Dispersion of Airborne Particulates in Surface Coal Mines: Data Analysis

摘要

This report summarizes the results of an effort to better understand the dispersion and transport of particulate matter released within surface coal mine pits. Data previously collected at four surface coal mines were used in this investigation. This report describes the analysis and interpretation of those data, examines the relationship between meteorology and smoke puff behavior, and compares mine pit escape fraction (that portion of the dust emitted in the pit that leaves the pit) with those predicted by existing equations. Two independent techniques were used in conjunction with assumed particle size distributions and the onsite data, to infer values of escape fraction. These values were then used to determine the predictive ability of two widely used model algorithms. The report contains numerous tabulations and discusses the relative merits of each method.