Recommendations for the Design of Effective Water Spraying Airborne Dust Suppression Systems.

The suppression of airborne dust is a significant issue within the resources industry that has been highlighted by the re-emergence of lung diseases such as coal workers' pneumoconiosis and silicosis. A prominent method for the control of airborne dust is the use of water spraying systems to suppress dust and minimise its liberation into the workplace. The challenge with water spraying systems for airborne dust suppression lies largely in the correct selection and operation of nozzles to suit the application. This paper outlines work conducted by the University of Wollongong to investigate the factors affecting the performance of water spraying dust suppression systems. The paper presents innovative experimental methods that have been setup for the testing of nozzles under various dust and airflow conditions. A parametric study has been conducted on the influence of factors such as water flow rate and pressure, droplet size, dust concentration, dust and air velocity where the outcome has been the development of models for the selection of nozzles for effective dust capture characteristics and resistance to the local airflow conditions. It is expected that the models generated can be used by industry for the future design of water spraying dust suppression systems to greatly improve the performance and reliability of such systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]