There are many reasons companies choose to invest in dust suppression technologies. Regulatory compliance and reduced health risks are among the most common motivators for employing dust management techniques. Dust inhaled by workers or nearby residents can irritate airways and exacerbate conditions such as asthma or allergies. Job site dust can also generate complaints from local residents and businesses, affecting community relations and potentially jeopardizing future operating permits. When equipment air intake includes significant amounts of dust, it can lead to more frequent maintenance and greater engine wear, causing higher operating costs and more frequent downtime. These are only a few of the reasons that a business might review market options for a dust control equipment purchase.

Tad Wollenhaupt is president of Air One, a company that offers engineered air quality control systems for industrial clients. The firm offers Disc Fans, Rotary Foggers, Monsoon and AirMation products for off-the-shelf dust control solutions. They also offer custom-engineered, facility-specific dust control systems that utilize atomized mist nozzle hardware and high-pressure pumps.

Most systems can be customized to client needs and all are designed, built, installed and serviced by Air One. “Our systems are used to control airborne dust around processing equipment, to protect employee health, and to prevent nuisance conditions and/or operating permit violations. The Monsoon units are for large handling facilities and outdoor demolition projects. They disperse water droplets up to 150 feet from the unit and are capable of projecting a water mist up to 50 feet in the air,” Wollenhaupt stated.

“The majority of our products have been in use for at least 10 years in the solid waste industry. Our clients process between 50 and 1,500 tons of construction and demolition debris per day. Our portable equipment and turnkey systems allow users to utilize our products within a very short timeframe,” Wollenhaupt said. He noted that federal and state industry regulations are growing stricter for the solid waste and recycling industries “and that results in a business increase for us. Air quality improvement is required on all new projects and rehabs of older facilities, which leads to more regulation and public scrutiny where it may not have existed before.”

Buffalo Turbine (BT) has manufactured high-velocity and high-volume turbine style fans for spraying and debris blowing since 1945. Bradley Wesley, sales dealer, noted, “We provide officially licensed products for the PGA Tour for debris blowing and we’re the official debris blower of the IHRA. We also manufacture specially-designed blowers utilized by the United States military in their work uncovering roadside bombs in Iraq and Afghanistan.”

Wesley said BT Monsoon products utilize a gyratory atomizing nozzle which generates a fine mist of many very small, water droplets of consistent size that trap and remove airborne fugitive dust particles commonly created in C&D recycling and other processes. Monsoon products are available with diesel, electric, gasoline, hydraulic, and PTO power. Oscillation stands are optional and provide a user with over 10,000 square feet of coverage. Wesley pointed out that “Our products offer a cost effective solution for any organization concerned with dust control.”

Dust Control Technology (DCT) is a supplier of dust suppression equipment, primarily used in outdoor or large indoor applications. According to Edwin Peterson, CEO, “While some equipment suppliers have added dust management as a sideline, it is the sole focus of our business.” Most DCT customers are involved with bulk material handling, including municipal recycling, crushing, shredding, solid waste processing, composting, landfills and C&D recycling. The company’s DustBoss product line, based on proven technology, delivers a dense mist of very small water droplets, sized specifically for airborne particles and surface dust control.

“One of the key differentiating factors of our equipment is the ability to employ Variable Particle Sizing™ (VPS) technology to customize nozzles, fans and other components, producing a range of droplet sizes and air speed that best suits a given application. Our product line includes powerful, mobile fan-driven units that deliver the atomized mist over a wide target area. The largest designs feature optional 180 oscillations, providing coverage of 80,000 square feet or more – a virtual dust blanket,” explained Peterson. Set-up time for the DustBoss is minimal, requiring hookup to a water source and electrical power. Once set-up is complete, the machine can run unattended all day and a filter to accommodate non-potable water sites is also available.

John O'Brien, operations manager at NCM Odor Control, said the firm offers custom dust control systems for C&D settings, rail yards, recycling centers and more. “Our systems help improve air quality for people working on the sort line by eliminating airborne dust. We offer polymeric dust control, used with our high pressure misting systems in areas where just plain old water will not do the trick. Our customers benefit by not having to wear dust masks and during the summer months, our system helps cool a building by approximately 15 degrees,” O’Brien said. “Treating the hoppers and sorting screens is basically what our experience has been. We prefer to cover door openings so that dust will not escape the building and possibly create concern for those surrounding the area. We typically sell products to facilities that process from 500 to 2,000 tons of material per day. We have clients from New England to San Diego,” commented O’Brien. He said that motivation for obtaining dust control equipment varies with each client. “It can merely be a quality of life issue. Excessive dust in the workplace is undesirable.

Employers pay top dollar for health care and employee health is important for staff and for the good of the company. Clients may also want to keep dust confined to a specific area to extend the life of processing equipment,” said O’Brien.