Quieting of Continuous Miner Scrubber Fan Noise

描述（由申请人提供）：本提案针对NIOSH的特定使命和当前SBIR征集：预防矿山工人听力损失。这项工作的主要目标是减少连续采煤机（CM）辐射的噪声。由于CM造成了超过允许水平的约30%的噪声暴露[MSHA，2006]，因此降低该机器的噪声将对矿工的健康产生重大影响。在CM中实现降噪的方法是针对其中一个主要噪音源，即洗涤器管道系统。虽然多年来已经进行了几次尝试来减少CM的噪音，但风扇噪音本身在以前的研究中并没有被针对。此外，这些风扇大多数都是在20或30年前重新设计的。目前设计的主要问题是，它的设计考虑了效率，压力上升和可靠性，而没有考虑噪音作为一个主要的设计变量。我们的专家认为，使用现代计算工具和技术完全重新设计风扇（转子和定子）将对噪音产生非常显著的影响。在这个过程中，低噪音将被视为主要目标。这是一种我们已经成功地在不同的军事和商业项目中实施的方法，其中噪声是一个主要问题，例如无人驾驶飞行器。即使在这些高要求的应用中，我们也发现空气动力学效率可以保持很高，同时显著降低噪音。第一阶段工作的目标是使用最先进的计算工具和控制技术对特定CM进行概念验证设计。新设计的风扇性能（空气动力学和声学）将与当前CM风扇的性能进行比较，以确定所提出方法的潜力。这是可能的，因为久益采矿机械同意通过提供技术援助和有关当前系统的信息来支持我们的工作（见支持信）。与大型采矿设备制造商的早期接触也为项目提供了更好的成功机会，确保我们的工作成果可以迅速在生产线上实施，从而在矿山中实施。 公共卫生相关性：暴露于超过允许水平的噪声是一种主要的职业危害，导致90%的50岁以下的矿工出现噪声性听力损失（NIHL）。连续采煤机（CM）是地下采矿中最常见的设备之一，已被确定为主要的噪声源，其30%的操作员暴露于超过允许水平的噪声中。拟议工作的目标是通过使用航空工业的现代计算工具重新设计洗涤器系统中的风扇（确定为主要来源之一）来减少CM的噪声。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This proposal targets a specific mission of NIOSH and the current SBIR solicitation: hearing loss prevention for mine workers. The main objective of this work is to reduce the noise radiated by Continuous Miners (CM). Since CMs are responsible for about 30% of noise exposures above permissible levels [MSHA, 2006], reducing the noise in this machine would have a significant impact on the health of miners. The approach to achieve noise reduction in the CM is to target one of the major noise sources, the scrubber duct system. Although several attempts have been made over the years to reduce the noise from CMs, the fan noise itself has not been targeted in previous studies. Furthermore, most of these fans have been redesigned for over 20 or 30 years ago. The main problem with the current design is that it was designed with efficiency, pressure rise and reliability in mind, whil not considering noise as a major design variable. It is our expert opinion that completely redesigning the fan (rotor and stators) using modern computational tools and technologies would have a very significant impact on the noise. In this process, low noise will be considered the major target. This is an approach that we have successfully implemented in different military and commercial projects where noise is a major concern, e.g. unmanned air vehicles. Even in these highly-demanding applications we have found that aerodynamic efficiency can be kept high while significantly reducing noise. The objective of the Phase I work is to conduct a proof-of-concept design for a particular CM using state- of-the-art computational tools and control technologies. The newly designed fan properties (aerodynamic and acoustic) will be compared to those of a current CM fan to determine the potential of the proposed approach. This is possible due to Joy Mining Machinery agreeing to support our work by providing technical assistance and information about current systems (see letter of support). This early contact with a major mining equipment manufacturer also provides a better chance of success to the project by making sure that any results from our work could rapidly be implemented in the production line and therefore the mines. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Exposure to noise above permissible levels is a major occupational hazard that results in Noise Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL) in 90% of mine workers by age 50. The continuous miner (CM), one of the most common equipment's in underground mining, has been identified as a major noise source that exposes 30% of its operators to noise above permissible levels. The goal of the proposed work is to reduce the noise from the CM by redesigning the fan in the scrubber system (identified as one of the major sources) using modern computational tools from the aeronautical industry.