Abstract
The contamination of intake air is a significant dust control problem, often overlooked on many longwall faces, that can add to the full-shift dust exposure of all face personnel. Several sources can contribute to intake air contamination; however, the stageloader (particularly with a crusher) is the single largest source. The objective of this subprogram was to design and evaluate a stageloader dust control system. This was accomplished through a manufacturer's survey to document existing dust controls and determine design parameters for the new systems, laboratory investigations of potential system components, and three underground evaluations of different prototype ideas. Ultimately a series of simple, practical, and mineworthy recommendations evolved for optimized stageloader dust control. These included enclosing the entire stageloader with brattice or conveyor belting and installing three auxiliary spraybars at strategic locations along the enclosed stageloader. A field test of these techniques reduced dust levels by 80 pctin the headgate and by 45 pct along the face.
