Preventing dust adhesion

Dust adhesion in the industrial field can have a different composition depending on the environment of that industry. In some industries, environmental dust is mixed with particles of metals or chemicals due to the processes from those industries, such as: cutting, grinding, sawing, welding, plasma cutting, etc.

Depending on the dust compounds, dust is very harmful to the employees who inhale the airborne dust particles. It can cause serious health issues if left unsupervised. Moreover, it can be hazardous for the business operation, as it can damage the machines or the products.

If neglected, dust can lead to the starting of a fire or triggering an explosion. That is why we want to emphasize the importance of preventing the adhesion of dust through dust control and proper management. With the installation of a quality solution, you ensure safeguarding the wellbeing of your workers and protecting your company’s investments and assets.

What is dust adhesion

Dust adhesion is the process in which dust particles are attracted towards a certain surface due to physical forces such as “diffusion, mechanical interaction or electrostatic attraction”. Environmental dust and dust combined with other compounds create industrial issues. The gravity of these issues varies; however, they shouldn’t be neglected as they can worsen. Furthermore, these are the most common issues related to dust adhesion:

• Dust related defects
• Costs of repairs (time, manpower, and infrastructure)
• Decrease productivity

Selecting the proper solutions and equipment for dust mitigation

What materials and solutions assist in repelling dust?

Dust adhesion has a critical impact on the industrial field as it affects the people, the processes involved, the machineries and the final product. The elimination of dust within the industrial field is still a work in progress, as currently there are ways that can assist in minimizing it. Researchers are investigating over various materials and chemical solutions that aid in efficiently repelling dust from adhering to a particular surface

Stopping dust adhesion is a two-step process consisting of reducing the number of dust particles and neutralizing the remaining particles. Neutralization is achieved through humidification and dust suppression.

• Humidification: Dust sticks to an object due to its micro-structure, the viscosity or by an electrostatic charge. By controlling the relative humidity, the conductivity of the air is increased preventing dust from sticking to an object due to an electrostatic charge.
• Dust suppression: In facilities other than clean rooms, airborne dust is impossible to avoid, even when using over-pressure. By spraying a non-wetting water droplet that is the same size as the dust particles, we can suppress the dust particles and avoid these particles from reaching specified objects.

Examples of Systems / Products used for this application

AirAKI^® – Industrial humidification system, it sprays Dry Fog with an average droplet size of 10μm or less. The AirAKI® system with the Dry Fog humidifier AKIMist®”E” has the capability of combating even the most minuscule dust particles. Besides humidification and dust suppression, the AirAKI® system can also assist with the cooling factor within a particular enclosed environment. While this product can be implemented in multiple industry thanks to the innovative design, we do advise consulting with our specialists for a proper technical analysis and recommendation.

BIM series – Pneumatic nozzle, BIM nozzles produce extremely fine droplets ranging from 10 to 100 μm. We can adapt to a wide range of operating conditions. Their spraying provides a fine atomization that assist with cooling and humidification. Moreover, their engineering mechanism is fabricated in such a way that they are clog resistant. The series provides a range of nozzles with various types of patterns, such as: flat, hollow cone and full cone. Attached to a compressed air system, their spraying can be easily controlled, and they offer the possibility of regulation with an on/off switch provided by a controlling adaptor.

Hydraulic systems with hollow cone spray pattern nozzle – For preventing dust adhesion, our hollow cone series (KB, KBN, LYOHM unit) sprays extremely fine fog and ultra-small capacity without using air. These nozzles are recommended as they have the finest atomization amongst all hydraulic nozzles. These series have a high-wear resistance that is provided thanks to their ceramic tip. Moreover, they are applicable for humidification, cooling and dust suppression amongst others.

Benefits

• Prevent dust adhesion
• Suppress airborne dust particles
• Preventing static electricity
• Regulate humidity in confined spaces
• Ambient cooling
• Employee wellbeing

Preventing dust adhesion in specific industries

In certain industries, dust adhesion is developed faster as a consequence of the industrial field processes. For example, in environments such as garbage plants, iron/steel plants, recycling plants, cement plants, dust disperses and spreads faster, affecting both the wellbeing of the workers decelerating and affecting the efficiency of these working processes.

If you want to retrieve more information regarding the products that are offered as solutions for dust adhesion, entering on the product page can be the first step. There you can find technical data regarding these products as well as an individual product catalog that you can download. We made it easy and accessible for your experience. However, for any question or query, you can always contact our specialists and they can advise you and provide you with their know-how.

At IKEUCHI, we have determined the fundamentals to select the right nozzle for your application based on their characteristics. When selecting the nozzle, we advise you based on your required spray angle, spray capacity, optimum spray pattern, and spray distribution.

If you have technical question about nozzles, need advice to choose, or request a quote,

Contact us