Water misting systems, also referred to as Fogging Systems and Dry Fog Dust Suppression (DFDS) are an effective way of controlling dust and harmful emissions in quarries, mines, and other industrial settings. In this article we will look at the advantages of a water misting system for dust suppression, and how it can improve site safety and lower your operational costs.
Misting systems control dust by producing an ultrafine spray of water droplets, or mist. These droplets capture airborne dust particles and settle them onto the ground, reducing the spread and concentration of dust.
Misting systems use a pressurised pump (typically between 500 and 1200 psi) to force water through specialised nozzles thereby ‘atomising’ the water into very fine droplets, usually only 10 to 50 µm in diameter.
A network of high-pressure tubes and fittings distribute this pressurised water from the pump to various suppression zones, allowing a distributed system to be used at various points across a large processing area. Typical suppression zones include loading hoppers, unloading points, discharge chutes, vehicle loadouts and storage bays.
As airborne dust encounters the pressurised mist, the particles become heavier and fall to the ground due to gravity.
As a dust suppression strategy, misting systems have several key advantages:
Captures fine respirable dust particles – the fine droplets produced by misting systems are highly effective at suppressing respirable dust particles, which are the most damaging to human health when inhaled.
Water efficiency – compared to traditional water sprays, misting systems use considerably less water, and the fine distributed mist ensures that this water is used efficiently without over saturating the suppression zone.
Localised control – misting systems can be precisely targeted to high-risk areas where dust generation is highest. This control helps prevent the spread of dust beyond the target area, minimising the contamination risk to the public and the local ecosystem.
Versatility – misting systems can also be used for outdoor cooling, industrial humidification, and odour control, providing a cost-effective solution for various operational needs.
Compliance – by keeping dust emissions below the WELs established by COSHH, a misting system can help you avoid penalties and demonstrate compliance with environmental regulations.
As versatile as misting systems are, they aren’t suitable for all dust suppression applications. For instance, for tackling dust emissions generated durings crushing, screening and conveying, other dust control methods (e.g. foam control) might be more appropriate. Misting systems are also best deployed in semi enclosed environments sheltered from the wind.
Best-Chem are one of Europe’s leading manufacturers of customisable misting systems for dust producing applications, helping customers control and remove fugitive dust emissions. More information about our range of high-pressure misting systems can be found here. If you have any questions, please feel free to get in touch with one of our experienced team directly by calling 01530 272922.