Use of air-and-water spraying systems for improving dust control in mines

This article describes air-and-water spraying systems, designed at the KOMAG Institute of Mining Technology, used in longwall shearers, in roadheaders, at transfer points of conveyors and in roadways. The simple and lightweight design of roadway spraying systems ensures that the solutions can be used anywhere that dust occurs in the air. The spraying systems form an integral part of longwall shearers, and their function is to reduce airborne dust levels and to prevent methane explosion. The use of air-and-water spraying systems can reduce dust concentration by up to 80% and they contribute to a significant reduction of dust concentration in the air. Some results of tests concerning the effectiveness of air-and-water spraying devices are presented, verification tests of the author’s solutions for spraying nozzles are also discussed.