Suspending dust particles with water droplets
Blasting and explosive demolition of buildings can bring about a great amount of dust that is harmful to people and animals and damaging to technical installations. Such problems can be especially serious in demolitions occurring in urban centres. Due to the elevated social, economic and environmental costs, there is an urgent need for efficient preventive dust suspension. In answer to this, the EXHODE project has developed the explosive hose system, a new method for binding dust particles that uses less water than conventional methods. Hoses filled with water and containing blasting cords are set up in the vicinity of the building. The hoses are set off shortly after the blasting occurs. Since the water is dispersed in the form of minute droplets, it is able to retain the fine and very fine dust particles which are caused by the demolition. The explosive hose system has the potential to improve air quality for residents near blasting demolition sites. The system may also be used for abatement of dust, asbestos and toxic gases in mining, quarrying, tunnel construction and demolition industries. Prototypes of the explosive hoses have been validated in a broad range of field tests. Commercial and technical documentation is available.
