Due: March 25, 2025
BACKGROUND
TechConnect’s client, a large multinational firm, processes a variety of mineral ores in its facilities. The transportation and processing of those materials generates silica dust, a known respiratory and mechanical hazard. To improve the comfort and safety of its employees and reduce mechanical degradation of equipment, TechConnect’s client seeks next-generation industrial dust management technologies. All aspects of dust management are in scope: suppression of silica dust generation, minimization of its spread, safety alerts for workers, or removal for proper disposal.
Proposed technologies must contribute to reductions in silica dust within the work environment. The client’s target threshold for silica dust is 25 µg/m³. Ideally, technologies will be capable of achieving that target on their own, however, the client will also consider deploying a combination of technologies to achieve the target threshold. All dust management technologies are welcome regardless of the current ability to meet the target threshold.
The client has identified three locations within its operations that are most impacted by silica dust:
- Transitions onto and off conveyor belts
- Transportation on conveyor belts
- Mechanical pulverizing
- Mechanical feeders and chutes
These components have interior and exterior segments, meaning that proposed solutions should be suitable for either open air or confined space environments or both.
The goal of this project is to identify mature technologies for managing industrial dust hazards with an emphasis on silica. Currently, the client utilizes standard industrial hygiene technologies such as water sprays and ventilation to limit worker exposure. The client believes innovative new approaches and technologies may be available for commercial deployment.
Early-stage technologies with longer implementation timelines may be considered if promising performance is anticipated.
Approaches of interest include but are not limited to:
- Air flow technologies to remove dust from equipment surfaces
- Advanced filtration systems to remove airborne silica dust
- Sensor-enabled dust management systems
- Water spray systems
The focus of this project is technologies suitable for environmental dust management and not exposure prevention for individuals. While a vital aspect of industrial safety programs, responses focused on PPE are out of scope.
The client will review all eligible responses and TechConnect will invite select respondents to participate in a virtual meeting, currently scheduled for April 2025. During that meeting, participants will have the opportunity to present additional performance information about their technology and to respond to questions from the client. Participants should expect questions on a variety of topics such as anticipated costs, consumables (if any), efficacy and implementation. Following those meetings, the client will make final decisions on direct engagement.
As part of the direct engagement, the client may offer its North American facilities for pilot-scale testing and evaluation. The details of the pilot test will be determined jointly by the client and the respondent. Proposed technologies should be ready for pilot-testing no later than Q4 2025 with a goal of commercial implementation by Q1 2026.
The goal of this sprint is to facilitate contact and interactions between the sponsor and commercial entities (including startups), technology developers or research organization/university in this space.
REQUIREMENTS
TechConnect encourages solvers submitting an entry to highlight capabilities in their submission that meet criteria including:
- Overview of anticipated performance
- Amount of silica dust managed
- Ability to achieve target threshold
- Suitable application environment: interior vs exterior
- Operational deployment location:
- Conveyor belts
- Transitions between conveyor belts
- Pulverizing equipment
- Other operational performance data such as:
- Operational lifespan
- Consumables, if any
- Compatibility with other industrial equipment
- Examples of usage in other applications with performance highlights
- Technical maturity
- Timeline for implementation
- Ability to conduct pilot-scale testing by Q4 2025
- Team experience