High-powered dust suppression has proven to be a key element in the on-site processing of waste concrete and block into usable aggregate during the demolition of a former signage shop previously owned by the Illinois DOT.
Located directly adjacent to an expressway, the project could have presented dust management problems for the developer and contractor, who recognized the need to go beyond conventional sprinklers and manual spraying to prevent fugitive particles from becoming airborne and migrating into traffic.
The demolition team decided on an environmentally-responsible solution that quickly and effectively knocked down airborne particles during the 3-week project, selecting a portable dust control machine that can blanket more than 20,000 square feet (1,858 square meters) with a water-conserving mist of dust-attracting droplets.
"The DustBoss was much more effective than any sprinkling or hand spraying we could have done. This unit is big enough to handle large jobs, and it has a very long throw. We just turned it on and let it oscillate whenever we were moving material to or from the crusher."
Ken Sidwell - Vice President of IronHustler Excavating (IHX)
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Developer Chuck Hollis of Junction Ventures contracted IronHustler Excavating to demolish the 25,000 square foot building, purchased from IDOT along with an adjacent parcel to construct a new shopping center.
Although state EPA dust control regulations could have been satisfied with traditional sprinklers and hoses, Hollis and IHX VP Ken Sidwell agreed that greater efficiency was needed for a project in close proximity to such a heavily-traveled route.
"The unit started paying back right away, since we don't need to have a man spraying or moving sprinklers around. It's been an excellent dust control technique for us."
Ken Sidwell - VP of IHX
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“Sprinklers and hand spraying produce large droplets,” Hollis said. “While those techniques do help some to keep the dust down, they have a tendency to saturate the debris, and they can’t deliver the fine mist needed for really controlling airborne particles.”
Sidwell also pointed out that traditional spraying techniques create the potential for run-off, not to mention the possible hazards from freezing in the winter.
“We were looking for a more effective method to trap the dust and prevent it from migrating, but we wanted to do it with fewer manhours,” he said. “It just seemed like there had to be a better way.”
IronHustler purchased a DustBoss DB-60 to replace the more labor-intensive manual approach. The DB-60 is designed specifically for dust suppression, with a ring of 30 special nozzles that atomize water droplets to 50-200 microns, the optimum size for dust agglomeration.
“The DustBoss was much more effective than any sprinkling or hand spraying we could have done,” Sidwell said. “This unit is big enough to handle large jobs and it has a very long throw. We just turned it on and let it oscillate whenever we were moving material to or from the crusher,” he said.
IronHustler’s crew brought down the 3-story building with two excavators, a John Deere 230C LC and a Caterpillar 325CL. Metals were sorted and trucked to a certified recycler, but 100% of the structure’s concrete and block was crushed to aggregate on-site with a Rubble Master® RM80 compact mobile crusher. All of that recycled material remained at the site, to be used in the construction of the shopping center now planned for the location.
DUST CONTROL FROM THE GROUND UP
Unlike some dust suppression equipment, the DustBoss series is designed specifically for one purpose. Dust suppression is most effective when airborne water droplets and dust particles are about the same size, so they will collide more readily.
"We were looking for a more effective method to trap the dust and prevent it from migrating, but we wanted to do it with fewer manhours. It just seemed like there had to be a better way."
Ken Sidwell - VP of IHX
Fed by a 1-1/2" quick-disconnect hose, the machine requires just 10 psi of constant pressure, as the DB-60’s 10 HP booster pump delivers a pressure gain of up to 150 psi. BossTek also offers an optional dosing pump that can be used to automatically meter in odor control additives or surfactants for superior particle capture. The unit can be set up to run from a potable or non-potable water supply.
“The unit starting paying back right away, since we don’t need to have a man spraying or moving sprinklers around,” Sidwell added. “It’s been an excellent dust control technique for us.”
Known for its durable construction and reliable service, the DB-60 typically requires minimal maintenance. The manufacturer recommends that users inspect the nozzles once a year when using a potable water supply. The fan motor should be lubricated every 10,000 operating hours, depending on the service environment, and the oscillator is greased for life.
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