver dampers, each with varying effects on airflow modulation and industrial process control.

Louver dampers may be actuated pneumatically, electrically, or hydraulically to modulate airflow, as in applications that require pressure relief, stack isolation, backdraft control, system balancing, industrial ventilation, and more.

Louver custom industrial dampers from FlexCom are refractory lined for operating temperatures up to 1,500° F, and are used both in lightweight and heavy-duty applications including gas turbine exhaust and high-volume airflow control.

Butterfly Industrial Dampers

Butterfly custom industrial dampers can shutdown up to 99.75% of airflow, which makes butterfly dampers ideal for installations that require airflow shutdown, system isolation, and airflow bypass.

Butterfly dampers are suitable for clean-air installations as well as installations that need to control light particulate air, such as industrial dust filtering and pollution control systems like baghouses.

Butterfly custom industrial dampers from FlexCom can include seals that under the correct temperature conditions will prevent leakage even in high-particulate air systems. With advanced design, butterfly custom industrial dampers may be used for heavier duty, such as the control of corrosive gasses.

FlexCom butterfly custom industrial dampers withstand operating temperatures up to 2,000° F and may be actuated pneumatically, electrically, hydraulically or manually.

Slidegate & Guillotine Dampers

Slidegate custom industrial dampers, also called guillotine custom industrial dampers, feature a single blade that can slide open or closed to keep airflow fully open or fully closed.

While their binary nature excludes airflow modulation applications, slidegate dampers are ideal for on-off airflow control and isolation, such as to open or close hopper valves and flues; to control the flow of steam to a turbine; or for fan isolation.

Slidegate or guillotine custom industrial dampers from FlexCom can shutdown up to 99.5% of airflow and withstand temperatures up to 1,000° F.

Dampers Are Suited For A Wide Range of Industries

Optimal efficiency in industrial process control relies on addressing a large set of variables that include air type, air control method, system design, and durability.

Industrial dampers emerge as a leading choice for air process control because they can be fabricated to meet the unique needs of large sets of variables, and for specific applications and industries.

Louvre dampers, butterfly dampers, and slidegate or guillotine dampers each are suited to specific airflow control scenarios. These include installations ranging from clean air to corrosive gas, and for air control methods from modulation to shutdown.

Industrial damper manufacturers can further fabricate dampers to meet specific needs related to size and space and to environmental stressors such as high temperatures.

For their versatility in meeting the standards of various air types, air control methods, size and space requirements, and durability requirements, custom industrial dampers optimize industrial process control in a wide range of industries.