Instituting a Filtration/Pressurization System to Reduce Dust Concentrations in a Control Room at a Mineral Processing Plant [preprint]

Details

• Personal Author:
  Cecala, Andrew B. ; Hummer J ; Noll J
• Description:
  NIOSH has observed that many control rooms and operator compartments in the US mining industry do not have filtration systems capable of maintaining low dust concentrations in these areas. In this study at a mineral processing plant, to reduce respirable dust concentrations in a control room which had no cleaning system for intake air, a filtration/pressurization system originally designed for enclosed cabs was modified and installed. Eighty-seven percent of submicron particles were reduced by the system at static conditions, meaning that greater than eighty-seven percent of respirable dust particles should be reduced. The particle size distribution for respirable dust particles are greater than for submicron particles, and filtration systems usually are more efficient in capturing the larger particles. A positive pressure near 0.02 inches of water gauge was produced which is an important component for an effective system and minimizes particles (e.g. dust) from entering into the room. The intake airflow was around 118 cfm, which is greater than the airflow suggested by ASHRAE for acceptable indoor air quality. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Air Pollution Air Pollution, Indoor Dust Filtration Minerals Mining Occupational Health Particulate Matter Respiratory Protective Devices Safety
• Keywords:
  Air Cleaning Airflow Air Quality Air Quality Control Dust Control Dust Control Equipment Dust Exposure Dusts IAQ Indoor Air Quality Mineral Processing Mining Industry Particle Size Particle Size Analysis Particulate Dust Particulates Respiratory Protection Static Electricity

  More +
• Series:
  Mining Publications
• Publisher:
  Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration, Inc.
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Proceedings
• Place as Subject:
  Arizona ; OSHA Region 3 ; OSHA Region 9 ; Pennsylvania
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  PMRD - Pittsburgh Mining Research Division
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  1-7
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20049271
• Citation:
  2016 SME Annual Meeting, February 21-24, 2016, Phoenix, Arizona, preprint 16-009. Englewood, CO: Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration, Inc., 2016 Feb; :1-7
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2016
• NORA Priority Area:
  Mining
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Source Full Name:
  2016 SME Annual Meeting, February 21-24, 2016, Phoenix, Arizona, preprint 16-009
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:6b6115cbb01db402916b42299714b76b1fa4a9eef33079e911a8ea90f7db0c25ae0975737b024531170c399cae53a6b287db1406de8eff252dcd204cf9b64fe3
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/228358/cdc_228358_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 449.35 KB ]