Munkebo Vacuum Systems

How Do Vacuum Systems Work?

The vacuum system is basically a large industrial vacuum cleaner. Our abrasive vacuum systems operate by creating negative pressure to capture abrasive media, dust, and debris during or after blasting operations. A high powered vacuum unit draws material through a suction hose directly from the blasting area or a floor hopper, helping control airborne dust and prevent contamination of the surrounding workspace.
Once the material enters the system, it moves through multiple separation stages. Larger and reusable abrasive particles are separated from fine dust, coatings, and debris.The cleaned abrasive can be returned to the blasting process for reuse, while the fine dust and waste material are collected in sealed containers for proper disposal.
Air pulled through the system is filtered before being exhausted to ensure fine particulates are removed.
Vacuum systems are more flexible and able to retrieve abrasives in hard to reach/trapped places compared to mechanical transportation.

Diagram of a dust and abrasive collection system showing components labeled as recovered abrasive, fines for disposal, spent abrasive, abrasives fines dust and air, fines dust and air, dust for disposal, and cleaner filtered air to atmosphere.

Standard Vacuum Systems

Munkebo’s standard vacuum systems are developed for efficient recovery and handling of abrasive media in demanding industrial surface treatment applications. The systems are widely used in abrasive blasting, coating preparation, and maintenance operations where flexibility, reliability, and clean working conditions are essential. Vacuum-based recovery allows abrasive media to be collected directly from floor hoppers or work areas without mechanical conveyors, making the solution very flexible.
The systems are based on proven vacuum technology, combining electrically driven suction units with vacuum silos, cyclones, cascades and filtration stages to ensure controlled material transport and effective separation of dust and fines. Depending on capacity requirements, configurations range from compact units with ring chamber blowers to high-capacity systems with three-lobe Roots blowers, enabling conveying capacities from a few tonnes per hour up to heavy-duty industrial operation. Modular design and standardized components ensure easy installation, safe operation, and long service life while meeting applicable noise, dust emission, and workplace safety requirements.

Our standard vacuum suction units range from 750 to 5,000 m³/h of air flow. All auxiliary components are available in various sizes to configure a system that matches your specific requirements, whether additional media cleaning or increased silo capacity is needed.

Tower Systems

The ever-increasing disposal costs for expendable blasting media favour more than ever the use of reusable blasting media.
With Munkebo’s innovative tower system, you bring your complete recovery and recycling system to the job site. We offer two tower configurations with a capacity of 4000 and 5,000 m³/h of air flow
Proven technology
The tower system consists of one suction unit, one abrasive cleaning unit and two vacuum/storage silos.
All modules have been Munkebo standard products for several decades.
To complete the system, a large volume blast machine is required, but is not normally supplied by Munkebo.
Easy handling
Each module is built into a 10’ container frame in sturdy steel construction, fitted with standard container corner castings and forklift pockets for easy handling and transportation.
Technical concept
The modules are arranged with the vacuum silo on the top, followed by the abrasive cleaning unit, the storage hopper and the blast machine at the bottom.
The suction unit is normally located near the tower.
The suction unit provides vacuum to the upper silo and abrasive media can be retrieved as in a standard vacuum system.
When the abrasive media reach the upper level in the vacuum silo, the vacuum is automatically released from the silo. This is done by directing the airflow through the abrasive cleaning unit instead of the vacuum silo.
Silo discharge through the abrasive cleaning unit is done semi-automatically.
The airflow from the suction unit is used for the air-wash system in the abrasive cleaning unit.
When the abrasive media have been discharged from the vacuum silo through the abrasive cleaning unit into the storage hopper, the system is ready for retrieval of abrasive media again.
Before the abrasive cleaning sequence can take place, the storage hopper must be discharged into the blast machine.
The tower system is designed for both indoor and outdoor use.
Proven feasibility
The Munkebo tower system has proven to be an economical solution.
Numerous contractors have changed to reusable blasting media and have experienced significant cost savings using the Munkebo tower system.

A large blaA munkebo MB-REC vacuum system near a harbor with ships in the background and a clear blue sky.

REC Systems

The ever-increasing disposal costs for expendable blasting media favour more than ever the use of reusable blasting media.
With Munkebo’s innovative REC system, you bring your complete recovery and recycling system to the job site. We offer three REC systen configurations with a capacity of 1600, 2000 and 3,000 m³/h of air flow
Proven technology
The REC system consists of one suction unit, one cyclone, one main silo, one abrasive cleaning unit, one abrasive storage hopper and a floor hopper.
All modules have been Munkebo standard products for several decades.
Easy handling
All units are easy to transport and erect to different job sites.
Technical concept
The REC system offers an extra dimension to the cleaning process compared to our standard systems. The abrasive cleaning unit combines the principle of our drum separator and cascade cleaner built into a dust tight unit. The cleaning is easily adjusted to fit your cleaning needs and to accommodate the type of media.
The suction unit provides vacuum to the main silo and abrasive media can be retrieved as in a standard vacuum system.
When the abrasive media reach the upper level in the main silo, the vacuum is automatically released from the silo. This is done by directing the airflow through the abrasive cleaning unit instead of the main silo.
Silo discharge through the abrasive cleaning unit is done semi-automatically.
The airflow from the suction unit is used for the air-wash system in the abrasive cleaning unit.
When the abrasive media have been discharged from the main silo through the abrasive cleaning unit into the storage hopper, the system is ready for retrieval of abrasive media again.
Before the abrasive cleaning sequence can take place, the storage hopper must be discharged into the blast machine.
The REC system is designed for indoor use, but with the right enclosure and/or roofing, it can be possible for outdoor use in some climates.
Proven feasibility
The Munkebo tower system has proven to be an economical solution.
Numerous contractors have changed to reusable blasting media and have experienced significant cost savings using the Munkebo tower system.

MB-220

Munkebo’s standard vacuum systems are developed for efficient recovery and handling of abrasive media in demanding industrial surface treatment applications. The systems are widely used in abrasive blasting, coating preparation, and maintenance operations where flexibility, reliability, and clean working conditions are essential. Vacuum-based recovery allows abrasive media to be collected directly from floor hoppers or work areas without mechanical conveyors, making the solution very flexible.
The MB-220 is our smaller compact ring-chamber suction unit delivering 220 m³/h of air flow. It is very versatile for many applications, and can be paired with the same auxiliary units like our standard systems.
The MB-220 has been a Munkebo standard product for decades, and has proved itself to be a solid and reliable suction unit.