Numerical simulations on airflow-dust diffusion rules with the use of coal cutter dust removal fans and related engineering applications in a fully-mechanized coal mining face

In order to achieve effective dust suppression during coal cutting process in a fully-mechanized coal mining face by using coal cutter dust removal fans, this study first conducted numerical simulations on the airflow-dustmigration rules. Then, by combining simulation results with experimental measurements and field tests, a novel hydraulic axial-flow dust coal cutter removal fan was developed. Simulation results demonstrated that, during the coal cutting process, high-concentration dust clusters exceeding 1000 mg/m3 were produced 0–20 m away from the coal cutter on the leeward side, which then spread to the operating space along the footway. After using dust removal fans, the concentration of the dust clusters on the leeward side of the coal cutter was reduced to below 500 mg/m3. The dust removal fans were then applied to the 3up705 fully-mechanized coal mining face at seven-five Coal Mine for field measurements. According to the measured results, the use of these dust removal fans can effectively reduce the dust concentration in the operating region around the coal cutter, and the dust removal rates of total dust and respirable dust reached up to 66.5% and 61.8%, respectively. Therefore, the dust removal fans performed well in terms of dust suppression in fully-mechanized coal mining faces.