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How WeatherSolve Cuts Down on Dust with the Mining Industry

Mining Industry

There are cold ports in every corner of the world; operations and movements in the cold ports, along with the wind, can blow dust throughout a worksite and its surrounding regions. In this article, we will discuss how big a problem coal dust is and the types of solutions (such as wind fencing and dust fencing) WeatherSolve Structures offer. 

How Big A Problem Is Coal Dust?

The wind can carry the coal dust long distances, dispersing toxins such as mercury and arsenic into waterways and soil. Coal dust can pollute the soil and harm aquatic life. 

Inhalation of coal dust can cause CWP (Coal Worker Pneumonia), which is a potentially fatal lung illness. Other diseases that coal dust can cause are PMF (Progressive Massive Fibrosis), which is even more severe than CWP.

Fine coal dust particles in the right concentration can cause an explosion if they come in contact with a heat source. Hybrid explosions, such as a combination of coal dust and methane, can also take place.

What Type Of Solutions Does WeatherSolve Offer?

WeatherSolve Structures has a product called dust fencing, which has been utilized against coal dust globally for decades. Local contractors and port authorities in Northern parts of Europe have collaborated with WeatherSolve to customize dust solutions for their coal ports in their mining industry. 

It is essential for mining industry ports to control the coal dust, and with proper dust fencing, they can significantly reduce the flow of the coal dust and contain it to the port. That said, the protective and fencing measures had to accommodate the complete access of the ship-loading and rail systems.

The WeatherSolve dust fencing also had to withstand severe weather in the winter months in Northern Europe. The result was a customized dust fence tailored especially for the port site. Since the coal piles were of a large size, the dust fencing used by WeatherSolve was around 23 meters tall. 

The fencing was carefully positioned around the port with numerous access lanes and openings, enabling the heavy machinery to operate without restrictions. 

All the dust fencing mechanisms and components were developed to regional building codes. Heavy-duty dust fencing fabric flexes gently in the wind and offers effective control, withstanding severe storms, ice, and weather.

How Is WeatherSolve Dust Fencing Different From Other Forms Of Dust Fencing?

The WeatherSolve dust fencing requires minimal maintenance and doesn’t need any additional commodities such as water supply or electricity for operation. The WeatherSolve Structures offers a wealth of expertise and experience in every situation and provides customizable dust fencing options.

No matter the scope or size of the worksite, WeatherSolve will offer you a customizable solution and will develop a solution that is specific to your worksite. 

How Effective Is The WeatherSolve Dust Fencing In Controlling The Coal Dust?

The main objective of any dust control strategy is to slow down the wind. It is the wind that distributes and causes dust. The dust wind erosion is proportional to wind speed (Cubed). Overall, the fugitive dust level is proportional to the squared wind speed. This means that well-designed dust fencing, such as the one WeatherSolve produces, can reduce coal dust by approximately 80 %.

The wind blows the coal dust and other protective systems, such as water and fog. WeatherSolve collaborates with a wide array of dust control mechanisms to offer complete dust control systems for various situations. 

How Durable Is The WeatherSolve Dust Fencing?

The best thing about the WeatherSolve Structures company is that it is constantly testing its products, such as wind fencing or coal dust fencing, and designing new products to improve durability and sturdiness. This is why many WeatherSolve components are unique in the market because off-shelf items have not been designed to the required level of sturdiness.

The testing process involves calculating absolute strength in crucial situations and cyclic loading over thousands of cycles. Lastly, the WeatherSolve company also visits the structures after significant weather events, such as wind storms, as part of its maintenance initiative.

The WeatherSolve company believes every control structure or mechanism must meet these basic criteria:

  • Easy to work with
  • Economical
  • Effective
  • Durable in harsh weather conditions

What Benefits Of Wind Fencing?

A dust control structure needs to work in such a way that it makes plant operation easier through reduced maintenance and coal dust. A typical traffic pattern should be maintained even during the construction of a dust control system. 

WeatherSolve allows a large span between greater flexibility in pole placement. Since the WeatherSolve Structures company only uses the best possible components for their products, the structure requires little to no maintenance, saving you a lot of money.

Since three-quarters of the cost is devoted to foundations and poles, the WeatherSolve Structures reduces the cost without compromising on strength and durability by reducing the number of poles. For example, a pole 4 times as powerful only costs 2 to 3 times as much to build. 

The WeatherSolve Structures company has been in the business for over four decades, and the company has a unique collection of knowledge, extensive testing, real-life experiences, and innovative ideas. WeatherSolve has designed hundreds of dust and wind control fencing systems worldwide.

The Aerodynamic Research

WeatherSolve is researching to determine the optimum aerodynamics for all types of situations in the mining industry. This all comprises work with companies like the Center for Study of Open source emissions and the Midwest Research institute. 

The company takes pride in developing structures that do their job effectively and efficiently. These WeatherSolve products can be adapted to perform extra tasks such as visual barrier, shade, or security. The WeatherSolve computer modeling programs ensure the maximum effectiveness of each task.

Conclusion

This article thoroughly discussed how effectively WeatherSolve structures could cut down on dust in the mining industry. Our primary focus in this article was on dust fencing and wind fencing, and we explained how effective these systems were in cutting down on the flow of coal dust.

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