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Mining Publication: The Effects of Water Spray Placement for Controlling Respirable Dust and Face Methane Concentrations
Keywords: Continuous mining Dust control Faces Respirable dust Respirable dust level 
 Sulfur hexafluoride Water sprays
Original creation date: April 2006
Authors: GV Goodman, TW Beck, DE Pollock
Peer Reviewed Journal Article - April 2006
Download PDF Document (0.13 MB)
NIOSHTIC2 Number: 20031466
J Mine Vent Soc S Afr 2006 Apr-Jun; 59(2):56-63
A series of laboratory evaluations examined the impact of water spray pressure, curtain setback distance, and external and underboom spray use for controlling respirable dust levels and sulfur hexafluoride tracer gas concentrations around a continuous mining machine. This mining machine was equipped with a flooded-bed dust scrubber and was positioned in the box or slab cut. Exhaust line brattice was used for all tests. Dust levels were measured in the return airway and at locations representing the operators of the continuous mining machine and the standard and off-standard shuttle cars. Increasing water pressure or using the underboom sprays produced no significant impacts on dust levels, although their interactions did produce some significant impacts. Increasing curtain setback distance often elevated dust levels, likely by reducing the amount of airflow reaching the face. Use of the external sprays created additional airflow around the mining machine that pushed the dust cloud past the scrubber inlets. This significantly increased dust levels at all sampling locations. Tracer gas levels were measured on the off-curtain and curtain sides of the cutter head and in the return airway. Increasing water pressure generally led to significantly increased gas levels on the curtain side, although a slight decrease was observed on the off-curtain side with the machine in the box cut. Increasing setback distance elevated gas levels on both sides of the cutter head and in the return by limiting the quantity of ventilation airflow reaching the face. Use of the external sprays provided additional airflow along the off-curtain side of the machine, significantly reducing gas levels in this region. These sprays adversely impacted the dilution and removal of gas on the curtain side of the cutter head. Use of the underboom sprays adversely impacted gas levels on both sides of the cutter head. Use of the external sprays provided the best control of respirable dust and face gas concentrations. The smaller increases in miner operator dust levels produced by these sprays were offset by larger reductions in face gas levels on the off-curtain side of the cutter head. Although the underboom sprays minimally impacted respirable dust levels, use of these sprays was not recommended because they increased face gas levels.
Image of publication The Effects of Water Spray Placement for Controlling Respirable Dust and Face Methane ConcentrationsPeer Reviewed Journal Article - April 2006
Download PDF Document (0.13 MB)
NIOSHTIC2 Number: 20031466
J Mine Vent Soc S Afr 2006 Apr-Jun; 59(2):56-63
See Also
Controlling Respirable Dust in Underground Coal Mines in the United States
Developing and Improving Respirable Dust Controls in Coal Mines
Dust Control Practices for Underground Coal Mining
Field Evaluation of Air-blocking Shelf for Dust Control on Blasthole Drills
Guidelines for the Control and Monitoring of Methane Gas on Continuous Mining Operations
Impact of Control Parameters on Shearer-Generated Dust Levels
Improved Dust Control Methods for Longwall Mining
Laboratory Evaluation of Shield Dust Entrainment in High-Velocity Airstreams
Laboratory Testing To Quantify Dust Entrainment During Shield Advance
Performance of a Light Scattering Dust Monitor at Various Air Velocities: Results of Sampling in the Active Versus the Passive Mode
Page last reviewed: September 21, 2012
Page last updated: September 21, 2012
Content source: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Mining Program
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