Dust creates health and safety issues in mining and there are several different ways to reduce the amount of respirable dust created. Dust particles also affect the operation and efficiency of mining equipment. One device currently used to reduce dust in a coal mine is a flooded-bed dust scrubber. These type of scrubbers are found on continuous miners and are designed to capture dust particles close to the cutting head. However, the fibrous screens on the flooded-bed dust scrubber clog easily reducing both production and the quality and quantity of air miners are exposed too. The flooded-bed dust scrubber was designed in the 1980s and has not seen any significant changes since. A Vortecone is a wet scrubber system designed to capture small particles in the air and can easily replace the flooded-bed dust scrubber system on a continuous miner. The Vortecone was initially developed to capture over-sprayed paint particles and due to the capture ability was converted over into the mining industry. The first design of the Vortecone had two outlets and a large pressure drop across the system. The Vortecone was redesigned to have one outlet in order to increase confinement time of particles and thus increase the capture abilities. Using CFD analysis and laboratory testing, the redesigned Vortecone has been proven to have a lower resistance than the original design as well as the currently used convention screens. The Vortecone also proved to have a high capture efficiency at high airflows. This maintenance-free wet scrubber device requires much less maintenance than a conventional screen and thus can be used continually without interrupting production. The Vortecone has been designed so it can easily be mounted onto a continuous miner in place of the currently used scrubbers.

In this study, Computational Fluid Dynamics Modeling (CFD) was applied to model a room-and-pillar mining working area to investigate the airflow patterns for dust control. Room-and-pillar mining is a conventional underground mining technique used for the extraction of coal by cutting excavations called "rooms" using a continuous mining machine and leaving the remaining coal as "pillars" for supporting the coal seam. The FLUENT software was used to analyze the airflow in the mine whose structure was designed and meshed in GAMBIT. The analysis was carried out in four different stages. First, airflow patterns were studied in the roadway without any equipment. Next, a line curtain, which extends along the height of the coal seam, was simulated in the roadway to direct the flow of air towards the active mining face. In the third stage, a continuous miner was inserted between the mining face and the end of the line curtain. Three and six meters deep box and slab cuts were simulated and the airflow patterns were investigated. In the final stage, a wet scrubber was simulated as an integral part of the continuous miner and the effect of the scrubber on the airflow in the box and slab cuts were studied. Dead zones (areas with limited airflow) and recirculation areas were observed using velocity distribution contours. A parametric study was conducted to evaluate the effects of distance of the curtain from the pillar rib (Dcr), scrubber pressure (Psc) and height of the coal seam (Ho). The data were plotted as functions of selected dimensionless variables. It was seen that wet scrubber increased the air in the LOXC (Last open cross cut) by 7.6% and was also proved that extension of line curtain along with the cut. The results of these studies are being used to develop guidelines for dust control in the face area.

This thesis has developed wetting characteristics of coal dust from Herrin coal seam in Illinois for improved respirable coal and quartz dust (< 10µm) control. Wetting characteristics were assessed by a wettability technique called Fixed Time Wettability (FTW) method which simulates the actual underground wetting environment. Immediate roof and immediate floor materials bulk samples were found to be 100% wettable by water alone, whereas coal seam samples were 55-90% wettable. Two variables: contact time between water droplets and dust particles and, the temperature of the water were found to affect the degree of wettability. FTW was carried out at as a function of water temperature (7.2oC to 40.5oC) and contact time (10 to 25 seconds) which increased wettability 2-18% and 8-32%, respectively. In addition, the wetted and un-wetted samples collected from wettability experiments were subjected to Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and particle size distribution analyses. It was found that particles are irregular in shape in both wetted and un-wetted fractions and some agglomeration of fine particles was observed in a few un-wetted fraction samples. The concept of increased contact time was incorporated in engineering controls by increasing the wet scrubber filter screen inclination (which is a function of the screen surface area). The filter screen inclination was minimizing the pressure drop across it using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analysis. It was found that 60 degree (with respect to the vertical) would provide minimal pressure drop and should be considered for implementation. Additional research should be conducted on assessing selective wetting of different particle sizes of coal and quartz in airborne dust, developing data on wettability as a function of particle size and implementing the developed concepts such as contact time and temperature in the field for improved dust control.

This diploma thesis deals with impurities in waste gases and syngas. Those gases usually have low heating value and contain impurities which are the main issue of those gas fuels. Waste gases and syngas can replace natural gas after right gas treatment. First part is theoretical. It starts with description of biomass and gasification technology. Then the waste gases are described – their origin and usual composition. Next part is dedicated to impurities and is followed by impurities treatment technologies. For removing of almost every type of impurity wet scrubber can be used which is described in detail in following part. There are other types of gas cleaning technologies, so they are described too but not in such detail as wet scrubber. In second part the wet scrubber is designed, and its function is tested by cleaning syngas from fluidized-bed gasifier called Biofluid. During gas cleaning in wet scrubber the influence of water temperature on efficiency of tar removal is examined.

Gasification is a process which produces gas of low heating value, however, generated gas contains several pollutants. This thesis is dealing with the issue of purity and cleaning of generated gas. Theoretic part of thesis consists of research, describing the very process of gasification itself, mapping of possible pollutants appearing during gasification and particular ways of purifying gas, looking in detail at wet scrubbing with several scrubbing liquids. Further, it looks into proposition of conditions for wet scrubbing and balance of scrubbing liquids. Next part deals with calculation of purifying line. Main goal of calculations, is to determine the length of the pipeline, transfering polluted gas from the gasifier to the filter for elimination of solid particles and wet scrubber. Key aspect of length calculation was the input and output temperature of the gas, determined by characteristics of the filter. Calculation for wet scrubber istelf is also included, to detremine if the output temperature of the scrubbing liquid after the passage of the gas needs to be modified by additional cooling or heating. For experimental purposes, syngas generated by gasification of biomass, is gathered from the atmospheric gasifier Biofluid 2. Experiment itself inquires into the purity of the gas before and after the passage through solid particles filter and through the wet scrubber. The purpose of this thesis is to determine the chemical composition of gas before and after wet scrubbing, the difference of composition of tar gathered from purified and nonpurified gas and using gathered data to evaluate the effectiveness of wet scrubbing.

Estudou-se a aplicação de uma modelagem RANS, com a utilização do modelo de turbulência k-? na modelagem do escoamento no interior de um sistema de lavagem de gases, composto por um lavador Venturi e uma coluna de spray, por técnicas de fluidodinâmica computacional (CFD), com a fase líquida resolvida pela abordagem Lagrangiana e a atomização secundária dessas por diferentes modelos de quebra. Utilizou-se o pacote comercial de CFD da ANSYS CFX 15.0 com as simulações realizadas em estado transiente. Verificaram-se os resultados obtidos pelo simulador para um lavador Venturi em escala piloto com dados da literatura, obtendo-se boa adequação para a perda de pressão ao longo do equipamento. Comparou-se a influência do tamanho das gotas de líquido da injeção na distribuição de tamanho de gotas ao longo do equipamento utilizando o modelo de quebra CAB (Cascade Atomization and drop Breakup), obtendo-se uma melhor dispersão das gotas de líquido na secção transversal do lavador ao se utilizar na injeção, uma distribuição de tamanho de gotas ao invés de gotas com mesmo diâmetro. Simularam-se diferentes condições de vazão de líquido e gás em um lavador Venturi em escala industrial e compararam-se os resultados de perda de pressão obtidos com correlações da literatura, obtendo-se boa adequação para as regiões iniciais do equipamento. Utilizando o modelo de quebra CAB e a abordagem Euler-Lagrange, comparou-se a distribuição de tamanho de gotas ao longo do lavador Venturi industrial para diferentes vazões de gás. Com a simulação do lavador Venturi, utilizou-se os resultados obtidos neste e simulou-se o sistema de lavagem de gases completo (coluna de Spray e lavador Venturi). Comparou-se ao final a retirada de poluentes por meio da impactação inercial e da difusão, obtendo-se uma melhor probabilidade de retirada de poluentes com o aumento da vazão de líquido. / The flow field inside a wet scrubber was simulated with a RANS model using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) in which the multiphase flow was solved by an Euler-Lagrange approach. Turbulence was modeled by the k-? model and droplet breakup was assumed to occur. The transient flow equations were solved using a commercial CFD package (ANSYS CFX 15.0). Simulations of a pilot plant Venturi scrubber were compared with literature data, in which a good agreement level was achieved for pressure loss through the scrubber. Droplet size distribution was evaluated throughout the scrubber by changing droplet diameter of injected liquid and using a Cascade Atomization and drop Breakup model (CAB). A better liquid dispersion inside the scrubber was achieved for a droplet size distribution injection when compared with a single diameter droplet liquid injection. After the results verification by comparing with data from a pilot scale Venturi, pressure loss for different flow conditions was compared between numerical simulations and literature correlations in an industrial size Venturi scrubber, achieving a good agreement for the entrance section of the scrubber. Droplet size distribution throughout the industrial Venturi scrubber for different gas mass flow conditions were also compared using the CAB model and Euler-Lagrange approach. Removal of contaminants was evaluated by two parameters, being inertial impaction of particulate and diffusion to droplet surface, by which a better contaminant removal was achieved for higher liquid flow rates.

Estudou-se a aplicação de uma modelagem RANS, com a utilização do modelo de turbulência k-? na modelagem do escoamento no interior de um sistema de lavagem de gases, composto por um lavador Venturi e uma coluna de spray, por técnicas de fluidodinâmica computacional (CFD), com a fase líquida resolvida pela abordagem Lagrangiana e a atomização secundária dessas por diferentes modelos de quebra. Utilizou-se o pacote comercial de CFD da ANSYS CFX 15.0 com as simulações realizadas em estado transiente. Verificaram-se os resultados obtidos pelo simulador para um lavador Venturi em escala piloto com dados da literatura, obtendo-se boa adequação para a perda de pressão ao longo do equipamento. Comparou-se a influência do tamanho das gotas de líquido da injeção na distribuição de tamanho de gotas ao longo do equipamento utilizando o modelo de quebra CAB (Cascade Atomization and drop Breakup), obtendo-se uma melhor dispersão das gotas de líquido na secção transversal do lavador ao se utilizar na injeção, uma distribuição de tamanho de gotas ao invés de gotas com mesmo diâmetro. Simularam-se diferentes condições de vazão de líquido e gás em um lavador Venturi em escala industrial e compararam-se os resultados de perda de pressão obtidos com correlações da literatura, obtendo-se boa adequação para as regiões iniciais do equipamento. Utilizando o modelo de quebra CAB e a abordagem Euler-Lagrange, comparou-se a distribuição de tamanho de gotas ao longo do lavador Venturi industrial para diferentes vazões de gás. Com a simulação do lavador Venturi, utilizou-se os resultados obtidos neste e simulou-se o sistema de lavagem de gases completo (coluna de Spray e lavador Venturi). Comparou-se ao final a retirada de poluentes por meio da impactação inercial e da difusão, obtendo-se uma melhor probabilidade de retirada de poluentes com o aumento da vazão de líquido. / The flow field inside a wet scrubber was simulated with a RANS model using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) in which the multiphase flow was solved by an Euler-Lagrange approach. Turbulence was modeled by the k-? model and droplet breakup was assumed to occur. The transient flow equations were solved using a commercial CFD package (ANSYS CFX 15.0). Simulations of a pilot plant Venturi scrubber were compared with literature data, in which a good agreement level was achieved for pressure loss through the scrubber. Droplet size distribution was evaluated throughout the scrubber by changing droplet diameter of injected liquid and using a Cascade Atomization and drop Breakup model (CAB). A better liquid dispersion inside the scrubber was achieved for a droplet size distribution injection when compared with a single diameter droplet liquid injection. After the results verification by comparing with data from a pilot scale Venturi, pressure loss for different flow conditions was compared between numerical simulations and literature correlations in an industrial size Venturi scrubber, achieving a good agreement for the entrance section of the scrubber. Droplet size distribution throughout the industrial Venturi scrubber for different gas mass flow conditions were also compared using the CAB model and Euler-Lagrange approach. Removal of contaminants was evaluated by two parameters, being inertial impaction of particulate and diffusion to droplet surface, by which a better contaminant removal was achieved for higher liquid flow rates.

No description available.

O presente texto descreve um método experimental simples para comparar a eficiência de distribuidores de líquido empregados nas indústrias de tratamento de minérios em lavadores, classificadores e moinhos e nas indústrias de processos químicos. A técnica consiste basicamente em analisar a dispersão pelo desvio padrão da massa do líquido coletado em tubos verticais dispostos em arranjo quadrático colocados abaixo do distribuidor. Como exemplo de aplicação, empregouse para a coleta da massa de líquido uma unidade piloto, montada no Laboratório de Engenharia Química da Universidade Santa Cecília em Santos, com um banco de 21 tubos verticais de 52 mm de diâmetro interno e 800 mm de comprimento. Uma manta acrílica que não dispersa o líquido com 50 mm de espessura foi fixada entre o distribuidor e o banco de tubos para evitar respingos. Foram realizados ensaios com nove distribuidores do tipo espinha de peixe de 4 tubos paralelos cada, para uma coluna piloto com 400 mm de diâmetro. A literatura é discordante no que concerne aos parâmetros de projeto e eficiência destes distribuidores. Variaram-se o número (n) de orifícios (95, 127 e 159 furos/m2, 12, 16 e 20 furos por distribuidor) o diâmetro (d) dos orifícios (2, 3 e 4 mm) e as vazões de entrada indicadas por rotâmetro nos distribuidores (q) de 1,2; 1,4 e 1,6 m3/h. A melhor eficiência de espalhamento pelo menor desvio padrão (0,302) foi obtida com n de 159 furos/m2, d de 2 mm e q de 1,4 m3/h indicando as limitações dos parâmetros de projeto da literatura. A pressão (p), na entrada do distribuidor para esta condição, foi de apenas 0,51 kgf/cm2. A relação adimensional entre a área da seção do tubo de alimentação e a somatória da área dos furos foi de 5,81, a vazão volumétrica total por unidade de área da seção da coluna para esta melhor condição foi de 11,32 m3/(h.m2) e a velocidade média (v) em cada orifício foi de 6,31 m/s. Portanto, o método proposto permite comparar e quantificar a eficiência de distribuidores além de demonstrar a não validade de alguns parâmetros de projeto recomendados pela literatura. / The current text describes a simple experimental method in order to compare the efficiency of the liquid distributors applied at the ore treatment industries in washers, classifiers and mills as well as at the chemical processing industries. The technique basically consist of analyzing the dispersion through the standard deviation of the liquid mass which was collected in vertical pipes placed in a square way under the distributor. As an example of us usage, it has been applied a pilot scale for collecting the liquid mass, installed at the Santa Cecília Universitys Chemical Engineering Laboratory in Santos, with a setting of 21 vertical tubes measuring 52 mm in internal diameter and 800 mm in length. A 50 mm thick acrylic blanket was fixed between the distributor and the pipe setting in order to avoid splashes. Some experiments have been made with a ladder-tipe distributors containing 4 parallel tubes each, for a pilot column of 400 mm in diameter. The literature shows disagreement regarding the characteristics of the project and the efficiency of the distributors. The number of holes has varied (n) 95, 127 and 159 holes/m2; 12, 16 and 20 holes for distributor, the diameter of the holes (d) 2, 3 and 4 mm and the flow of entrance in the distributors (q) of 1,2; 1,4 and 1,6 m3/h. The best efficiency of splashing of the lowest deviation pattern (0,302) was achieved with n of 159 holes/m2, d of 2 mm and q of 1,4 m3/h showing the limitation of characteristics of the project literature. The pressure (p), for this condition in the distributor entrance, was only 0,51 kgf/cm2. The measuring relation between the area of the section of the feeding pipe and the addition of the area of the roles was 5,81, the total volume of the out flow for unit of the area of the column section for this better condition was 11,32 m3/(h m2) and the average speed (v), in each hole was 6,31 m/s. Finally, the indicated method permits the comparison and quantification of the efficiency of the distributors, besides showing that some of the project concepts are not valid and the literature does not recommend them.

O presente texto descreve um método experimental simples para comparar a eficiência de distribuidores de líquido empregados nas indústrias de tratamento de minérios em lavadores, classificadores e moinhos e nas indústrias de processos químicos. A técnica consiste basicamente em analisar a dispersão pelo desvio padrão da massa do líquido coletado em tubos verticais dispostos em arranjo quadrático colocados abaixo do distribuidor. Como exemplo de aplicação, empregouse para a coleta da massa de líquido uma unidade piloto, montada no Laboratório de Engenharia Química da Universidade Santa Cecília em Santos, com um banco de 21 tubos verticais de 52 mm de diâmetro interno e 800 mm de comprimento. Uma manta acrílica que não dispersa o líquido com 50 mm de espessura foi fixada entre o distribuidor e o banco de tubos para evitar respingos. Foram realizados ensaios com nove distribuidores do tipo espinha de peixe de 4 tubos paralelos cada, para uma coluna piloto com 400 mm de diâmetro. A literatura é discordante no que concerne aos parâmetros de projeto e eficiência destes distribuidores. Variaram-se o número (n) de orifícios (95, 127 e 159 furos/m2, 12, 16 e 20 furos por distribuidor) o diâmetro (d) dos orifícios (2, 3 e 4 mm) e as vazões de entrada indicadas por rotâmetro nos distribuidores (q) de 1,2; 1,4 e 1,6 m3/h. A melhor eficiência de espalhamento pelo menor desvio padrão (0,302) foi obtida com n de 159 furos/m2, d de 2 mm e q de 1,4 m3/h indicando as limitações dos parâmetros de projeto da literatura. A pressão (p), na entrada do distribuidor para esta condição, foi de apenas 0,51 kgf/cm2. A relação adimensional entre a área da seção do tubo de alimentação e a somatória da área dos furos foi de 5,81, a vazão volumétrica total por unidade de área da seção da coluna para esta melhor condição foi de 11,32 m3/(h.m2) e a velocidade média (v) em cada orifício foi de 6,31 m/s. Portanto, o método proposto permite comparar e quantificar a eficiência de distribuidores além de demonstrar a não validade de alguns parâmetros de projeto recomendados pela literatura. / The current text describes a simple experimental method in order to compare the efficiency of the liquid distributors applied at the ore treatment industries in washers, classifiers and mills as well as at the chemical processing industries. The technique basically consist of analyzing the dispersion through the standard deviation of the liquid mass which was collected in vertical pipes placed in a square way under the distributor. As an example of us usage, it has been applied a pilot scale for collecting the liquid mass, installed at the Santa Cecília Universitys Chemical Engineering Laboratory in Santos, with a setting of 21 vertical tubes measuring 52 mm in internal diameter and 800 mm in length. A 50 mm thick acrylic blanket was fixed between the distributor and the pipe setting in order to avoid splashes. Some experiments have been made with a ladder-tipe distributors containing 4 parallel tubes each, for a pilot column of 400 mm in diameter. The literature shows disagreement regarding the characteristics of the project and the efficiency of the distributors. The number of holes has varied (n) 95, 127 and 159 holes/m2; 12, 16 and 20 holes for distributor, the diameter of the holes (d) 2, 3 and 4 mm and the flow of entrance in the distributors (q) of 1,2; 1,4 and 1,6 m3/h. The best efficiency of splashing of the lowest deviation pattern (0,302) was achieved with n of 159 holes/m2, d of 2 mm and q of 1,4 m3/h showing the limitation of characteristics of the project literature. The pressure (p), for this condition in the distributor entrance, was only 0,51 kgf/cm2. The measuring relation between the area of the section of the feeding pipe and the addition of the area of the roles was 5,81, the total volume of the out flow for unit of the area of the column section for this better condition was 11,32 m3/(h m2) and the average speed (v), in each hole was 6,31 m/s. Finally, the indicated method permits the comparison and quantification of the efficiency of the distributors, besides showing that some of the project concepts are not valid and the literature does not recommend them.