An experimental investigation on the foam proportion for coal dust suppression in underground coal mines

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Coal dust presents a grave peril to the well-being of miners and mine safety. In the absence of preventive measures, the concentration of dust in the working area can exceed one thousand milligrams per cubic meter. Foam-based dust removal, owing to its noteworthy merits such as minimal water consumption and high efficiency in removing dust, has emerged as one of the prevailing technologies for dust elimination. To mitigate dust generation during excavation, extensive investigations have been undertaken to explore the impact of foam reagent solution ratios on the efficacy of foam dust removal. By meticulously selecting surfactants, the consequences of varying concentrations and combinations of foam reagents, wetting reagents and foam stabilizers on foaming performance are examined. Valuable insights into the functional relationship between initial foam volume, volume decay rate, and foam reagent concentration are obtained. Furthermore, an in-depth analysis is conducted to probe the influence of wetting reagent addition on coal dust wetting, foam formation, and stability, thereby elucidating the functional connection between wetting time and the concentration of the wetting reagent. Additionally, the ramifications of stabilizer addition on foam stability and other relevant foam properties undergo comprehensive exploration, ultimately leading to the discovery of the functional relationship between foam performance and stabilizer concentration. Notably, experimental findings demonstrate that the optimum ratio for the foam reagent solution is AOS: SDS: STPP: CDEA: water=5:1:4:1:9989. This specific composition exhibits superlative foam foaming performance, stability, and wetting characteristics. Following a meticulous evaluation of gas supply volume, the optimal foam proportion is determined to be a foam reagent solution of 8 m3/h accompanied by a gas supply rate of 100 m3/h. The dust suppression efficiency of the foam produced by the optimal foam proportion reaches an about 97%, substantiating its effectiveness in dust removal.