Mining Goes Digital – Mueller et al. (Eds)
© 2019 Taylor & Francis Group, London, ISBN 978-0-367-33604-2
612
Coupled CFD-DEM modelling of mine dust dispersion
in underground roadway
Lihai Tan & Ting Ren
School of Civil, Mining and Environmental Engineering, University of Wollongong, NSW, Australia
ABSTRACT: Dust particles floating inside roadways are characterized by various sizes.
However, it is difficult to replicate the dust environment with such factors taken into
consideration in laboratory experiments. Fortunately, computational technology provides an
alternative way for that. In this study, in order to investigate the movement mechanism of dust
with different diameters from heading face in the underground roadway, a three-dimensional
CFD-DEM coupling numerical model is presented using the Eulerian-Lagrangian method.
A numerical roadway model based on a practical engineering case has been established
for the purpose of studying the dust diffusion under single-forced ventilation condition in
roadway underground. The study suggests that particle size has a significant effect on dust
dispersion. The results demonstrate that CFD-DEM coupling computational simulation can
be an effective approach for the investigation of dust issues in underground engineering.
1 INTRODUCTION
Dust pollution is one of the most serious issues in coal mining underground. With the
popularity of mechanical mining, dust is becoming a major hazard threating worker’s health
and equipment safety (Petsonk et al., 2013). Various dedusting methods have been developed
in order to solve the dust concentration problem, among which ventilation is regarded as one
of the most practical ways for dust reduction. Undoubtedly, understanding the migration
and distribution of dust particles is of great importance for dust control by ventilation. It
has long been known that both the hazard level of dust on human health and explosion risk
largely depend on the size of dust (Sapko et al., 2007). Dust with smaller sizes is more likely to
enhance the explosion risk, especially for those whose particle diameter is less than 200 um.
Various dedusting methods have been developed in order to solve the dust concentration
problem, among which ventilation is regarded as one of the most practical ways for dust
reduction. Undoubtedly, understanding the migration and distribution of dust particles is
of great importance for dust control by ventilation. As an alternative methodology, Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) numerical simulation has been extensively employed; as
it can investigate the dust dispersion and airflow overall, and is easy to replicate practical
cases and ventilation conditions with much less geometry and size constraints. Over the past
years, extensive studies have been performed on dust dispersion in coal mines using the CFD
method. Toraño investigated the evolution of airflow and dust flow field in a roadway with
forced-exhaust ventilation system using the CFD method whose feasibility and accuracy have
been perfectly proved by in-site measurements (Toraño et al., 2011). Wang numerically investigated the dust movement and dust distribution with hybrid ventilation system and the results
show an uneven distribution of dust in the laneway (Wang et al., 2015). Kurnia employed the
CFD method to evaluate various methods used for mitigating dust dispersion from the mining
face and determined the most effective one (Kurnia et al., 2014). Wang simulated the dust in a
roadway with a curtain of air curtain installed on the shearer using the CFD method and the
results show that the air curtain can effectively reduce the dust concentration on the side of
the operator (Pengfei et al., 2011). Parra examined three different types of ventilation systems
© 2019 Taylor & Francis Group, London, ISBN 978-0-367-33604-2
612
Coupled CFD-DEM modelling of mine dust dispersion
in underground roadway
Lihai Tan & Ting Ren
School of Civil, Mining and Environmental Engineering, University of Wollongong, NSW, Australia
ABSTRACT: Dust particles floating inside roadways are characterized by various sizes.
However, it is difficult to replicate the dust environment with such factors taken into
consideration in laboratory experiments. Fortunately, computational technology provides an
alternative way for that. In this study, in order to investigate the movement mechanism of dust
with different diameters from heading face in the underground roadway, a three-dimensional
CFD-DEM coupling numerical model is presented using the Eulerian-Lagrangian method.
A numerical roadway model based on a practical engineering case has been established
for the purpose of studying the dust diffusion under single-forced ventilation condition in
roadway underground. The study suggests that particle size has a significant effect on dust
dispersion. The results demonstrate that CFD-DEM coupling computational simulation can
be an effective approach for the investigation of dust issues in underground engineering.
1 INTRODUCTION
Dust pollution is one of the most serious issues in coal mining underground. With the
popularity of mechanical mining, dust is becoming a major hazard threating worker’s health
and equipment safety (Petsonk et al., 2013). Various dedusting methods have been developed
in order to solve the dust concentration problem, among which ventilation is regarded as one
of the most practical ways for dust reduction. Undoubtedly, understanding the migration
and distribution of dust particles is of great importance for dust control by ventilation. It
has long been known that both the hazard level of dust on human health and explosion risk
largely depend on the size of dust (Sapko et al., 2007). Dust with smaller sizes is more likely to
enhance the explosion risk, especially for those whose particle diameter is less than 200 um.
Various dedusting methods have been developed in order to solve the dust concentration
problem, among which ventilation is regarded as one of the most practical ways for dust
reduction. Undoubtedly, understanding the migration and distribution of dust particles is
of great importance for dust control by ventilation. As an alternative methodology, Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) numerical simulation has been extensively employed; as
it can investigate the dust dispersion and airflow overall, and is easy to replicate practical
cases and ventilation conditions with much less geometry and size constraints. Over the past
years, extensive studies have been performed on dust dispersion in coal mines using the CFD
method. Toraño investigated the evolution of airflow and dust flow field in a roadway with
forced-exhaust ventilation system using the CFD method whose feasibility and accuracy have
been perfectly proved by in-site measurements (Toraño et al., 2011). Wang numerically investigated the dust movement and dust distribution with hybrid ventilation system and the results
show an uneven distribution of dust in the laneway (Wang et al., 2015). Kurnia employed the
CFD method to evaluate various methods used for mitigating dust dispersion from the mining
face and determined the most effective one (Kurnia et al., 2014). Wang simulated the dust in a
roadway with a curtain of air curtain installed on the shearer using the CFD method and the
results show that the air curtain can effectively reduce the dust concentration on the side of
the operator (Pengfei et al., 2011). Parra examined three different types of ventilation systems