How do you calculate air consumption and tank/header adequacy in pulse-jet cleaning?

Starting from bag area and filtration velocity, this tool calculates how much air a single pulse actually consumes, how often the valve fires based on dust load, and whether the selected valve size is adequate both for the average hourly flow and for the physical header/pipe volume needed for a single pulse — not just an average Nm3/h, but whether the tank/header is actually enough.

The calculator doesn't run because JavaScript is disabled in this browser. Example: O160x3600mm bag, 12 valves/compartment, 1-1/2" valve, 6 bar -> total required flow approx. 39 m3/h, header capacity adequate.

Bag & filtration

Bag diameter Ø (mm)

Bag length (mm)

Filtration velocity (m³/m²·min)

Bags per valve (per row)

Valve & cleaning regime

Valves per compartment

Total filter valve count

Dust load category

Cleaning regime

Pulse duration (s)

Valve size & line pressure

Valve diameter

Line pressure (bar)

–Required volume per row (valve) (m³)

–Pulses per valve per hour

–Total required flow (m³/h)

–Selected valve — total flow (m³/h)

–Calculated header/pipe length (m)

–Header/pipe capacity — selected size (m³)

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Formulas and method

Single bag area: A_bag = pi x (D/1000) x (L/1000) [m2] Filtration flow: Q_bag = vel x A_bag / 60 [m3/s] Flow during pulse: V_pulse = Q_bag x t_pulse [m3] Backpressure factor: V_resist = V_pulse x ratio (ratio = 3 on-line, 2 off-line) Required volume/row: V_row = V_resist x N_bagsRow [m3] Pulse interval (valve): t_interval = min(cycle_min x 60 / (N_valveTotal - 1), 30) [s] Pulses per hour: N_pulseH = roundup(3600 / t_interval) Total required flow: Q_demand = N_pulseH x V_row [m3/h] Simultaneity factor: k_sim = 1 (t_interval > 4 s) or 2 (t_interval <= 4 s) Selected valve flow: Q_valve = V_valveRated x N_pulseH x k_sim [m3/h] Header length: L_header = ((N_valveTank - 1) x (D + 60) + 200) / 1000 [m] Header capacity: V_header = (pi/4 x D_header^2) x L_header x P_line [m3], D_header meters, P_line bar

This tool runs two SEPARATE adequacy checks: (1) whether the selected valve size's average hourly flow meets the total required flow, and (2) whether the header/manifold pipe feeding that row's valves has enough physical volume for a single row's pulse (instantaneous storage). Both must be satisfied.
The header capacity formula (V_header) is taken directly from Hantech's own internal engineering table; D_header is the reference header/manifold pipe diameter corresponding to the selected valve size (not the valve's own port diameter) — the real header/pipe size should be verified against the supplier datasheet.
The backpressure-resistance ratio (on-line 3, off-line 2) is a categorical reference factor based on the assumption that cleaning while filtration continues (on-line) requires a higher resistance/volume allowance.
Total required/valve flow are AVERAGE values; compressor selection should be assessed separately based on instantaneous/peak load.

Frequently asked questions

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Prepared by the Hantech Filter engineering team, last updated: 2026-09-06

This tool is for preliminary sizing and is based on the method in Hantech's own internal engineering calculation table. Valve/header volume, orifice dimensions and the real pulse profile should be verified against the supplier datasheet; compressor and tank/header capacity selection should be finalized with Hantech Filter engineering based on peak (instantaneous) load and simultaneity factor, not the average.