Product feature: Dust suppression units
The Screenpod S-45 has a 45–50m mist throw
The Screenpod S-45 watercannon at work in Albany Transport yard
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The Screenpod S-45 has a 45–50m mist throw
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The Screenpod S-45 watercannon at work in Albany Transport yard
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The Screenpod S-45 from Crush & Screen is designed for effective dust suppression over large worksite areas, with a 45–50m mist throw
The last two summers were drier and warmer than usual in the upper North Island and many parts of the country saw below-normal rainfall. So, in hindsight, it was timely that Albany Transport general manager, Grant Lansdown, had airborne dust control high on his radar heading into summer 2021.
Grant runs a busy centralised aggregate supply yard in a built-up area of Albany, Auckland. "We needed to do something different that year to manage the dust better,"
he says.
"Our yard surface was a real challenge. Being a mostly broken concrete base, it created a lot of dust during busy vehicle movements. The yard also faced northeast, subjecting it to New Zealand’s prevailing southwesterly winds running through the yard and directly into neighbouring properties."
Grant researched solutions to manage his yard dust. Maintaining good neighbourly relations was a priority, along with improving site visibility and the environment for his workers.
He eventually short-listed two water misting cannons — a Screenpod S-45 from Crush & Screen and another cannon of similar specification — and compared the performance of each in a real situation.
Grant trialled the two dust cannons on consecutive days in the same conditions. "We needed a large area covered on one side of the yard, and after testing the two dust cannons, we felt the Screenpod S-45 did this more easily for us.
It was also easy to manoeuvre and operate and the remote made it simple to control, set, and adjust the 45- to 50-metre mist throw direction. Overall, the Screenpod S-45 performance came out on top.
It provided enough strength to boost the mist over a large area, giving the yard a damp surface layer and stopping dust from escaping into neighbouring properties when conditions were windy.
"Now, on a windy day, we just roll out the dust cannon and blast the water mist across the yard, both dampening the ground and capturing dust particles floating in the air before they get beyond the yard boundary."
Crush & Screen’s Lawrence Chand explains how dust cannons work. "Water is forced through a set of spray nozzles, which atomises it, reducing each water droplet’s surface tension.
The strong fan in the dust cannon’s cowling forces out the atomised mist tens of metres into the air forming a ‘filtering curtain’ over the area of dust. When water is atomised, the droplets are much smaller — from our S-45, they range from 10 to 150 microns.
At that size, and with reduced surface tension, they will attract and absorb any tiny airborne dust particles they come into contact with before dropping to the ground.
Water droplets from a sprinkler or hose are simply too big to capture these small dust particles; they just ‘bounce’ off these big water droplets and carry on their merry way."
Grant says the best thing "was a dramatic decrease in neighbour complaints," and combined with the ease of managing dust in drier, windier conditions, his decision to invest in a Screenpod S-45 dust cannon proved to be worthwhile.
For more information, contact Lawrence Chand 022 400 1302, lawrence@crushandscreen.co.nz or visit crushandscreen.co.nz.
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