Real-time Sizing of Airborne Coarse Coal Dust : Proceedings of the 16th U.S. Mine Ventilation Symposium (J. F. Brune, ed.). Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration

Abstract

Airborne coarse coal dust mitigation may help reduce combustible material deposits on mine surfaces. Mitigating low-size-range coarse particles (e.g. sub-20 µm) is important because of their high flammability. However, larger particles also ignite at elevated concentrations and their removal efficiencies need to be assessed. Assessing this large size range may be possible using real-time cloud and aerosol spectrometer (CAS) light-scattering measurements. The measurement range depends on particle refractive index and morphology, and was evaluated for bituminous coal dust. The results suggested that CAS light-scattering measurements can be used to measure the conventional size range for combustible dust (≤ 74 µm).