SUPPRESSION OF RESPIRABLE DUST AND AIRBORNE ASBESTOS FIBRES USING SONIC ATOMIZING WATER SPRAY NOZZLES.

A sonic water atomizing spray nozzle, has been shown to suppress airborne respirable dust particles at efficiencies exceeding 80 per cent. The efficiency increases with an increase in intake relative humidity, an increase in water flow rate to the nozzle, the addition of a coarse counterspray to the sonic nozzle and the efficiency of a modified commercial lamella impact mist eliminator. It was found that airborne asbestos fibers at concentrations of up to 20 fibers/m L-SCRIPT could be suppressed at an efficiency exceeding 70 per cent, using the above-mentioned configuration, and an even higher fiber suppression efficiency could be achieved when an ionic surfactant was employed.