Numerical simulation study on the coupling mechanism of composite-source airflow–dust field in a fully mechanized caving face

The dust produced during the process of coal mining is the main cause of the lung disease pneumoconiosis in miners. The study using Fluent software to perform a numerical study of the multi-source dust field in a fully mechanized caving face. The results of the simulation showed that the airflow velocities at the inlet and return air corners increase considerably, and that the overall air velocity in the coal mining face first decreases, from 2.33 to 0.41 m/s, before increasing to 1.91 m/s. The diffusion laws of dust produced by coal-cutting and the advancing of the hydraulic support at the working face tend to be consistent. Following dust superposition, a high-concentration dust belt is formed to the downwind side of the coal mining machine; this dust belt is about 16 m in length, about 1.2 m high, and with an average mass concentration of 1640 mg/m3. [Display omitted] •The innovative three-dimensional physical model with high simulation was established.•The law of wind-dust diffusion was analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively.•The effectiveness of numerical simulation was verified by field measurements.•The dust removal measures to improve dust removal efficiency are proposed.