METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR MINIMIZING AIRBORNE DUST IN FLOOR MAINTENANCE MACHINES

摘要

Airborne dust is controlled and minimized by spraying a fine spray mist by nozzles (50) in a direction tangential to and spaced from spaced, vertical, parallel axes of counter-rotating first and second front brooms (26) and opposite to the rotation direction and angled to the floor in front of the axes. The fluid is pumped at a rate in the order of 0.033 gallons (125 ml) per minute and at a pressure in the order of 40 psi (2.81 kg/cm) through the nozzles (50) having orifice diameters in the order of 0.015 inch (0.38 cm) and a spray angle in the order of 110° to produce droplets having a volume mean diameter in the order of less than 220 microns. The fine spray mist adheres to the airborne particulates to control settling of the airborne particles onto the floor and without build-up of moisture on the floor being swept.