A new design of foam spray nozzle used for precise dust control in underground coal mines

In order to improve the utilization rate of foam,an arc jet nozzle was designed for precise dust control.Through theoretical analysis,the different demands of foam were compared amongst arc jets,flat jets and full cone jets when the dust source was covered identically by foam.It is proved that foam consumption was least when an arc jet was used.Foam production capability of an arc jet nozzle under different conditions was investigated through experiments.The results show that with the gas liquid ratio(GLR)increasing,the spray state of an arc jet nozzle presents successively water jet,foam jet and mist.Under a reasonable working condition range of foam production and a fixed GLR,foam production quantity increases at first,and then decreases with the increase of liquid supply quantity.When the inner diameter of the nozzle is 14 mm,the best GLR is 30 and the optimum liquid supply quantity is0.375 m^3/h.The results of field experiments show that the total dust and respirable dust suppression efficiency of arc jet nozzles is 85.8%and 82.6%respectively,which are 1.39 and 1.37 times higher than the full cone nozzles and 1.20 and 1.19 times higher than the fiat nozzles.

Effects of atomization parameters of dust removal nozzles on the de-dusting results for different dust sources

In order to obtain appropriate spray pressure and enhance the spraying and dust removal efficiency, various factors including the dust characteristics, nozzle spraying angle, effective spraying range, water consumption and droplet size are taken into account. The dust characteristics from different mines and atomization parameters of different pressure nozzles were measured. It was found that the internal pressure of coal cutters and roadheaders should be kept at 2 MPa, which could ensure large droplet size, large spraying angle and low water consumption and hence realizing a large-area covering and capture for large particle dusts. However, the external spray pressure should be kept at 4 MPa for smaller droplet size and longer effective spraying range, leading to effective dust removal in the operator zone. The spray pressure of support moving, drawing opening, and stage loader on a fully mechanized caving face and stage loader on a fully mechanized driving face should be kept at 8 MPa, under which the nozzles have long effective spraying range, high water flow and small droplet size for the rapid capture of instantaneous, high-concentration and small size dust groups. From the applications on the caving and driving faces in the coal mines, it is indicated that the optimization of spray pressure in different spraying positions could effectively enhance dust removal efficiency. Selecting appropriate nozzles according to the dust characteristics at different positions is also favorable for dust removal efficiency. With the selected nozzles under optimal pressures, the removal rates of both total dust and respirable dust could reach over70%, showing a significant de-dusting effect.

A comparative study of dust control practices in Chinese and Australian longwall coal mines

Mine dust is one of the main hazards in underground longwall mines worldwide.In order to solve the mine dust problem,a significant number of studies have been carried out regarding longwall mine dust control,both in China and Australia.This paper presents a comparative study of dust control practices in Chinese and Australian longwall mines,with particular references to statutory limits,dust monitoring methods and dust management practices,followed by a brief discussion on the research status of longwall mine dust control in both countries.The study shows that water infusion,face ventilation controls,water sprays,and deep and wet cutting in longwall shearer operations are commonly practiced in almost all underground longwall mines and that both Chinese and Australian longwall mine dust control practices have their own advantages and disadvantages.It is concluded that there is a need for further development and innovative design of more effective dust mitigation products or systems despite the development of various dust control technologies.Based on the examinations and discussions,the authors have made some recommendations for further research and development in dust control in longwall mines.It is hoped that this comparative study will provide beneficial guidance for scholars and engineers who are engaging in longwall mine dust control research and practice.