Case Studies 2003 : Alloys
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Innovative spray system
A permanent dust suppression system using irrigation sprayers was installed on portions of the haul and entrance roads nearest to the Rhovan plant. This method has a number of advantages compared to the conventional method of using water carts to suppress dust including:
- less water is used to achieve the same result as the sprays wet the roads with less volume but more frequently, keeping the roads permanently damp. The sprays are computer controlled allowing their timing to be altered and the system includes sensors which stop the sprays during rain;
- the water cart now concentrates on sections of the haul road where no irrigation sprayers are installed, wetting areas where the large articulated dump trucks generate the most dust; and
- the sprays use water from Stormwater Dam No. 1 ensuring levels are kept low, providing spare capacity in case of heavy rainstorms.