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Exploring the Effects of Atmospheric Forcings on Evaporation: Experimental Integration of the Atmospheric Boundary Layer and Shallow Subsurface
Published on: June 8, 2015
Study of spatiotemporal evolution of coupled airflow-gas-dust multi-field diffusion at low-gas tunnel
Wen Nie1, Yuankun Cai1, Luyao Wang1
1College of Safety and Environmental Engineering, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qingdao 266590, Shandong Province, China; State Key Laboratory of Mining Disaster Prevention and Control Co-found by Shandong Province and the Ministry of Science and Technology, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qingdao 266590, China.
Abstract:
The increasing level of mechanization in coal mining means more dust and gas are generated during excavation operations in tunnels. The high concentrations of dust and gas severely affect production efficiency and the physical and mental health of workers. Here, Ansys Fluent simulations were performed to derive the spatiotemporal evolution of coupled airflow-dust-gas diffusion in a low-gas excavation face. The aim was to optimize pollution control by determining the optimal duct distance, L, from the working face in the excavation tunnel. Our results showed that the airflow field affects the coupled diffusion and transport of dust and gas. According to a comparison of the effects of different duct distances from the working face, when L = 6 m, the average dust concentration in the tunnel is low (257.6 mg/m3), and the average gas concentration in the tunnel is 0.28 %, which does not exceed the safety limit. Accordingly, the optimal distance of the duct for pollution control is 6 m. The results of field measurements supported the validity of the simulation. Our findings can be used to improve the air quality in tunnels, thereby keeping miners safe and the working area clean.
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