Dust suppression has taken on higher consideration in the mining industry lately, with the release of a new review of regulations for acceptable levels of mineral and chemical dust volumes by WorkSafe.
With the re-emergence of coal miner’s pneumoconiosis and silicosis, the occupational exposure limit for respirable dust at coal mines was dropped to 2.5mg/m3 in November 2019, with a further drop to 1.5mg/m³ expected with the release of the review.
That’s why dust suppression systems have increased importance and in usage in recent years, with one of the most popular being Tecpro Australia’s automatic and autonomous dust suppression units, designed and manufactured in Italy by EmiControls.
According to Tecpro Australia’s Patrick Cooper, EmiControls systems ensure high level dust suppression and removes the risk of operator error, while limiting dust suppression operations to the time and place it is needed.
“Dust suppression systems are traditionally controlled by an operator at the site, which opens the operation to the risk of the system not being turned on, or left on when it is not needed,” Mr Cooper said.
“Dust can be generated without mitigation and the system is therefore worthless.”
Automated dust control takes away the inherent risks of operator error and ensures reliable, efficient and cost-effective dust suppression on mine sites across Australia.
EmiControls is an off-shoot of European-based snow machines maker, TechnoAlpin.
The company’s heavy investment in its research and development department resulted in the most efficient dust controllers and the development of the CURT (Control Unit for Remote-controlled Turbines) software.
CURT connects fogging cannons to fixed dust suppression systems, sensors and monitors, giving full control over the hydro system.
Dust from mining operations affects not only the mine site but communities in the vicinity, particularly in the coal mining regions. The CURT software allows Tecpro’s clients to monitor and control dust suppression machinery site-wide from a central location.
It also enables automation of these systems with the option of control from several different inputs.
The software can be conveniently accessed by a PC or laptop to monitor conditions and manage machines in real-time, all with the click of a mouse, as well as having a fully automatic option.
“Having an automated programme not only ensures dust is being suppressed, but also saves on the consumables that are used such as water and chemicals,” Mr Cooper said.
“Sensors can be connected to a calendar and timed to days of the week, or linked to atmospheric conditions such as wind, rain, humidity and temperature.”
CURT inputs can all be defined separately for each cannon or dust suppression device.
These include a time control with calendar function, weather station, ultrasound, photocell, dust sensors and even odour sensors.
Installing CURT allows clients completely independent function of dust suppression systems based on pre-defined parameters.
An automated program, for example, may be set so that according to the direction of the wind, only the cannons facing a particular direction will be activated.
For certain operating processes that normally generate dust and odours, the times and triggers for automatic activation and deactivation of the system can be set based on several inputs, such as process speed and volume.
Control of dust and odour is no longer the responsibility of the workers.
The CURT software ensures that, instead, it will occur automatically with high energy efficiency.
Without the risk of systems operating when they are not needed, or not operating when they should be, companies can save time, improve safety for operators and comply with strict environmental standards when proximal to local communities.
Previously installed EmiControls dust controllers can also be retro-fitted with CURT to maximise their efficiency.
The system is currently a standalone application but will soon be available as both a smart phone app and as part of a SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition) system.
Practical examples for a typical work day
The system, be it a dust control cannon or a fixed dust suppression installation, is automatically activated through ultrasound or photocell upon entrance of a truck to a ROM bin or unloading area. When the truck exits the area, the system deactivates.
This process can also be associated with a scheduled time control function.
In case of rain, the dust controllers can be automatically deactivated, or in strong winds the controller upwind of the dust generation will automatically operate, whereas the controller downwind will deactivate.
Case study
The Beton Werk-Bauschutt Recycling company is headquartered in the Pusteria Valley, in Gais, Italy.
BWR takes an ecology-oriented approach to demolition, excavation, crushed stone and concrete works and has a strong commitment to environmental protection.
In line with this commitment, the company installed two EmiControls V12s machines for dust suppression, both controlled by CURT control software.
Traditional irrigation systems at the site have previously used high water volumes and have caused constant issues with vehicles entering, creating puddles and mud.
The EmiControls fogging cannons were installed in October 2019 to solve this long-standing problem.
Two V12s fogging cannons were installed in the most dusty area of the plant, where construction and demolition waste is recycled.
The two machines have a very low noise level: the special turbine has an acoustic emission of only 60dB within a radius of 20m.
Both can work at different rotation speeds, with an engine that can operate 3kW with a range up to 30m at 1000 rpm, and at 11kW with a range of up to 50m at 1500 rpm.
This ability allows the machine to be flexible enough to extend its radius of action from 25m to 65m.
The V12s are more compact in size than the previous models and have a greater tilt speed.
These dust control cannons are equipped with special nozzles with ceramic inserts, with an offset arrangement, as well as a horizontal pump with pressure monitoring, an automatic discharge for optimum water pressure and an easily accessible and quick to change water filter.
The valve technology allows the amount of water to be regulated on three levels (16-100 l/min) by a remote control.
The CURT management software from EmiControls makes it possible to monitor and control all of the dust controller machinery in one system.
In the BWR plant, the fog cannons are switched on at a certain time in the morning on particularly hot days, or when there is a high level of dust or again when a truck is unloading.
Thanks to the EmiControl system, the soil does not get completely wet and only a thin mist of vaporised water is deposited on the ground, causing the dust to settle directly on the spot.
BWR truck controllers can switch on the V12s in real-time with a simple click of a mouse directly from their office or, once a dust sensor is installed, this will switch on automatically.
The automatic activation of the system will take place whenever the threshold for levels of dust in the air is exceeded.
Water spray technology
EmiControl’s custom-made solutions for dust suppression incorporate water mist.
The principle of the system is that because of their larger surface area, small drops of water are more effective to quell rising dust than conventional sprays.
Tecpro specialises in mechanical engineering and in the field of water atomisation in particular.
When used for dust control, the fine drops of water immediately attach to the dust particles and bring them to the ground – helping to keep the air free from pollution.
Tecpro has developed high level spray nozzle technology to optimise its clients’ spraying systems, which are then controlled by the CURT system.
A number of factors are taken into account when selecting the optimum nozzle design, including the liquid to be sprayed, the purpose of spraying, the type of droplet required and the available pressure and volume.
As such, Tecpro has delved deeply into the process of atomisation to achieve the best results from their nozzles.
Modern technology allows for a strict control of different parameters of a liquid spray: for example, precise information can be obtained about droplet size spectrum, droplet speed and liquid distribution onto the spray target.
Its designs take into account nozzle efficiency, droplet size, measurement methods, spray angle, impact force and distribution.
Control unit for remote-controlled turbines
Curt offers Tecpro clients the following advantages:
- Completely independent functioning of the dust control system based on predefined parameters
- Time savings and improved safety for operators, thanks to remote control of the system by simply clicking a mouse
- Economic dust and odour abatement
- High energy efficiency
- Perfect adaptability for all customer requirements, thanks to numerous hardware options
- Clear graphics for simple software use
- Possibility to equip CURT with previously installed EmiControl dust controllers
The system can be automatically activated through ultrasound or photocell upon entrance of a truck for unloading material. \When the truck exits the unloading area, the system deactivates.
Scheduled time control function
In the case of strong wind or rain, the dust controller is automatically deactivated or does not start operating.
Inputs and sensors can be expanded as desired, based on specific customer requirements.
Once installed, CURT makes it possible for the user to save time and money: the system starts operating only when necessary.
The entire hydraulic system can be visualised and managed on a PC or laptop.
With the management software CURT, users can monitor and control all of the dust and odour controller machinery in the system.
Abatement of dust and odour is no longer the responsibility of workers, instead occurring automatically and efficiently.
More information:
Tecpro Australia
Unit 5, 16 Rob Place
Vineyard, NSW 2765
Ph: 02 96343370
Email: [email protected]
