Dust collecting systems are used to extract airborne wood dust particles from the air in the workplace environment.  The common methods of dust collection in the wood products industry are cyclones, multi cyclones (multiclones), baghouse filters, electrostatic precipitators (ESP) and wet scrubbers.

Cyclones: Dust laden air enters through the inlet. The high turbulence breaks the heavier and lighter materials apart.  The spinning air throws the heavier materials outward to the cyclone walls.  Airflow on the cyclone walls is slowed by friction.  Heavier dust particles get trapped in the slower moving air and gravity slowly pulls these heavier particles down.  These heavier particles continue to slide downward and eventually exit out through an air lock for collection in the residual collecting conveyor system.  Near the bottom of the cone is a reversal point where the spinning air without the heavier dust particles reverses direction. The cleaned air spirals up through the center of the cyclone then exits through the cyclone outlet.

Multi Cyclone: The multi cyclone is a series of small cyclones and each small cyclone functions similar to a regular cyclone.  The dust laden air enters into the multiclone through the intake collector linking the tangential air intakes of the cyclones.  The centrifugal action of each cyclone causes the dust particles to fall into a common hopper where they are exited through an air lock to the residual collecting conveyor system.  The clean air is evacuated into the atmosphere.

Baghouse Filter System: Dust laden air enters through the entry inlet.  This incoming air strikes baffle plates, causing the heavier material to fall to a bottom hopper.  The air with the lighter and smaller materials is filtered by the bags and clean air is exhausted to atmosphere.  The collected dust material is discharged from the dust collecting system through an air lock to be collected in the residual collecting conveyor system.  Air is pulsed through jets into the interior of the bags.  This action causes the bag to ripple, knocking off the "cake" from the outside of the bag.  This material is also discharged to the residual collecting conveyor system through a rotary air lock.

Electrostatic Precipitator: Dust particles are charged by electrodes and adhere to the collector plates in the electrostatic precipitator.  Inlet and outlet distribution plates ensure even distribution of flue gas over the collector plates.  Electro-mechanical rappers dislodge the dust particulate from the electrodes and collector plates (rappers are located external to the ESP).  The dust particles fall into a common hopper where they are exited through an air lock to the residual collecting conveyor system.  The clean air is evacuated into the atmosphere.

Wet Scrubber: The dust particles in the gas stream are brought into contact with a scrubbing liquid.  Wet scrubbers remove dust particles by capturing them in liquid droplets.  Wet scrubbers remove dust particles by dissolving or absorbing them into the liquid.

English Terminology: Dust collecting, air cleaning, sawmill, planer mill, plywood plant, oriented strand board, medium density fibre board, pulp, paper, wet mill, dry mill.