Dust suppression

Stop dust at the source — often with nothing but water.

3 min readUpdated Aug 2026

On this page

01 What this service covers 02 Three tools, one decision 03 Fog, spray or foam 04 Why suppression systems quit working 05 What to have ready 06 Frequently asked questions

What this service covers

Engineered suppression systems that keep dust from becoming airborne at all: high pressure fog, surfactant dosing and foam generation — designed, installed and supported with nozzles, chemicals and 24/7 technical help. Fog cannons available for open-area control; sub-zero and high-temperature climate packages available.

Three tools, one decision

High pressure fog. Water atomized below 10 microns collides with airborne dust and drops it. Plain water — no chemical required. Minimal moisture added.
Surfactant. A small dose cuts water’s surface tension from ~72 to ~28 dyne/cm, wetting material with far less water so fines stay bound to the product.
Foam. Surfactant plus compressed air expands water’s surface area 60–80×, blanketing product at transfer areas with residual effect through multiple transfers.

Moisture-sensitive product?

That is exactly what fog and foam are for — suppression measured in ounces, not gallons. Tell us the material and its moisture limits and we’ll design inside them.

Fog, spray or foam

Method	Droplet / dose	Best for	Watch out
Dry fog	Ultra-fine — adds almost no moisture	Fine dust at transfers, crushers, screens; moisture-sensitive product	Needs decent enclosure; wind steals fog
Spray bar	Coarse droplets, more water	Coarse material, stockpiles, truck dumps	Moisture added is real — know your limit
Foam	Low water, surfactant carrier	Conveyed streams needing residual control	Chemical cost; product compatibility
Fog cannon	Thrown mist over area	Open piles, demolition, yards	Coverage, wind, water supply

Why suppression systems quit working

Plugged nozzles — water quality is the #1 killer; filtration is not optional.
Winter — unwinterized lines burst in the first freeze; heat trace and drain-downs are part of a real design.
Drift — the nozzles got knocked, and the fog now treats the walkway instead of the dust.
The process moved — new material, new rates, same old nozzle plan.

What to have ready

The source — transfer, dump, crusher, pile — and photos of it dusting
Material and moisture tolerance — some products can’t take a drop
Utilities at the point — water, power, compressed air
Freeze exposure — outdoor lines in winter country change the design

Frequently asked questions

Will suppression wet my product out of spec?

Designed correctly, no. Fog adds minimal moisture; foam adds the least per surface area covered. The moisture budget is a design input, not an accident.

What maintenance do these systems need?

Filtration keeps nozzles alive; dosing pumps and nozzles are the service items. We stock replacement nozzles and support systems 24/7.

Do fog systems work in freezing weather?

Sub-zero climate packages exist for exactly this — heat-traced lines, drain-down controls and enclosure options. Tell us the site conditions up front.

Dust Collection 101
Where suppression beats collection Dust Control Services
The plant-wide program Dust Mitigation
Source-by-source reduction Service page
Request a suppression design

Can’t find it in the pile?

Reading about it is free. So is the phone call. Some answers only come from climbing into the equipment — that’s the part we do in person. Tell us the plant, the part and the problem, and you’ll get a real person.

Request a design →

Or call (888) 480-0680 · sales@groupactinc.com · Serving CA, NV, OR & WA since 1991.

The ACT Group

Applied Conveyor Technology — bulk material handling experts. Dust control, conveyor services, silo cleaning, parts, and engineering.

909-350-4703
888-480-0680 (toll-free)

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