Research and development of airborne dust control techniques

The bulk materials handling industry faces significant challenges in the control of dust to ensure continued sustainable operation and to meet emissions regulations and goals. With Australia\u27s industry emissions of particulate matter below 10 ¿m increasing from 530 million kilograms in 2009/2010 to 920 million kilograms in 2013/2014 [1] the problem is clear and the need for improved technology and methods for the control of dust is essential. This paper outlines some of the different techniques that can be used for the control of dust focusing on the use of water spraying systems for airborne dust suppression. The mechanisms contributing to efficient airborne dust capture are briefly described and some improved techniques for the design of airborne dust suppression systems utilising new technology is outlined. New high pressure atomising technology presents the possibility of higher efficiency dust control systems when designed in combination with more readily available CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics), DEM (Discrete Element Method) and CAD (Computer Aided Design) packages. The implementation of these technologies are presented with the aim of improved dust control system design