Brokk unveils Atomized Water Mist system for silica dust suppression

First published at CONEXPO-CON/AGG - March 13, 2020

Business development manager Jeff Keeling shows off the new water mist system, the black bracket at the top of the drill fitment.

Swedish remote-controlled demolition robot specialist Brokk has introduced a new water mist system designed to produce droplets fine enough to trap silica dust particles.

While misting systems to suppress dust have been around for years, Brokk says that it believes the new Atomized Water Mist system is the only one to be US Occupational Health and Safety Administration-compliant for dealing with silica dust.

“Silica dust remained a concern because it is difficult to contain,” said Martin Krupicka, president and CEO of the Brokk Group.

The problem stems from the size of the water droplets in existing misters, which are much larger than the silica dust they are meant to trap, says Brokk. Silica particles range from 0.1 to 1,000 microns while traditional methods produce water droplets that are 200 to 1,000 microns in size. The size and velocity of these larger droplets cause air and silica particles to flow around them in a phenomenon known as the slipstream effect. The silica can then still be breathed in by workers.

Since silica particles are more likely to bond with water droplets of similar size, Brokk engineered the dust suppression system to produce 10-micron mist droplets. The system is incorporated into the tool mounting instead of the tool itself like previous systems, allowing operators to provide silica dust protection with any Brokk attachment.

The system can be hooked up to any external water supply, via a hose and is contained in a bracket that fits around the demolition drill. It has also been designed for retrofitting to demolition robot models stretching back several years, says Jeff Keeling, business development manager for the company. The new system is likely to be a standard fitment in the US, but may be optional in Europe.

Stand FF101901