METHOD FOR CONTROLLING AND REMOVING DUST AND OTHER PARTICLES FROM A MATERIAL

摘要

A method for controlling and removing dust and other fine particles in a material comprising i) electrostatically charging carrier particles in powder form to give the carrier particles a minimum charge to mass ratio of +/- 1x10<-4>C/kg, ii) delivering the electrostatically charged carrier particles to the material, whereby the dust and other fine particles in the material agglomerate with the charged carrier particles and iii) removing the resultant agglomerates from the material (for example by vacuuming or brushing). An apparatus for delivering electrostatically charged particles to a material, the apparatus comprising a) a container, in which particles to be electrostatically charged are stored and b) means for delivering the particles from the container to the carpet of fabric material, the delivery means comprising i) a tube or pipe for delivering the carrier particles to the carpet or fine fabric material; and ii) means for expelling particles at high velocity from the container to the material; the tube or pipe being made of such a material that, when carrier particles are passed down the delivery tube at high velocity, a minimum charge to mass ratio of +/- 1x10<-4>C/kg is imparted to the particles by the frictional contact of the particles on the inside of the tube or pipe.