FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

The main distinction in industrial vacuum cleaners consists in the choice of motorisation between the brush motors used in commercial/professional vacuum cleaners and the side channel turbines. The fundamental factor for this choice is the use to which the machine will be destined. When continuous or very frequent use is required, it is preferable to use models with a side channel turbine as the brush motors have a limited duration after which it is necessary to replace them. The side channel turbine is trouble-free also in cases where non-stop operation is required.

In general, the ATEX directive certifies the presence of the necessary requirements of vacuum cleaners, turbines and other machinery, so that they can operate safely in the presence of potentially explosive gases, mists and/or dusts in the atmosphere.
As manufacturer, Fevi is required to supply the customer with the appropriate category vacuum cleaner on the basis of the customer's declarations, who must previously define in which area the vacuum cleaner will operate.
To define the environmental characteristics in which the vacuum cleaner will operate, the presence, in different quantities, of potentially explosive dusts, mists or gases must be considered. The following table shows the different types of area exhaustively:

AREA STATUS	AREA	DESCRIPTION
Gases, vapours and clouds	Area 0	Place in which an explosive atmosphere consisting of a mixture of air and flammable substances in the form of gas, vapour or mist is present continuously, or for long periods or frequently.
	Area 1	Place in which an explosive atmosphere, consisting of a mixture of air and flammable substances in the form of gas, vapour or mist, can form occasionally during normal operation
	Area 2	Place in which an explosive atmosphere, consisting of a mixture of air and flammable substances in the form of gas, vapour or mist, is unlikely to form, and if present, persists only for a short time
Dusts	Area 20	Place in which an explosive atmosphere in the form of a cloud of combustible dust in air is present continuously, or for long periods or frequently
	Area 21	Place in which an explosive atmosphere, in the form of a cloud of combustible dust in the air, can form occasionally during normal operation.
	Area 22	A place in which an explosive atmosphere, in the form of a cloud of combustible dust in air, is unlikely to form during normal operation, and, if it does form, will persist for a short time.

Some examples of sectors where an ATEX vacuum cleaner is required:
- Wood industry
- Painting sector
- Shipyards
- Agribusiness
- Chemical sector
- Laser technology
- Electronic industry
- Petrol and fuel
- Pharmaceutical
- Cosmetic
- Weapons industry or shooting ranges

The probable causes of ignition are:
- Hot surfaces (overheating)
- Sparks
- Flames or hot gases (exhaust gases)
- Self-combustion of dust
- Electrical materials
- Electrostatic charges
- Optical radiation
- Electromagnetic waves
- Radio frequencies

It is necessary to comply with the indications in the use and maintenance manual that accompanies the machine.
Careful routine maintenance is required to preserve the machine over time, to be carried out at the end of the work session. It is essential to always keep the filters clean by activating the filter shaker using the appropriate lever, and to equip the machine with HEPA filters in case the aspirated dust is too fine and passes through the primary filter.

To ensure that an industrial vacuum cleaner fully satisfies your needs, you need to identify the SPECIFIC WORK that the machine must perform. Fevi offers a range of specific products for every need and suggests the appropriate model for what required by the customer. Each model is designed for a particular task, which can be the suction of very fine dust, the bagging of the sucked material, centralised suction, the suction of shavings and emulsifiable oils, the suction of dust harmful to health, suction from long distances, suction in the food and pharma sectors, etc. In order to have the best performance and cleaning results, it is therefore advisable to identify the appropriate machine for the task to be carried out. Fevi's specialised staff is able to provide the right solution to every problem, thus identifying the machine that's right for you.

Fevi offers a range of vacuum cleaners with different motorisations ranging from 2 and 3 brush motors, to side channel turbines with 2.2 KW single-phase, 3.4 KW single-stage and 5.5 KW two-stage three-phase motors. Choosing the right motorisation is very important for the optimal functioning of your vacuum cleaner.
When the vacuum cleaner is intended for the suction of fine dust, a single-stage turbine and a filter with an increased filtering surface are recommended to reduce the problem of premature clogging of the filters. Furthermore, since it is a lightweight material, there is no need for large powers of aspiration. The use of higher powers such as 5.5 KW and 11 KW are necessary when the material to be vacuumed is heavy and therefore a greater air flow is required.

In some cases, such as for example the suction of dust produced by sanding floors, by plasma cutting, the dust present in the chemical industry, pharmaceutical cosmetics or more generally the suction of fine and very fine dust, it may happen that the dust is not retained by the primary filter and returns to the atmosphere. What to do?
- Check that the following elements are in order under the filter: sealing ring with the rubber part abutting on the filter, spring and handwheel.
- Check that the handwheel is screwed in enough so that the filter gasket is in contact with the cover of the aspirator.
- After carrying out the appropriate checks and making sure that the filter is correctly assembled, if the problem persists it means that the dust sucked in is very fine (less than 3 microns) and it is advisable to assemble the HEPA filters inside the primary filter.