Spatial and temporal distribution of dust pollutants from a fully mechanized mining face under the improved air-curtain system

In the present work, the dust pollutants from a fully mechanized mining face under different situation were investigated for a typical coal roadway. The Euler-Lagrange model was adopted for dust movement process. After the validation, the varieties of the air curtain, the spatial and temporal distribution of dust pollutants under various conditions were analyzed. The present study revealed that the air curtain jet flow develops with time and space and significantly influences the surrounding flow field. The dust concentration was controlled for the front part of the roadway. The higher initial supply air velocities (<15 m/s) and the smaller inclined angle (< 30 degrees) of the air curtain can really cut down the mere concentration of PM2.5 at the sit of the driver. The relative fitting functions are provided to determine the initial velocity and angle of the air curtain properly, which can provide a cleaner working environment around the driver. (c) 2021 Published by Elsevier B.V.

Automated summary

The study found that the airflow of the air curtain evolves with time and space, significantly impacting the surrounding flow field. Increasing the initial supply air velocity and reducing the inclination angle of the air curtain can effectively decrease the concentration of PM2.5 at the driver's seat.