Mining Publication: Design of a Water Curtain to Reduce Accumulations of Float Coal Dust in Longwall Returns
Original creation date: July 2020
Authors: C Seaman, M Shahan, T Beck, S Mischler
Accumulation of float coal dust (FCD) in underground mines is an explosion hazard that affects all underground coal mine workers. While this hazard is addressed by the application of rock dust, inadequate rock dusting practices can leave miners exposed to an explosion risk. Researchers at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) have focused on developing a water curtain that removes FCD from the airstream, thereby reducing the buildup of FCD in mine airways. In this study, the number and spacing of the active sprays in the water curtain were varied to determine the optimal configuration to obtain peak knockdown efficiency (KE) while minimizing water consumption.
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- Full-Scale Testing of the Float Dust Deposition Meter
- Open-air Sprays for Capturing and Controlling Airborne Float Coal Dust on Longwall Faces
- Reducing Float Coal Dust: Field Evaluation of an Inline Auxiliary Fan Scrubber
- Rock Dusting Considerations in Underground Coal Mines
- Sensors for Automated Control of Coal Dust (SACCD)
- Technology News 515 - Float Coal Dust Explosion Hazards