DustBoss on the job in Tennessee

Peoria, Illinois-based BossTek says its dust control technology recently helped the Methodist University Hospital (MUH) in Memphis, Tennessee, prepare for a $275 million facility upgrade by controlling dust emissions during demolition of its old facility on the campus.

Oklahoma-based demolition contractor DT Specialized Services (DTSS) employed a DustBoss DB-60 Fusion model to mitigate potentially harmful particulates during the teardown and recycling of an eight-story, 100,000 square foot structure.

BossTek says DTSS has prior experience showing that atomized mist was the best method to control the smallest airborne dust particles and exceed compliance standards. In Memphis, it helped result in no reports, complaints or violations regarding dust emissions from demolition activities, recycling and transportation of construction and demolition (C&D) materials or during finishing ground cover efforts.

The building was constructed of a steel skeleton, wrapped in precast concrete and brick. For much of the exterior demo work, DTSS used a Volvo EC380 mid-level excavator with a bucket and thumb, as well as a Volvo EC480 high-reach excavator to access the upper floors. The company also used a third excavator with a shear attachment and a concrete processor that crushed the brick and concrete and readied it for loadout.

“Implosion wasn’t a viable option on this project, due to the possibility that airborne particles could migrate to the air intakes of the other buildings,” DTSS General Superintendent Seth Herber says. “Because there was asbestos fireproofing material used in the original construction, the floors were encapsulated one at a time with plastic wrap, so negative air pressure could be created.”

Mounted on a trailer, the DB-60 Fusion has a 25 horsepower industrial fan on the back end and a misting ring on the front. On this project, a booster pump drew water from a metered city hydrant and increased pressure to as much as 250 pounds per square inch (PSI), supplying a circular manifold fitted with atomizing nozzles.

The fan throws millions of tiny droplets in a 200-foot-long cone, covering up to 62,800 square feet when using a 180-degree oscillator. The unit is powered by a 45 kilowatt generator with a John Deere Tier IV Final-compliant diesel engine, “ensuring compliance in all 50 states,” according to BossTek.

“The difference between using hoses and using the DB-60 is like night and day,” Herber says. “Even though the high-reach excavator has a pressurized water system on it to minimize dust during the takedown, there’s always a concern about standing water and runoff if we add manual spraying to the mix, especially on concrete surfaces. That was completely mitigated by using the DustBoss, as it delivers a targeted cone of mist over a huge area, evenly distributing the droplets while using a lower total volume of water.”

The DB-60’s mobility was another key feature for DTSS on the project. “Wherever we need dust control as the job progresses, we can get the unit there quickly and have it running in minutes,” Herber says. “The labor savings over hand spraying is dramatic, and the mist is far more effective for controlling particulates, without the inherent risk of being near demolition activity.

“The public and the authorities see the DustBoss onsite and they can tell that the dust is being controlled. From our perspective, general contractors know we have the suppression equipment in place to ensure compliance and safety, which helps keep the job on schedule and minimize disruptions."

BossTek provides dust and odor control technology in numerous applications, including rock and aggregate, port unloading, recycling and scrap processing, mining, earthmoving and demolition activities.