Studies for Mitigation Measures for Dust Resuspension from Stockpiles

Abstract

Dust resuspension caused by wind over open stockyard surfaces is a widespread issue in various industries, particularly in ports that handle dusty cargo. Previous research has identified windscreens as an effective measure to mitigate dust resuspension from stockpiles [1]. However, the efficiency of these measures is significantly influenced by factors such as wind conditions, pile and windscreen configuration, and stockpile arrangement [1]. Previous studies conducted using field and experimental methods have been resource-intensive and faced difficulties in establishing a controlled environment that without interfering with ongoing operations [2], and in scaling of the experiments [3]. To supplement these studies, the present work utilized Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations to assess the impact of wind erosion on dust resuspension from stockpiles [4] [5][6]. CFD simulations were conducted using a numerical modeling approach to investigate the fluid flow over stockpiles and the resulting dust resuspension. The model was scaled at a ratio of 1:100 to represent two stockpile geometries for bulk materials: a conical pile and a flat oval top pile, both with a height of 11m and an angle of repose of 37˚, with a domain ar ea of 4m (L) x 1m (W) x 1m (H) [1][5]. The domain was discretized using the tetrahedral method, and the lateral walls were assigned symmetry boundary conditions. The bottom wall was set at a roughness of 4 mm with a no-slip condition. Inlet