THE CHALLENGE
Dust in underground mining is a major safety concern for workers as well as posing an explosion risk. However controlling dust is difficult due to the confined spaces, limited ventilation, and mechanical activity. Current solutions such as current flooded-bed scrubber systems suffer from inefficiency. These scrubbers, relying on water-sprayed meshes to capture fine particles, quickly become clogged, resulting in higher pressure drops, reduced airflow, and a decline in overall dust collection performance. This leads to costly interruptions, suboptimal dust control, and a persistent trade-off between efficient dust removal and maintaining system throughput, creating both operational and financial burdens for mining operations.
OUR SOLUTION
We introduce a self-cleaning, vibration-enhanced mesh filter system for wet flooded-bed scrubbers that addresses the persistent issues of clogging and inefficiency in traditional systems. By using up to 30 layers of woven steel mesh, mounted on a rigid frame with elastic components, the filter harnesses the continuous miner's vibrations to create oscillations that shed accumulated dust and maintain high airflow. This system significantly reduces clogging and pressure drop, enabling more efficient dust capture with larger mesh apertures, while achieving over 90% dust removal efficiency. Optional hydrophilic coatings further enhance particle adhesion and wetting, extending the filter’s lifespan. The modular design requires no special tools for maintenance, offering easy removal and reinstallation. This innovative, vibration-driven approach reduces operational costs, improves safety, and boosts the reliability of dust control systems in mining operations.
Figure: Preview of bench-scale scrubber system
Advantages:
- Over 90% dust collection efficiency with reduced clogging
- Self-cleaning vibration mechanism for minimized maintenance
- Up to 56% reduction in pressure drop, improving airflow
- Energy-efficient design using existing miner vibrations
Potential Application:
- Underground mining dust suppression
- Power plant flue gas scrubbing
- Cement plant emission control
- Steel mill particulate removal
