BossTek’s DustBoss® line of industrial misting cannons are coming to the rescue of mines and material processing facilities looking to protect workers from the COVID-19 virus, the company says.

Originally designed for large-area dust control, this atomised mist technology is currently being used for the safe and consistent distribution of surface disinfectant cleaners (SDCs) over worksites, busy foot traffic areas and communal spaces.

Mike Lewis, VP of Sales at BossTek, said: “The challenge is protecting workers and the public in outdoor spaces by the most effective means possible, using technology that requires the least amount of human contact.

“Sending crews of people out on a regular basis to clean publicly-accessed surfaces is inefficient, costly and exposes the workers to potential contamination. Studies have shown that the distribution of SDCs evenly across surfaces can effectively reduce the presence of viral and bacterial microbes to mitigate the spread of disease. Atomised mist has proven to be a very effective distribution method.”

Lewis said the company has also supplied equipment for large operations such as mines and material processing facilities that are sanitising work surfaces before employees return to work.

Atomised mist technology disperses millions of tiny treated water droplets over a wide area to achieve effective coverage.

The heavy-duty, barrel-shaped DustBoss cannons force water through a circular brass manifold fitted with atomising spray nozzles that fracture the water into tiny droplets of 15 to 200 microns in size. The mid-sized model has a reach of up to 60 m. Using a powerful 25 HP fan that produces 849.5 cu.m/min of airflow, the droplets are propelled outward in a cone-shaped pattern. With the adjustable 0-50° angle and 359° oscillation settings, the largest model in the fleet can cover up to 31,000 sq.m, the company says.

The atomised misting cannons can be mounted on water trucks or specified in the company’s Fusion configuration – which includes a trailer-mounted cannon and genset – an effective delivery system for large-scale disinfecting work that’s portable by a pickup truck, BossTek says.

“People want to work and play in the safest environment possible and this technology can help,” Lewis said. “According to some experts, these types of outbreaks may be more frequent in the future. Having a mechanism for large-area disinfection in place that is easily dispatched to vulnerable areas to quickly stem the tide of infection from surface-borne microbes is a smart move for both public and private entities.”