Models Fugitive Dust

Winges, K. D., User s Guide for the Fugitive Dust Model (FDM) (revised), EPA-910/9-88-202R. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 10, Seattle, WA, 1990. 

FDM FDM (Fugitive Dust Model) is an air quality model designed for computing concentration and deposition impacts from fugitive dust sources. Click the following filenames to download the file ... 

The aim of this work is to estimate more accurately fugitive dust emissions due to wind erosion of exposed aggregate storage piles. The model constructed allows to quantify the temporal evolution in the mass flux when a bed of materials is exposed to a turbulent flow. It is based on the interaction between particles take-off and wall turbulence. The model allows as well to take into account materials having a wide size distribution, which is typical of materials such as coal or ore. Some experimental studies have shown a temporal decrease in the mass flux as the bed contains a wide range of particle sizes. This decrease, due to large particles, is predicted by the model. The rate depends on the flow velocity and the characteristics of the particles. 

The aims of the investigations presented in this paper are to estimate accurately fugitive dust emissions resulting from wind erosion. Thus, a model which allows to quantify emissions resulting from an exposed particle bed to a turbulent flow has been developed. Its originality is to take into account the wide particle size distribution of materials used, as example, at steelwork sites. Typically, the finer particles can have a size of about 10 xm and the larger running to centimetres. This characteristic is very important. In fact, Meunier [2] observed for various experimental tests carried... 

Sanderson, R.S., McKenna-Neuman, C., and Boulton, J.W. 2009. Quantification and modelling of fugitive dust emissions from nickel slag. AGU/CGU Joint Assembly 2009. Toronto, Ontario. May 24, 2009. 

Conclusions concerning the causes of the fugitive emissions were developed from extensive model testing. The emissions escaped from the enclosure by direct plume trajectory and wind flow patterns. Lime dropped into the back of the grizzly creates a plume towards the front of the enclosure, whereas a drop near the front produces a plume to the rear. The plume is caused by the rapid displacement of air and dust from the hopper. 

The final recommended configuration for improving dust capture is shown in Fig. 10.46. The design change was rather simple and the model test showed a significant reduction in visible fugitive emissions. 

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