Tackling dust in a biological way

BeePro (Beeksma Products) from the Netherlands has been marketing the dust suppressant BeeFoam in Europe since 1999. From a small-scale start followed by steady growth, the company now helps combat dust generation worldwide using a biological foam-based product.

Dust formation in the recycling sector and in the minerals industry continues to cause problems for producers, despite many measures aimed at minimising emissions at the source. With the dust suppressant BeeFoam using foam, dust generation can be effectively controlled. Even quartz dust is reduced to an acceptable level.

MARKET DEMAND

The foam is a 100% biological product that is completely harmless to humans and the environment. The system was developed in response to demand from the market, particularly from suppliers of machines for shredding wood and green waste and crushing rubble. It is also used by sorting companies, slag processing facilities, mines, the steel industry and metal recycling companies.

Since many companies in these sectors deal with dust generation, BeeFoam has been incorporated into BeePro BV (Beeksma Products).

FORGET SPRAYING

The cost price of BeeFoam ranges between five and 20 cents per tonnne. For this reason, cheaper alternatives, such as spraying or misting raw materials with water, are often considered. However, these methods are insufficient. The final product is not dust-free, whereas with BeeFoam it is.

The end product can remain dust-free for three to 12 days (depending on the material), allowing it to be handled and transported without generating dust.

5 000 LITRES OF FOAM

From 100 litres of water and 1% BeeFoam, approximately 5,000 litres of foam can be produced (a large coverage with minimal water use). A pump supplies the required amount of foam, with the mixing ratio automatically maintained. Foam consumption depends on the type of dust and weather conditions.

On a dry summer day, the average is about 300 litres of water per hour (either tap water, rainwater or industrial water, as long as it is not salty). Air consumption ranges from 2 000 to 3 500 litres of compressed air per minute at seven to eight bar.

FROM BLAST FURNACES TO QUARRIES

The BeeFoam installation can be mounted on a fixed production or sorting line, but BeePro BV also supplies mobile versions in insulated eight-foot containers for use on mobile wood shredders or rubble crushers.

In addition, it is particularly suitable for dust control at blast furnaces, in quarries and in biomass processing, among other applications. ‘I believe that what we are bringing to the market right now is very important for both people and the environment,’ says BeePro’s Wybren Beeksma.

‘The health of workers is becoming increasingly important, especially in a tightening labour market. The recycling industry has become more important in recent years, and more materials are being recycled, which leads to a greater supply of raw materials but also to increased dust generation.’