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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Effect of water sprays for respirable dust suppression with a research continuous-mining machine. Report of investigations, 1978

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:6618323
A field test program was conducted in the Pittsburgh coal seam to investigate the effect of water sprays in the suppression of respirable dust being formed while cutting with a LN 456 continuous mining machine. Emphasis was given to the location of spray nozzles on the top and bottom of the cutting boom. Results showed that (1) sump causes about 60 percent of the dust escaping the face area and shear/load causes the other 40 percent, (2) during sump, top and bottom sprays were equally effective in dust suppression and reduced dust by approximately 13 percent, (3) during shear/load, bottom sprays reduced dust by 51 percent and were about 50 percent more effective than top sprays, (4) the combination of top and bottom sprays was slightly more effective than the separate systems but water consumption increased 60 percent, and (5) inclusion of throat sprays resulted in a decrease in dust reduction by removing some of the water from top and bottom sprays where it was more effective.
Research Organization:
Bureau of Mines, Pittsburgh, PA (USA). Pittsburgh Mining and Safety Research Center
OSTI ID:
6618323
Report Number(s):
PB-279881; BM-RI-8283
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English