Handling, processing, and storing bulk solid materials inevitably results in the generation of industrial dust. For environmental protection, workplace safety, and to reduce wear on equipment, it is essential to capture this dust with dust suppression systems. ECOFOG is the product line from Barra Project International dedicated to industrial dust suppression through the production of micronized artificial fog.
Industrial dust represents:
- a material loss in the overall production process,
- a source of environmental pollution,
- a significant cost in terms of management/disposal (e.g., filtration systems),
- a cost factor for workplace cleaning and safety (equipment encrustation).
The different techniques for the abatement and capture of industrial dust
There are various technological options to tackle the issue of industrial dust management:
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Encapsulation:
Effective but highly costly; the structures need to be perfectly sealed and designed from scratch, ensuring both containment and accessibility, and must operate with pressure equalization. -
Exhaust filtration:
One of the most common solutions in industry, but it requires proper encapsulation. Filters are inherently costly and require careful maintenance and replacement. Recycling the dust (material that needs to be reintroduced into the production cycle) is challenging and costly. Additionally, this system contributes to noise pollution. -
Water sprays with or without additives:
This is a “traditional” method often used in combination with chemical additives. Although it is relatively inexpensive, it has several drawbacks: it dilutes the material, has high water and energy consumption, and nozzles are prone to clogging/wear. Additives are often costly and pose hygiene and health issues.
Is there a smarter and more economical solution to reduce industrial dust?
YES, and the answer is ECOFOG.
ECOFOG was developed with the aim of providing a misting nozzle that can operate in demanding environments such as quarries, mines, steel mills, cement plants, coke plants, salt works, etc., with low energy and water consumption and minimal maintenance. Barra Project has always been deeply committed to both the natural environment around us and the workplace environment. As a result, all our misting nozzles are designed to reduce and optimize both air and water consumption, eliminating the problems associated with managing and disposing of collected dust, and optimizing spare part management through a modular structure that allows only the worn component to be replaced. Thanks to dedicated installation components, ECOFOG can be easily integrated with low impact into existing systems using modular mounting and components.
How is the micronized artificial fog produced by ECOFOG used?
Through low-pressure water micronization, ECOFOG generates micro-fog particles that capture dust particles by binding to them in a cohesive form. This causes the dust to become heavier and, rather than dispersing into the environment, falls back onto the material that generated it, thus being reintroduced into the production cycle without additional costs.
ECOFOG nebulizes at low working pressures
- Air: 2-3 bar
- Water: 0.1-1.5 bar
The flagship of the ECOFOG line is the AIROX range of misting nozzles: reliable, easy to install and manage, durable, and modular.