In today’s episode of the Dust Safety Science podcast, Pete Zinecker, Director of Sales in the Western US at Benetech Inc., defines chemical dust suppression and how it works across various industries.
Pete has been with Benetech for over 24 years. He currently lives in East Texas and his territory now covers Texas, Nebraska, Kansas, parts of Arkansas, Oklahoma, southwest Louisiana, and the Texas Gulf Coast. His role involves solving problems, addressing issues, and promoting safety in various industries, including coal-fired power plants, coal mines, cement kilns, pulp and paper industries, glass plants, and petcoke material terminals.
Pete explained that Benetech was founded over 40 years ago as a 100% dust suppression operation. At the time, the company specialized in freeze conditioning systems, utilizing injection pumps and various chemicals. Later, it became well-versed in conveyor systems, containment, temperature variations, and different water pH systems. The business began as a 100% dust suppression operation.
As the demand for Powder River Basin coal from Wyoming increased, Benetech expanded its services to coal-fired power markets in Missouri, Illinois, Tennessee, Kentucky, the Carolinas, and Florida. Powder River Basin coal, known for its high explosiveness and tendency to spontaneously combust, posed significant challenges. Facilities used to handling less volatile coal experienced numerous incidents during initial trials with this new coal type, leading to a high demand for explosion reduction solutions
The company grew by addressing these safety concerns and helping to manage the 300 million-plus tons of Powder River Basin coal transported annually to power plants, cement kilns, transload facilities, and overseas markets. Today, Benetech has evolved into a full-service engineering firm, specializing in material handling and bulk material handling.
The expansion of Powder River Basin coal significantly impacted various industries, including pulp and paper, petcoke, and other combustible materials. This shift also brought changes in air quality permits and governmental regulations, which dictate what can be released into the atmosphere. Over the past 30 to 40 years, the business of dust suppression and containment has grown in response to these regulations.
Today, dust suppression efforts address a wide range of issues. These include limiting dust on and around conveyor belts, on beams, on the ground, and preventing wind from blowing dust off piles stored in yards. Benetech’s services have evolved to meet the strict limitations imposed by governments in North America on mining and plant operations, ensuring compliance and maintaining air quality standards.
What is Chemical Dust Suppression?
Chemical dust suppression involves various methods that primarily use water to introduce specific chemicals at certain facility locations to suppress dust. One common method is surfactant systems, where a surfactant is added to a spray system. The surfactant breaks the surface tension of the water and the material it’s sprayed on, allowing the material to absorb the water and reduce dust. This prevents dust from floating on water and makes it stick to the conveyor belt or other materials, thus preventing it from becoming airborne.
Another method is foam systems, which combine water, air, and a foaming agent to create a high-volume foam that captures dust within containment systems such as skirt boards, chutes, and hoppers. Foam systems are particularly effective in applications where minimal moisture is needed, such as materials that will be burned or consumed.
A third method involves encrusting or residual agents, which are used for handling and storing materials like unloading rail cars, barges, or piles in a yard. These agents reduce windblown dust and erosion from piles exposed to the elements for extended periods. In the past, dust would blow all over facilities, but today’s regulations require eliminating windblown dust, especially in steel mills and power plants, to prevent it from affecting surrounding areas.
What Industries Use These Applications?
Benetech provides dust suppression systems for various applications, handling everything from a few tons an hour on conveyor belts to 5000 tons an hour with belt speeds of up to 1400 feet per minute. These systems, which treat materials such as petcoke, coal, gold, gypsum, and pulp and paper, can be applied to any bulk materials on a belt, whether they are combustible or not, to reduce dust.
Benetech’s dust suppression systems address respirable dust and combustible dust, both of which are heavily regulated. When evaluating a facility’s needs, Pete asks detailed questions to understand the goals and ensures that their dust suppression systems work in conjunction with proper containment of the material within the material handling side. This includes areas such as crushers, conveyor belts, transfer towers, truck unloading, and rail car unloading.
The systems often work alongside dust collection systems, either to reduce the grain loading on dust collectors or to treat the dust discharged from them. Dust collected by dust collectors is often dropped through a rotary valve back onto the conveyor belt, where it remains dust. Benetech’s suppression systems treat this collected dust to improve the overall safety of the system. The company’s approach is holistic, integrating containment, collection, suppression, and maintenance to effectively manage dust in various industrial settings.
How Are The Agents Applied to Dust?
A typical dust suppression system (whether using a foam system or a surfactant system) at a standard transfer point aims to treat as much of the material’s surface area as possible. Benetech focuses on maximizing surface area contact rather than just spraying the top of a conveyor belt, which only covers about 8 to 10% of the material. The effectiveness of dust suppression depends on the tonnage, as the material stream can be quite deep, reaching up to 18 inches in some cases.
The key is to treat both larger materials and dust particles effectively. Benetech advises customers that while dust suppression systems can significantly improve conditions, they do not fix structural issues such as holes in chutes, hoppers, or bins. If these areas allow dust to escape, it can become airborne again once it dries on turning idlers.
For optimal results, maintaining proper containment and applying dust suppression systems with smart application points and chemical products is essential. Benetech’s videos and website demonstrate the significant improvements their systems can make, often showing a night-and-day difference inside transfer towers, crusher towers, and other areas. Implementing such systems not only enhances safety but also improves the work environment for employees, who appreciate the cleaner, safer conditions.
Are There Any Challenges With Chemical Dust Suppression?
Pete said that a common issue encountered is the water quality at remote facilities. Facilities often pump water from ponds or lakes, which can contain algae, clams, and other contaminants that cause problems for existing systems, such as rubber hoses and spray nozzles. This makes water quality management a crucial part of system design.
Most of Benetech’s dust suppression systems are custom-engineered rather than off-the-shelf solutions. Each system is tailored to fit the specific needs of the facility, including considerations for water quality, such as basket strainers and automatic straining systems. Almost no facilities use potable water due to its cost, so pond or well water is more commonly used.
Benetech’s dust suppression systems include various components like solenoid valves, air-operated valves, electric-operated valves, material-on-belt sensors, ultrasonic sensors, and pumps of different types and sizes. These components ensure the systems are effective and adaptable to the unique requirements of each facility.
Conclusion
Dust suppression solutions are effective and reliable. For anyone skeptical about their performance, rest assured that these systems are real and their effectiveness is proven. If your facility has serious dust problems, whether the dust is combustible or non-combustible, implementing one of these systems will make a noticeable difference.
Benetech’s dust suppression systems are not gimmicks; they are engineered, serviced, and maintained, and their operators and engineers are educated on their use. The company has been around for over 40 years, and some systems installed nearly four decades ago are still operational today due to their performance and proper maintenance.
Investing in a dust suppression system with a lifespan of 20, 30, or even 40 years is a wise decision for any facility. These systems are a fantastic long-term investment that significantly improves workplace safety and efficiency.
If you would like to discuss further, leave your thoughts in the comments section below. You can also reach Pete Zinecker directly:
Website: https://benetechglobal.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pete-zinecker-52348757/
Email: [email protected]
If you have questions about the contents of this or any other podcast episode, you can go to our ‘Questions from the Community’ page and submit a text message or video recording. We will then bring someone on to answer these questions in a future episode.
Resources mentioned
The resources mentioned in this episode are listed below.
Dust Safety Science
Combustible Dust Incident Database
Dust Safety Science Podcast
Questions from the Community
Companies
Benetech Inc.
Groups
Coal Users Group
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DSS271: What is Chemical Dust Suppression and How Does It Work with Pete Zinecker
