CDC offers solutions to all underground dust suppression problems
Dust Buster News

For over 20 years Colliery Dust Control (CDC) has been a pioneer in the development of dust control systems used to improve working conditions and safety in underground coal mines in South Africa.

Many of the dust suppression systems currently installed in Mpumalanga underground coal mines were developed by the company in conjunction with mine engineers at these mines.

Springs-based CDC is the largest supplier of underground colliery dust suppression systems in the country. "It is estimated that there are over 280 continuous miners currently in operation in South Africa. We have supplied nearly 200 dust suppression systems for continuous miners operating at all the major mines in the country," managing director Doug Hutson points out.

In the past three years in particular the company has consolidated its position as the leading supplier in its field, including the development and refinement of a three-fold integrated system comprising the unique CDC wet-fan scrubber box, water-powered air movers and spray fans operating in complementary fashion to achieve maximum dust suppression efficiency.

Tests carried out by the CSIR last year using CDC’s integrated system in conjunction with good mining practice and ventilation systems proved the high dust suppression efficiency of this system, which was found to consistently achieve dust counts of between 2 and 3 mg/cu m – well within the regulation minimum of 5 mg/cu m as stipulated by the Department of Mineral & Energy Affairs.

The company has also greatly broadened its product range to encompass the full spectrum of dust suppression equipment and accessories, as well as providing round-the-clock service backup and a service exchange scheme to ensure that customers maintain maximum productivity and incur minimum downtime.

"In addition, we offer a service contract option to collieries which prefer to hand over responsibility of service, maintenance and repair of their dust suppression systems entirely to us so that they can concentrate on their core activities," says CDC’s general manager Bob Johnstone.

"Several collieries that have taken advantage of this option have found it greatly to their benefit and we are encouraging others to go the same route because of the marked productivity improvements and savings that result from it."

CDC has an ongoing programme of improving the efficiency of operation and cost effectiveness of the systems and equipment it supplies and services. "In addition to constantly seeking to improve and streamline the operational and maintenance functions of the equipment, through our team of customer support engineers we keep in close touch with the personnel responsible for the dust suppression systems in the mines to ensure that they are operated at optimum efficiency and in conjunction with the correct ventilation and mining practices," Johnstone adds.

The CDC wet fan scrubber box incorporates a high efficiency fan, a water-cooled low inertia motor, compact size, low power requirements, low water requirements and low noise levels. It has been developed in accordance with the industry’s requirements for high production rates and the high dust loads generated in South African coal mines, while requiring a minimum of maintenance.

CDC has also introduced a number of improvements to the already well-established and widely used spray fan system, having enhanced the nozzle design, developed a robust reverse flush spray block and improved the spray block layout.

"In short, we are here to prevent - and cure - the mine operator’s dust suppression systems headaches," Johnstone concludes.