Design of push–pull system to control diesel particular matter inside a dead-end entry

Abstract

Diesel particulate matter (DPM) is considered to be carcinogenic after prolonged exposure. With more diesel-powered equipment used in underground mines, miners’ exposure to DPM has become an increasing concern. This paper used computational fluid dynamics method to study the DPM dispersion in a dead-end entry with loading operation. The effects of different push–pull ventilation systems on DPM distribution were evaluated to improve the working conditions for underground miners. The four push–pull systems considered include: long push and short pull tubing; short push and long pull tubing, long push and curved pull tubing, and short push and curved pull tubing. A species transport model with buoyancy effect was used to examine the DPM dispersion pattern with unsteady state analysis. During the 200 s of loading operation, high DPM levels were identified in the face and dead-end entry regions. This study can be used for mining engineer as guidance to design and setup local ventilation, select DPM control strategies and for DPM annual training for underground miners.

DPM dispersion inside a single straight entry using dynamic mesh model

“…Subsequent studies showed that it gave good quantitative agreement with practical accuracy for the DPM distribution and successfully identified the DPM affected areas above the threshold limit (Zheng et al 2011 ). Afterwards, Zheng et al ( 2015a ) evaluated four different push–pull ventilation systems to improve a deep dead end entry working environment and studied DPM distribution based on an industrial field study (McGinn et al 2004 ; Zheng et al 2015b ). In the present study, DPM emission was also treated as a gas to examine its dispersion inside an underground single straight entry.…”

Research on Flow Field Characteristics Affected by Obstacles of Pull-Push Ventilation System of Plating Tanks through Numerical Simulation

“…When controlling pollutant, push-pull ventilation system can save up to 50% of flow rate than lateral exhaust [1], and it is prior to any other hoods when the hood is far away from pollutant generation (eg, more than 2m). Nowadays, push-pull ventilation system is widely chosen to capture harmful gas and vapor [2] and fumes [3]. Since it controls the pollutants through the associative action of pull hood and push hood, we should determine the best effective and matched velocities of them.…”