VALIDATING A MODEL FOR THE PREDICTION OF DUST GENERATION

Abstract

ABSTRACT Modifications were made to a bench-top dustiness tester to allow for the simultaneous collection of dust generation and separation force data. Tests were performed on limestone, glass beads, titanium dioxide, and lactose, and their results compared to data from a previous study for a large-scale tester. The results of tests on these and four additional materials (instant tea mix, copier toner, baby powder, fly ash) were then compared to a model by Plinke et al. (1995 Plinke , M. A. E. , Leith , D. , Boundy , M. G. , and Löffler , F. , 1995 , Dust Generation from Handling Powders in Industry , Am. Ind. Hyg. Assoc. J. , vol. 56 , pp. 251 – 257 .[Taylor & Francis Online], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]) for predicting the amount and size distribution of dust generation. All of the test materials except glass beads followed the trends in dust generation of the previous study. The results of these tests were then compared to the proposed model. Titanium dioxide and limestone both followed the model very well with 91% and 86% of the data within one standard error of the model respectively. Glass beads and lactose did not perform as well as the other materials each having 45% of their data within one standard error. Overall, 67% of the tests fell within one standard error. Of the four additional materials used to verify the model, only data for the instant tea mix was not within one standard error of the model. These results provide independent confirmation for the ability of the model by Plinke et al. (1995 Plinke , M. A. E. , Leith , D. , Boundy , M. G. , and Löffler , F. , 1995 , Dust Generation from Handling Powders in Industry , Am. Ind. Hyg. Assoc. J. , vol. 56 , pp. 251 – 257 .[Taylor & Francis Online], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]) to predict the amount and size distribution of dust produced by material handling operations.