Suppression Characteristics and Mechanism of Molasses Solution on Coal Dust: A Low-Cost and Environment-Friendly Suppression Method in Coal Mines

Jianguo Liu (), Tianyang Wang (), Longzhe Jin, Gang Li, Shu Wang, Yixuan Wei, Shengnan Ou, Yapeng Wang, Jingge Xu, Minglei Lin, Jiahui Wang and Xianfeng Liu
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Jianguo Liu: NHC Key Laboratory for Engineering Control of Dust Hazard, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China
Tianyang Wang: School of Civil and Resource Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China
Longzhe Jin: NHC Key Laboratory for Engineering Control of Dust Hazard, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China
Gang Li: State Key Laboratory of Safety and Health for Metal Mine, Maanshan 243000, China
Shu Wang: NHC Key Laboratory for Engineering Control of Dust Hazard, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China
Yixuan Wei: NHC Key Laboratory for Engineering Control of Dust Hazard, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China
Shengnan Ou: School of Civil and Resource Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China
Yapeng Wang: College of Environment and Safety Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao 266042, China
Jingge Xu: Institute of Occupational Health, China Academy of Safety Science and Technology, Beijing 100012, China
Minglei Lin: School of Civil and Resource Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China
Jiahui Wang: School of Civil and Resource Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China
Xianfeng Liu: State Key Laboratory of Coal Mine Disaster Dynamics and Control, School of Resources and Safety Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, China

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 24, 1-19

Abstract: Coal dust pollution poses a serious public health threat. This study aimed to investigate the feasibility of creating a coal dust suppressant using molasses, a byproduct of the sugar industry. We studied the effects of a molasses solution of varying concentrations (i.e., ranging from 0% (pure water) to 40%) on the moisture, bonding, and wind erosion properties of coal dust. Overall, the effectiveness of the molasses increased with their concentration, and it manifested itself in the following way: (1) the molasses improved the anti-evaporation ability of wet coal dust. For example, the evaporation mass of the coal dust wetted using a molasses solution decreased by 82.8%; (2) molasses effectively agglutinated coal dust; (3) molasses can effectively decrease the surface tension and increase the viscosity of the wetting solution. The surface tension of the molasses solution reached 41.37 mN/m and the viscosity increased to 6.79 mPa·s; (4) molasses can significantly suppress the wind erosion of deposited coal dust, with its wind erosion mass decreasing 99.1%; finally, (5) the effectiveness of molasses at suppressing coal dust was discussed at a molecular level. This study highlights the feasibility of a low-cost and environment-friendly dust suppressant in coal mines.

Keywords: coal dust; dust suppressant; molasses; wind erosion; moisturizing; agglutination; anti-evaporation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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