Airborne coal dust is a byproduct of coal production, and it presents a danger of spontaneous explosion and a respirable dust health hazard. Coal dust is made up of tiny particles, less than 75 µm in diameter, which can easily accumulate in mine entries and trigger explosions that were initially ignited by methane gas. As the coal dust present in the air poses multiple threats and is disruptive to the working process, multiple ways of controlling and reducing coal dust have been developed, one of which is coal dust wet air scrubbing. The most effective way to reduce the risks that come with coal dust present in the air is to significantly reduce the hazard by removing float coal dust from the airstream before it has the opportunity to deposit on the mine’s surfaces.

There have been multiple disasters at coal mine facilities that have been caused by floating coal dust. Explosions that happen at underground coal mines often cause death or significant injuries to the personnel, partial destruction of the facility, and damage to the equipment. Due to this, government regulations have been put in place, and government-funded research programs have been implemented to investigate methods and technologies to reduce the potential for secondary coal dust explosions by the purposeful capture and/or suppression of float coal dust before its deposition on the mine roof, rib, and floor. One of the most promising technologies for coal dust control and capture is coal dust wet air scrubbing. The reduction of longwall and belt airway float coal dust is the main aim of these projects and programs.

Among the wet air scrubbers that have been tested in underground coal mining operations, flooded-bed scrubbers are considered to be the best among other wet air scrubber types. Flooded-bed scrubbers are effective at reducing coal dust by as much as 91%.

Scroiler™ – a new type of wet air scrubber – is more effective at reducing the levels of coal dust present in the air. We installed a couple of dozens of Scroiler™s at coal power stations, CHP and coal processing facilities. This type of Scroiler™ is in serial production and it is matched with standard 24-32’’ conveyor belt width and typical speed of 5-10 fps. Scroiler™ is normally set at the conveyor belt feed or car dumper and at the discharge. Air treatment quality depends on the coal type and varies from 99.95% to 99.99%.

If you are interested in Scroiler™ for coal dust wet air scrubbing, please contact us at info@optromix.com