The DustControl systems, engineered by Antares and built by Wings, are ingenious inexpensive approaches to solving the difficult problems of controlling dust emission in receiving pits.  The secret is in trapping the dust with the product being dumped into the pit before it can be released into the environment.

The DustControl System has been shown to reduce dust emission up to 96% andmany companies have installed DustControl to satisfy ISO14000 requirements.  The DustControl system has an extraordinary cost – benefit ratio because it substitutes the expensive, high maintenance and high energy consuming vacuum bag collection systems traditionally used to reduce dust emission.

Dust emission from receiving pits is caused by air in the pit being displaced by the material entering the pit.  The air being displaced picks up the dust particles from the interior of the pit and carries them back out into the surrounding environment.
The Electronic DustControl System is composed of modules with louvers that are mounted underneath the existing grates that cover the pit.  The pneumatically operated louvers are controlled by a PLC that is connected to electronic proximity sensors in the modules.  The louvers are normally closed.  As a vehicle begins dumping product on the pit grates, a mound of product is formed over the grate.  The sensors signal the PLC as to where the product is accumulating and the louvers immediately below the mound are opened.  The louvers are programmed in such a way as to maintain a mound of product above the grates.  The air being displaced by the product falling into the pit is forced out through this mound, trapping the dust emission.
The Mechanical DustControl System is used in pits that do not use hydraulic dump platforms and where the unloading is spread over a larger area and longer amount of time.

The Electronic DustControl equipment and installation costs are normally found to be at least 50% less than vacuum bag collection systems.  The Mechanical DustControl systems are even less expensive.  The operational energy needs are a fraction of the vacuum bag collection systems that normally require a minimum of 50 to 75 hp.  An air compressor motor is the only power required and the compressor operates intermittently.  The electronic controls utilize micro voltage.

The DustControl Systems are fully automatic, requiring no interference from operators, and do not slow down receiving capacity. Since the DustControl Systems are custom built for the specific receiving pit based on its size and beam placement, there is no need to modify the pit.  The system is installed below the grates and normally takes from 3 to 5 days for complete installation.