Research and Industrial Test of Anti-Freezing and Dust Suppression Agent for Truck Roads in Open-Pit Mines in Inner Mongolia, China

Abstract

To effectively resolve the inherent conflict between dust control and ice prevention on truck roads during North Surface Coal Mine winters, initially, via monomer preference experiments, the optimal monomers for wetting, moisturizing, and condensing functions were identified as sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate (B), glycerol (N), and polyacrylamide (R). In parallel, through compound synergistic experiments, the constituent elements of an anti-freezing agent were determined, referred to as F. Subsequently, a four-factor three-level orthogonal test was conducted employing the monomers B, N, R, and the anti-freezing agent F. This evaluation focused on four principal control parameters: penetration rate, evaporation resistance, viscosity, and freezing point. The results led to the identification of the optimal antifreeze and dust suppressant formulation, designated as B2N3R1F3. Within the North Open-Pit Coal Mine, the self-developed dust suppressant was applied to the field test section. Multiple parameters were examined for 6 consecutive days, encompassing the water content of the pavement geotechnical soil, the concentrations of total dust and exhaled dust, and the particle size distribution of dust within this road section. The field test results show that: the average water content of the road surface within the dust suppressant test section measured at 12%; the dust reduction efficiency of total dust and exhaled dust is 93% and 91%; the proportion of dust particles with a size exceeding 500 μm increased by 54.6%. These comprehensive findings provide a empirical framework for the effective resolution of the practical challenge of simultaneously managing dust control and frost protection on truck roads within surface coal mines.