Dust control system

A dust control system for efficiently collecting dust laden air within and around a mining area. The dust control system generally includes a support structure, a duct assembly supported by the support structure, wherein the duct assembly includes an inlet for receiving dust laden air, an outlet for discharging a dust slurry, and a passageway connecting the inlet with the outlet and an injection pipe assembly directed within the passageway for injecting a mixture of a compressed air and a liquid within the passageway to mix with the dust laden air. The outlet of the injection pipe assembly is positioned forward the inlet of the duct assembly relative travel of the dust laden air through the passageway for generating a suction to force the dust laden air within the inlet.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not applicable to this application.

Not applicable to this application.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to a mining assembly and more specifically it relates to a dust control system for efficiently collecting dust laden air within and around a mining area.

2. Description of the Related Art

Loading and unloading areas, such as those in and around mining areas, have constantly been a source of mass amounts of pollutant or dust laden air due to the properties of the mined material. The dust laden air can often times be harmful to the environment including surrounding plants, animals, and individuals operating the machinery that loads and unloads the dust prevalent material. Because of the inherent problems with the related art, there is a need for a new and improved dust control system for efficiently collecting dust laden air within and around a mining area.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A system for efficiently collecting dust laden air within and around a mining area. The invention generally relates to a dust collector which includes a support structure, a duct assembly supported by the support structure, wherein the duct assembly includes an inlet for receiving dust laden air, an outlet for discharging a dust slurry, and a passageway connecting the inlet with the outlet and an injection pipe assembly directed within the passageway for injecting a mixture of a compressed air and a liquid within the passageway to mix with the dust laden air. The outlet of the injection pipe assembly is positioned forward the inlet of the duct assembly relative travel of the dust laden air through the passageway for generating a suction to force the dust laden air within the inlet.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Turning now descriptively to the drawings, in which similar reference characters denote similar elements throughout the several views,FIGS. 1 through 6illustrate a dust control system10, which comprises a support structure20, a duct assembly30supported by the support structure20, wherein the duct assembly30includes an inlet31for receiving dust laden air15, an outlet32for discharging a dust slurry17, and a passageway34connecting the inlet31with the outlet32and an injection pipe assembly50directed within the passageway34for injecting a mixture16of a compressed air and a liquid within the passageway34to mix with the dust laden air15. The outlet56of the injection pipe assembly50is positioned forward the inlet31of the duct assembly30relative travel of the dust laden air15through the passageway34for generating a suction to force the dust laden air15within the inlet31and passageway34.

B. Unloading and Loading Area

The dust control system10is preferably used in and around an unloading and loading area to remove the dust laden air15from the surrounding atmosphere. The unloading and loading area preferably extends to various types of unloading and loading industries that unloads and loads various types of materials14. Such industries may unload and load materials14such as coal, gravel, rocks, or various other materials.

The material14may be unloaded and loaded through the use of various types of unloading11, such as dump trucks, train cars, conveyors, pay loaders, etc., and loaded through various types of loading vehicles12, such as dump trucks, train cars, pay loaders, conveyors, etc. It is appreciated that various other types of loading and unloading vehicles11,12or machinery may be used. The unloading and loading areas may further extend to crushing areas, such as for crushing mined rock, coal, etc., transfer points for the material14, storage points for the material14, along different portions of the conveyor, such as the head pulley, tail pulley, feeders, etc., or various other locations where dust is prevalent. The dust of the dust laden air15may refer to any type of dust, pollutant, or contaminate present within the air that is desired to be removed.

C. Support Structure

The support structure20is generally positioned nearby the unloading and loading area and preferably within the unloading and loading area or other area in which dust laden air15is prevalent and needed to be collected to be removed from the atmosphere. The support structure20is preferably comprised of a canopy or roof-style structure to extend overhead at least a portion of the loading and unloading area to more efficiently collect the dust laden air15as the air naturally rises or circulates. In the preferred embodiment, the support structure20extends over the loading portion of the loading vehicle12(e.g. conveyor).

In the preferred embodiment, the support structure20is supported overhead via a plurality of vertical columns21. A plurality of joists22and rafters23are formed and connected to the columns21to support the roof24in which the duct assembly30is supported thereon. The height of the roof24, joists22, and rafters23is preferably great enough to allow for the material14(e.g. coal, gravel, rocks, etc.) to be unloaded, loaded, or worked upon underneath thereof.

The roof24also preferably includes a plurality of openings25extending therethrough to align with the inlets31of the duct assembly30, wherein the duct assembly30is preferably secured atop the roof24so as to be efficiently supported and protected from engagement of the material14or vehicles11,12. The plurality of openings25are preferably equidistantly spaced along a length of the roof24that is parallel to the direction of travel of the material14from the unloading vehicle11to the loading vehicle12, or the direction that best surrounds the area that the dust laden air15is most prevalent.

The support structure20also serves as an exhaust hood to better direct the dust laden air15within the openings25. It is appreciated that each opening25may include a separate exhaust hood, or a single exhaust hood may extend around all of the openings25. It is appreciated that in various alternate embodiments, the support structure20may be integral with various loading or unloading vehicles11,12, as well as integral with a mine, or various other configurations.

The duct assembly30is used to receive the dust laden air15, provide a mixing area for the dust laden air15to be mixed with the mixture16of air and liquid and to channel the formed slurry17to the collection point where the slurry17may be disposed of, collected such as with the vehicles11,12, or recycled. The duct assembly30includes an inlet31that aligns with the opening25of the roof24of the support structure20, an outlet32that is directed within the collection chamber60, and a passageway34extending between thereof.

The duct assembly30is preferably filterless to prevent ongoing maintenance of the present invention, due to the need to replace and monitor filters. The duct assembly30and injection pipe assembly50may be comprised of various materials, such as but not limited to carbon steel, stainless steel, plastic or various other types.

The passageway34includes a first portion35near the inlet31for mixing the dust laden air15with the air and liquid mixture16to form a slurry17, a second portion36laterally positioned with respect to the first portion35for connecting a plurality of first portions35, and a third portion37extending from the second portion36for delivering the slurry17to the collection point60. The first portion35, the second portion36, and the third portion37are each fluidly connected and travel in a generally downhill manner so that gravity controls the direction of travel of the formed slurry17.

The duct assembly30is comprised of a plurality of first segments40to define the first portions35, a second segment44combining the plurality of first segments40to define the second portion36, and a third segment47extending from the second segment44to define the third portion37. The first segments40, the second segment44, and the third segment47may be comprised of upside down U-shaped channel members to seal against the roof24, rafters23, or columns21, square or tubular piping structures, or various other shaped structures all which efficiently direct the slurry17to the collection chamber60or other collection point. The number of first segments40and thus secondary pipes55is preferably determined by the size of the location that needs to be rid of dust laden air15and the amount of dust laden air15present.

In the preferred embodiment, the duct assembly30includes a plurality of first segments40equidistantly spaced apart along the roof24in a parallel manner. The first segments40travel along the slope of the roof24from an upper part of the roof24to a lower part of the roof24. The inlet31extends through each of the first segments40preferably adjacent the upper end41of the first segments40. The injection pipe assembly50, which will be described in the subsequent section, extends within the first segment40past the inlet31towards the lower end42of the first segment40.

Preferably one second segment44extends along each side of the roof24to fluidly connect the lower ends42of each of the first segments40. The second segment44extends in a horizontal orientation and is generally perpendicular to the first segments40. The second segment44travels along the lower edge of the roof24similar to a rain gutter traveling in a similar orientation. It is appreciated that the second segment44may slope slightly to increase the flow rate of the slurry17through the second portion36of the passageway34within the second segment44.

Preferably at least one third segment47including the third portion37of the passageway34vertically extends downward from the respective second segment44. The third segment47generally extends in vertical direction downward from the second segment44towards the collection chamber60.

E. Injection Pipe Assembly

The injection pipe assembly50is used to inject a mixture16of compressed air and liquid within the duct assembly30, and more specifically the first portion35of the passageway34within the first segment40of the duct assembly30, to mix with the dust laden air15and form the slurry17that can be easily handled to remove the contained dust and other pollutant particles.

The injection pipe assembly50generally includes at least one primary pipe51. The primary pipe51is fed forced air from an air compressor52and also fed liquid from a liquid pump53preferably at an end of the primary pipe51opposite the secondary pipes55. The forced air and the liquid are mixed within the primary pipe51to be injected in a simultaneous manner within the passageway34. The liquid may be comprised of various types of liquids, such as but not limited to water and glycol. In the preferred embodiment, water (e.g. recycled water) is used as the liquid in warm periods of the year not subject to freezing, and glycol is used as the liquid in periods of the year that are subject to freezing, wherein glycol has a much lower freezing temperature than water. Various other chemicals or liquids that are environmentally acceptable could also be used in place of the water or glycol.

The combination16of the liquid and forced air helps to generate a better suction than liquid alone. The liquid is necessary to form the slurry17from the dust laden air15and the forced air is necessary to generate a useful and powerful suction to bring the dust laden air15into the passageway34to contact the mixture16.

Fluidly connected to the primary pipe51are a plurality of secondary pipes55. The secondary pipes55are preferably fluidly connected in a parallel manner and travel along the roof24in a declined orientation to within the first segments40of the duct assembly30from an upper end41of the first segments40. Each secondary pipe55preferably aligns with and is directed within a respective first segment40. Each secondary pipe55may also include a valve57for individually turning the mixture16flow through the respective secondary pipe55on and off.

The secondary pipes55extend within the first segments40preferably beyond the inlet31of the duct assembly30so that the outlet56of the secondary pipe55is positioned forwardly of the inlet31of the duct assembly30with respect to the direction of travel of the first segment40from an upper end41to a lower end42. As the high pressured mixture16travels out of the outlet56of the secondary pipe55, the mixture16generates a suction within the first portion35of the passageway34that works to force the dust laden air15within the inlet31of the first segment40and towards the outlet56of the secondary pipes55to mix with the mixture16and form the slurry17.

F. Collection Chamber

The collection chamber60is positioned in fluid communication with the outlet32of the duct assembly30. The collection chamber60may be comprised of various configurations, such as a bin or other configurations. The collection chamber60may be manually emptied or automatically empty to the loading vehicle12or various other mechanisms. The slurry17may be allowed to dry within the collection chamber60, thus forming a solid which would then be easily transferred to a recycling or disposal center.

G. Operation of Preferred Embodiment

In use, as the unloading vehicle11unloads the material14to the loading vehicle12, the material14releases mass amounts of dust that mix with the surrounding air. The air compressor52and liquid pump53force the mixture16of air and liquid through the injection pipe assembly50to within the first portion35of the passageway34to generate a suctioning force.

The mixture16creates a mist once entering the first portion35and contacting the interior walls of the first segment40to efficiently contact all of the dust laden air15within to generate the slurry17. The suction and natural rising of the air causes the dust laden air15to be directed through the opening25of the roof24, and within the inlet31of the duct assembly30to enter the passageway34.

The dust laden air15travels in a downward and forward direction once within the passageway34via forces of gravity and the suction generated by the injection assembly. Once the dust laden air15moves past the outlet56or nozzle of the respective secondary pipe55, the dust laden air15mixes with the mixture16of compressed air and liquid to form the slurry17which is a partially solid mixture16of air, liquid, and dust. The slurry17then continues to travel through the first portion35of the passageway34, to within the second portion36, to within the third portion37out the outlet32and within the collection chamber60.