Mining Project: CFD Modeling in Processing Facilities

Principal Investigator	Arthur Miller - Request information
Start Date	10/1/2016
Objective	To understand the dust generation and transport processes and propose ventilation designs to minimize the dust at mineral processing plants using CFD models.
Topic Area	Ventilation Overview

Research Summary

During mineral processing of ore, a large amount of dust is generated which creates hazardous conditions for workers at the mineral processing plant. Many mineral processing plants have difficulty meeting the Federal standards for respirable dust. Engineering controls address the most significant dust sources; however, less significant and minor dust sources such as leakage from chutes, transfer points, and conveyors belts are often not properly addressed. These dust sources can have serious health effects over a prolonged period of time, especially when the ore being milled has a high silica content. Therefore, it important to study various factors affecting the transport of dust and to design a ventilation and control system that will keep the dust levels within permissible limits.

Evaluation of exposure to dust can be done by dust sampling; however, the dust sample collected will only reveal exposure at a fixed location over time. Thus, it is required to assess the transport of dust throughout the entire mineral processing facility in order to reduce worker exposure. Dust generated at the mineral processing facility does not stay near the source but is transported to different locations due to both active and passive (natural) ventilation, wind, solar heating, and other factors.

To address these issues under this pilot project research, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models will be developed to study the flow behavior and other factors affecting the dust generation and transport at the mineral processing facility. Once the dust generation sources and modes of transport are identified using the CFD models, in the initial phase, a total mill ventilation system (TMVS) will be developed. The developed model for a TMVS will be implemented at a partner mine or mines to assess its effectiveness.

The project will carried out in two phases, as follows:

Phase 1. A proof of concept will be done within a one-year pilot project. The tasks under this phase include finding a collaborator, conducting a field survey to collect data that reflects current ventilation, dust sources, and airborne dust levels in a mill, and using the data to develop a CFD model for assessing the control of dust concentrations via ventilation modifications in the mill.

Phase 2. The tasks under this phase will be to develop a TMVS based on the CFD model developed in Phase 1, present the most promising results from the TMVS models to collaborator stakeholders, and implement the TMVS design at the collaborating mine’s mineral processing facility. After establishing CFD as a viable tool for designing and modeling mineral processing facilities, we will use this approach to design an automated mill ventilation system.

Ultimately, this project will help researchers to understand the flow behavior of dusts in a mineral processing plant on a day-to-day basis as well as seasonally. This will help in proposing a better ventilation design, which will finally lead to a healthy and safer working condition for mill workers. Impact will be measured by the adoption of recommendations and use of TMVS models by mining stakeholders.

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