Sources and Wetting Characteristics of Respirable Coal and Silica Dust from Selec

描述(由申请人提供)： 美国地下煤矿生产率的提高和煤层外稀释度高(15%至20%)的开采继续产生粉尘控制问题，需要开发和实施替代的更有效的粉尘控制技术。此外，由于可吸入石英含量高，几个煤矿面临粉尘标准降低。最近煤工尘肺病的增加趋势使煤矿安全与健康管理局(MSHA)和国家职业安全与健康研究所(NIOSH)将煤矿粉尘列为高度优先的研究领域。 内陆煤炭盆地的几个煤矿存在粉尘控制问题，面临着呼吸性粉尘达标降低的问题，原因包括：1)高生产率，2)约15-20%的露天开采和5-10%的煤层内贫化，3)顶板支护的锚杆孔较长，4)穿越超剖面，5)煤层及直接顶板和底板地层中的二氧化硅/石英表征不充分，6)产生的石英粉尘的细度和对其润湿特性缺乏了解，7)切割顺序不当，8)通风和防尘措施不到位。尽管美国矿务局(USBM)和NIOSH对煤尘和石英尘进行了广泛的研究，但这些研究大多侧重于美国东部的煤矿。 两个煤矿(一个在伊利诺伊州，一个在印第安纳州)的煤尘润湿性有限研究和可呼吸石英的定量研究表明，几个地区的煤尘很难湿化，直接顶板和底板地层的石英含量从25%到35%不等，而煤层的石英含量从2%到8%不等。这些研究确定了对该区域的煤尘和石英尘特征进行更系统的科学研究的重大需要。这项研究的总体目标是：1)研究不同单位作业产生的不同粒度煤尘和石英/二氧化硅粉尘的物理和化学特性；2)利用MSHA和公司从内陆煤炭盆地煤矿采集的粉尘样本数据，确定最容易接触煤炭、石英和二氧化硅粉尘的职业和地点；3)针对采矿、运输和顶板支撑作业中产生的不同粒度的煤尘和二氧化硅粉尘，制定表面和润湿特性；以及4)确定可呼吸的煤炭和二氧化硅粉尘的工程控制措施，以帮助该行业在制定长期措施的同时立即达到MSHA标准。*首席调查主任1

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Increased productivity and high out-of-seam dilution (15% to 20%) mining in US underground coal mines continue to generate dust control problems and the need to develop and implement alternate more efficient technologies for dust control. Additionally, several mines are facing reduced dust standards due to high respirable quartz content. Recent increasing trend in coal workers' pneumoconiosis has led Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) and National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) identifying coal mine dust as a high priority research area. Several mines in the Interior Coal Basin are having dust control problems and facing reduced respirable dust compliance standards because of: 1) High production rates, 2) About 15-20 % out-of-seam mining and 5-10% in-seam dilution, 3) Longer bolt holes for roof support, 4) Walk-through super-sections, 5) Inadequate characterization of silica/ quartz in the coal seam and immediate roof and floor strata, 6) Fineness of quartz dust generated and insufficient knowledge of its wetting characteristics, 7) Improper cutting sequence, and 8) Inadequate ventilation and dust control measures. Although the U.S. Bureau of Mines (USBM) and NIOSH have done extensive research on coal and quartz dusts, most of this research emphasized eastern U.S coal mines. Limited wettability studies of coal dust and quantification of respirable quartz at two mines (one in Illinois and one in Indiana) have indicated difficult to wet coal dusts in several areas and that immediate roof and floor strata have quartz content ranging from 25% to 35 % while the coal seam had quartz content varying from 2 % to 8%. These studies have identified a significant need for more systematic scientific studies on coal and quartz dusts characteristics in the region. The overall goals of this research are to: 1) Develop physical and chemical characteristics of different particle size coal and quartz/ silica dusts from different unit operations, 2) Utilize MSHA and company dust sampling data from the Interior Coal Basin mines to identify occupations and locations most exposed to coal and quartz and silica dust, 3) Develop surface and wettability characteristics for different size fractions of coal and silica dusts generated during mining, haulage and roof support operations, and 4) Identify engineering controls for respirable coal and silica dusts that would help the industry to meet MSHA standards immediately while longer-term measures are being developed. *Principal Investigator 1