Enhanced toxic cloud knockdown spray system for decontamination applications
View Patent ↗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.