Influence of Recirculation Flow on the Dispersion Pattern of Blasting Dust in Deep Open-Pit Mines

Abstract

The recirculation within a deep open-pit mine is a significant factor contributing to the deterioration of the atmospheric environment. However, the underlying mechanisms of how recirculation influences the dispersion pattern of dust clouds within the deep open-pit mine have not been clearly elucidated. In this research, the dispersion patterns of blast dust clouds were investigated in a deep open-pit mine located in northern China. This research initially conducted a similar experiment to verify the existence of recirculation flow in the experimental mine, which can cause dust particles to aggregate toward the upwind slope. In response to the dust pollution issue in deep open-pit mine blasting operations, this study conducted a numerical simulation analysis based on on-site measurement data to investigate the effects of varying natural wind velocity, natural wind direction, and blast location on the diffusion pattern of blasting dust. The results indicate that natural wind velocity (v), natural wind direction (α), and blast location (d) affect the distance between the blast location and the recirculation center point (D recir), subsequently influencing the diffusion pattern of blasting dust. The recirculation flow effect influences the diffusion of dust toward the upwind slope under smaller D recir values, leading to widespread and long-term pollution within the mine. Under larger D recir values, dust diffuses toward the downwind slope with the straight flow of wind, resulting in less pollution within the mine. Through orthogonal experiments, the equation D recir = −120.61v 2 + 237.27v + 0.82d – 0.07α2 + 6.75α + 151.08 was established in this deep open-pit mine, which provides a basis for predicting the diffusion pattern of blasting dust and control strategy in this deep open-pit mine.