Enhanced toxic cloud knockdown spray system for decontamination applications
Methods and systems for knockdown and neutralization of toxic clouds of aerosolized chemical or biological warfare (CBW) agents and toxic industrial chemicals using a non-toxic, non-corrosive aqueous decontamination formulation.
1. A method of decontaminating a cloud of a toxic material, comprising:
spraying negatively-charged droplets of an aqueous decontamination formulation into the cloud; and
combining and chemically reacting the negatively-charged droplets with the toxic material to neutralize and render the toxic material harmless;
wherein the negatively charged droplets comprise:
first droplets having a first droplet size distribution having a mean droplet size of between about 1 to about 20 microns; and
second droplets having a second droplet size distribution having a mean droplet size of between about 10 microns to about 100 microns; and
wherein the first droplet size distribution is chosen to provide optimum neutralization of the toxic material; and
wherein the second droplet size distribution is chosen to hasten the fallout of the first droplets.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the negatively-charged droplets are sprayed into the cloud at a concentration of about 50 g/m 3 to about 150 g/m 3 .
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the negatively-charged droplets are sprayed from one or more electrostatic induction spray nozzles.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the negatively-charged droplets are sprayed from one or more spray nozzles having a same size.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the negatively-charged droplets are sprayed from two or more spray nozzles having a different mean droplet size distribution.
6. A method of decontaminating a cloud of a toxic material, comprising:
spraying negatively-charged droplets of an aqueous decontamination formulation into the cloud; and
combining and chemically reacting the negatively-charged droplets with the toxic material to neutralize and render the toxic material harmless;
wherein the negatively charged droplets comprise:
first droplets having a first droplet size distribution having a mean droplet size of between about 1 to about 20 microns; and
second droplets having a second droplet size distribution having a mean droplet size of between about 10 microns to about 100 microns; and
wherein the first droplet size distribution is chosen to provide optimum neutralization of the toxic material; and
wherein the first droplets are formed by spraying the aqueous decontamination formulation from a first nozzle having a first nozzle size at a first pressure and the second droplets are formed by spraying the aqueous decontamination formulation from a second nozzle having a second nozzle size at a second pressure; and
wherein the first pressure is greater than the second pressure.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the first and second nozzle are the same nozzle.
8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the first and second nozzle are the same size nozzle.
9. The method of claim 6 , wherein the first and second nozzles are different size nozzles.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the first and second nozzles have a different mean droplet size distribution.
11. The method of claim 6 , wherein, wherein the negatively-charged droplets are sprayed into the cloud at a concentration of about 50 g/m 3 to about 150 g/m 3 .
12. The method of claim 6 , wherein the first and second nozzles are electrostatic induction spray nozzles.