Experimental study on improving salt resistance of dust suppressing foam with polymers

Abstract

Mine dust is a prevalent pollutant generated during the mining process, often leading to explosion accidents and causing pneumoconiosis. Foam dust suppression technology has emerged as a promising method for efficient dust control due to its high-efficiency dust collection and ease of use. However, the application of foam in the field has revealed higher concentrations of inorganic salts in the mine dust suppressants, resulting in suboptimal foaming performance. As a result, additional foaming agent and increased concentration are often required to achieve the desired effect, which escalates the cost of mine dust control. To address this issue, this study proposes optimizing the performance of mine dust suppression foam through the incorporation of polymers with excellent salt resistance. In this investigation, foam liquids comprising xanthan gum (XG) and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) were tested using FoamScan to evaluate their foaming performance and foam stabilization at various concentrations of inorganic salt. Additionally, the rheological properties of the foam liquids were analyzed by measuring the viscoelastic modulus using an interfacial rheometer. Experimental results demonstrated that the addition of XG and CMC did not compromise the foaming ability of sodium fatty alcohol polyoxyethylene ether sulfate (AES). Moreover, the liquid-carrying capacity of bubbles, in terms of foam stability, was enhanced. Specifically, the foam stabilization remained relatively stable when the XG concentration exceeded 0.5‰, even under different salt concentrations. Interfacial rheological tests revealed that the addition of XG substantially increased the viscoelastic modulus of the foam liquid. Furthermore, the phase angle remained below 45°, indicating the dominant role of the elastic modulus in the foam liquid, resulting in improved bubble resistance to interference and deformation. This experimental study successfully resolved the issue of poor stability in mine dust suppression foam caused by high salt content during the foam preparation process. The findings can significantly contribute to the widespread adoption and application of dust suppression foam technology in mining operations.