Mining Engineering Commons^™

Synthesis And Characterization Of Carbon Doped Tio2 Photocatalysts Supported On Stainless Steel Mesh By Sol-Gel Method, J. O. Tijani, O. O. Fatoba, T. C. Totito, W. D. Roos, L. F. Petrik

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This study synthesized pure anatase carbon doped TiO₂ photocatalysts supported on a stainless-steel mesh using a sol-gel solution of 8% polyacrylonitrile (PAN)/dimethylformamide (DMF)/TiCl4. The influence of the pyrolysis temperature and holding time on the morphological characteristics, particle sizes and surface area of the prepared catalyst was investigated. The prepared catalysts were characterized by several analytical methods: high resolution scanning electron microscopy (HRSEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The XRD patterns showed that the supported TiO2 nanocrystals are typically anatase, polycrystalline and body-centered tetragonal in structure. The EDS and XPS results …

Explosion Testing Of A Polycarbonate Safe Haven Wall, Kyle A. Perry, Rex A. Meyr

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The MINER Act of 2006 was enacted by MSHA following the major mining accidents and required every underground coal mine to install refuge areas to help prevent future fatalities of trapped miners in the event of a disaster where the miners cannot escape. A polycarbonate safe haven wall for use in underground coal mines as component of a complete system was designed and modeled using finite element modeling in ANSYS Explicit Dynamics to withstand the MSHA required 15 psi (103.4 kPa) blast loading spanning 200 milliseconds. The successful design was constructed at a uniform height in both half-width scale and …

Modeling Of Geometric Change Influence On Blast-Wave Propagation In Underground Airways Using A 2d-Transient Euler Scheme, Liang Wang, Sisi Que, Jerry C. Tien, Nassib Aouad

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The impact of methane explosions on mining operations can never be over-emphasized. The safety of miners could be threatened and local ventilation facilities are likely to be damaged by the flame and overpressure induced by a methane explosion event, making it essential to understand the destructiveness and influence range of a specific explosion. In this paper, the attenuation effect of geometric changes, most commonly bends, obstacles, and branches, present in the way of blast-wave propagation and the capability of the selected numerical model were studied. Although some relevant experimental research has been provided, quantitative analysis is insufficient. This paper investigates …

Eliciting Drivers Of Community Perceptions Of Mining Projects Through Effective Community Engagement, Liang Wang, Kwame Awuah-Offei, Sisi Que, Wei Yang

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Sustainable mining has received much attention in recent years as a consequence of the negative impacts of mining and public awareness. The aim of this paper is to provide mining companies guidance on improving the sustainability of their sites through effective community engagement based on recent advances in the literature. It begins with a review of the literature on sustainable development and its relationship to stakeholder engagement. It then uses the literature to determine the dominant factors that affect community perceptions of mining projects. These factors are classified into five categories: environmental, economic, social, governance and demographic factors. Then, we …

Identifying The Presence Of Amd-Derived Soil Co₂ In Field Investigations Using Isotope Ratios, Kwame Awuah-Offei, Moagabo Mathiba, Fred J. Baldassare

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Recent incidents of hazardous accumulations of CO₂ in homes on or adjacent to reclaimed mine land have been shown to be linked to neutralization reactions between acidic mine drainage and carbonate material. An efficient and economic method is necessary to identify the presence of acid mine drainage- (AMD-) derived CO₂ on reclaimed mine land, prior to construction. One approach to identify the presence of AMD-derived CO₂ is to characterize stable carbon isotope ratios of soil CO₂. To do so, a viable method is necessary to acquire soil gas samples for isotope ratio analysis. This paper …

Scale Effect Of Premixed Methane-Air Combustion In Confined Space Using Les Model, Liang Wang, Sisi Que, Jerry C. Tien, Nassib Aouad

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Gas explosion is the most hazardous incident occurring in underground airways. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) techniques are sophisticated in simulating explosions in confined spaces; specifically, when testing large-scale gaseous explosions, such as methane explosions in underground mines. The dimensions of a confined space where explosions could occur vary significantly. Thus, the scale effect on explosion parameters is worth investigating. In this paper, the impact of scaling on explosion overpressures is investigated by employing two scaling factors: The Gas-fill Length Scaling Factor (FLSF) and the Hydraulic Diameter Scaling Factor (HDSF). The combinations of eight FLSFs and five HDSFs will cover a …

Pharmaceuticals, Endocrine Disruptors, Personal Care Products, Nanomaterials And Perfluorinated Pollutants: A Review, Jimoh O. Tijani, Ojo O. Fatoba, Omotola O. Babajide, Leslie F. Petrik

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The presence of emerging micropollutants such as pharmaceuticals, endocrine disruptors, personal care products, nanomaterials and perfluorinated substances in the environment remains a great threat to the health and safety of humans and aquatic species. These micropollutants enter the environment via anthropogenic activities and have been detected in surface water, groundwater and even drinking water at nanogram per liter to microgram per liter concentration. To date, limited information exists on the fate, behaviors, and pathways of these micropollutants in the environment. The potential ecotoxicological effects on the receptors due to exposure to individual or mixture of these chemicals still remain unknown. …

Adsorption Of Nickel(Ii) On Polyacrylonitrile Nanofiber Modified With 2-(2'-Pyridyl)Imidazole, Guillaume Ndayambaje, Katri Laatikainen, Markku Laatikainen, Edith Beukes, Olanrewaju Fatoba, Nico Van Der Walt, Leslie Petrik, Tuomo Sainio

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The surface of polyacrylonitrile nanofibers (PAN) was chemically modified with 2-(2'-pyridyl) imidazole ligand (pim) to generate PAN-pim nanofibers. The reaction proceeds via nucleophilic attack of the pim anion on the nitrile groups of the PAN nanofibers. A 36% conversion of the acrylonitrile repeating units to AN-pim groups was obtained after 60 min at 70 °C using 1.0 mol/L pim ligand. The product was characterized by Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR), Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) and morphological analyses. The adsorption equilibrium and rate of nickel were studied in batch experiments and the data were correlated using the Non-ideal Competitive Adsorption (NICA) isotherm …

Quantification Of Radicals Generated In A Sonicator, K. O. Badmus, J. O. Tijani, C. P. Eze, O. O. Fatoba, L. F. Petrik

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The hydroxyl radical (OH•) is a powerful oxidant produced as a consequence of cavitation in water. It can react nonspecifically in breaking down persistent organic pollutants in water into their mineral form. It can also recombine to form hydrogen peroxide which is very useful in water treatment. In this study, terephthalic acid (TA) and potassium iodide dosimetry were used to quantify and investigate the behavior of the generated OH radical in a laboratory scale sonicator. The 2-hydroxyl terephthalic acid (HTA) formed during terephthalic acid dosimetry was determined by optical fiber spectrometer. The production rate of HTA served as a means …

Degradation Of Organic Pollutants And Microorganisms From Wastewater Using Different Dielectric Barrier Discharge Configurations—A Critical Review, Emile S.Massima Mouele, Jimoh O. Tijani, Ojo O. Fatoba, Leslie F. Petrik

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The growing global drinking water crisis requires the development of novel advanced, sustainable, and cost-effective water treatment technologies to supplement the existing conventional methods. One such technology is advanced oxidation based on dielectric barrier discharge (DBD). DBD such as single and double planar and single and double cylindrical dielectric barrier configurations have been utilized for efficient degradation of recalcitrant organic pollutants. The overall performance of the different DBD system varies and depends on several factors. Therefore, this review was compiled to give an overview of different DBD configurations vis-a-viz their applications and the in-situ mechanism of generation of free reactive …

Design Of Push–Pull System To Control Diesel Particular Matter Inside A Dead-End Entry, Yi Zheng, Magesh Thiruvengadam, Hai Lan, Jerry C. Tien

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Diesel particulate matter (DPM) is considered to be carcinogenic after prolonged exposure. With more diesel-powered equipment used in underground mines, miners' exposure to DPM has become an increasing concern. This paper used computational fluid dynamics method to study the DPM dispersion in a dead-end entry with loading operation. The effects of different push–pull ventilation systems on DPM distribution were evaluated to improve the working conditions for underground miners. The four push–pull systems considered include: long push and short pull tubing; short push and long pull tubing, long push and curved pull tubing, and short push and curved pull tubing. A …

Simulation Of Dpm Distribution In A Long Single Entry With Buoyancy Effect, Yi Zheng, Magesh Thiruvengadam, Hai Lan, Jerry Tien C.

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Diesel particulate matter (DPM) is considered carcinogenic after prolonged exposure. With more diesel-powered equipment used in underground mines, miners' exposure to DPM has become an increasing concern. This paper used computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method to study DPM distribution based on an experiment conducted by the Diesel Emissions Evaluation Program (DEEP) in Canada. Twenty-four cases were simulated where the emissions from both truck and load-haul-dumps (LHDs) were examined. Each vehicle was placed in two stream wise locations, and the vehicles were oriented either facing or with the rear end toward the main fresh airflow. A species transport model with buoyancy …

A Review Of Combined Advanced Oxidation Technologies For The Removal Of Organic Pollutants From Water, Jimoh O. Tijani, Ojo O. Fatoba, Godfrey Madzivire, Leslie F. Petrik

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Water pollution through natural and anthropogenic activities has become a global problem causing short-and long-term impact on human and ecosystems. Substantial quantity of individual or mixtures of organic pollutants enter the surface water via point and nonpoint sources and thus affect the quality of freshwater. These pollutants are known to be toxic and difficult to remove by mere biological treatment. To date, most research on the removal of organic pollutants from wastewater were based on the exploitation of individual treatment process. This single-treatment technology has inherent challenges and shortcomings with respect to efficiency and economics. Thus, application of two advanced …

Depolarization Mechanisms Of Pbzr0.52ti0.48o3 And Pbzr0.95ti0.05o3 Poled Ferroelectrics Under High Strain Rate Loading, Sergey I. Shkuratov, Jason Baird, Vladimir G. Antipov, Evgueni F. Talantsev, Hwan R. Jo

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Stress-induced and thermal-induced depolarization studies along with X-ray diffraction were performed on lead zirconate titanate ferroelectrics of different compositions, PbZr_0.52Ti_0.48O₃ (PZT 52/48) and PbZr_0.95Ti_0.05O₃ (PZT 95/5). Specimens were shocked loaded perpendicular to the polarization vector. It was found that the polarity of the stress-induced charge released by PZT 52/48 and 95/5 was opposite to the polarity of the charge generated due to the piezoelectric effect. PZT 52/48 was only partially (45%) depolarized under 1.5±0.1 GPa mechanical compression, as opposed to PZT 95/5 which was fully depolarized. The experimental results indicate …

Innovative Rts Technology For Dry Beneficiation Of Phosphate, Ahmed Sobhy, Daniel Tao

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The Crago double flotation process is widely used for upgrading raw phosphate in Florida. However, it is a water-based physicochemical process and consumes a huge amount of water and chemicals and is not efficient to remove dolomite from phosphate. In addition, the final phosphate flotation concentrate often has a grade of 30-31% P2O5, which is below the BPL content of 75% (or 34.3% P2O5) required for making the animal feed grade phosphate. This study is performed to evaluate the potential and feasibility of the innovative rotary triboelectrostatic separator (RTS) as a dry phosphate beneficiation process. The RTS technology is characterized …

Distributional Fate Of Elements During The Synthesis Of Zeolites From South African Coal Fly Ash, Pieter W. Du Plessis, Tunde V. Ojumu, Ojo O. Fatoba, Richard O. Akinyeye, Leslie F. Petrik

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The synthesis of zeolites from South African coal fly ash has been deemed a viable solution to the growing economical strain caused by the disposal of ash in the country. Two synthesis routes have been studied thus far namely the 2-step method and the fusion assisted process. Fly ash contains several elements originating from coal which is incorporated in the ash during combustion. It is vital to determine the final destination of these elements in order to unveil optimization opportunities for scale-up purposes. The aim of this study was to perform a material balance study on both synthesis routes to …

Laboratory Study On The Mobility Of Major Species In Fly Ash-Brine Co-Disposal Systems: Up-Flow Percolation Test, O. O. Fatoba, L. F. Petrik, R. O. Akinyeye, W. M. Gitari, E. I. Iwuoha

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Apart from the generation of fly ash, brine (hyper-saline wastewater) is also a waste material generated in South African power stations as a result of water re-use. These waste materials contain major species such as Al, Si, Na, K, Ca, Mg, Cl and SO4. The co-disposal of fly ash and brine has been practiced by some power stations in South Africa with the aim of utilizing the fly ash to capture the salts in brine. The effect of the chemical interaction of the species contained in both fly ash and brine, when co-disposed, on the mobility of species in the …

Comparison Between Neural Networks And Multiple Regression Methods In Metallurgical Performance Modeling Of Flotation Column, Fardis Nakhaei, Mehdi Irannajad

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Artificial neural networks are relatively new computational tools which their inherent ability to learn and recognize highly non-linear and complex relationships makes them ideally suited in solving a wide range of complex real-world problems. In this research, different techniques (Linear regression, Non-linear regression, Back propagation neural network, Radial Basis Function for the estimation of Cu grade and recovery values in flotation column concentrate are studied. Modeling is performed based on 90 datasets at different operating conditions at Sarcheshmeh pilot plant, a copper concentrator in Iran, which include chemical reagents dosage, froth height, air and wash water flow rates, gas holdup …

Nanobubble Column Flotation For More Efficient Coal Recovery, Ahmed Sobhy, R. Honaker, D. Tao

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Froth flotation is a widely used, cost effective coal cleaning process. However, its high process efficiency is limited to a narrow particle size range between approximately 50 to 600 μm for coal and 10 to 100 μm for minerals. Beyond this range, the efficiency of froth flotation decreases sharply, especially for difficult-to-float coal fines of weak hydrophobicity (e.g., oxidized coal).

This study was aimed at enhancing recovery of an Illinois fine coal sample using a flotation column featuring a hydrodynamic cavitation nanobubble generator. Nanobubbles that are mostly smaller than 1 μm can be formed selectively on hydrophobic coal particles from …

A Review Of Pharmaceuticals And Endocrine-Disrupting Compounds: Sources, Effects, Removal, And Detections, Jimoh O. Tijani, Ojo O. Fatoba, Leslie F. Petrik

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

There are growing concerns about the increasing trends of emerging micropollutants in the environment due to their potential negative impacts on natural ecosystems and humans. This has attracted attention from both governmental and non-governmental organizations worldwide. Pharmaceuticals, personal care products, and endocrine disruptors are continuously being released consciously or unconsciously into water sources due to poor regulatory frameworks especially in the developing countries. The effects of these contaminants are poorly known. They are not easily biodegradable and have become an environmental nuisance and public health issue. This has heightened the risk of exposure to their deleterious effects in such countries …

Extension Of Thickness-Dependent Dielectric Breakdown Law On Adiabatically Compressed Ferroelectric Materials, S. I. Shkuratov, Jason Baird, E. F. Talantsev

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

It is experimentally found that the E_b(d) = γ  · d ^-ξ law describing the thickness-dependent breakdown electric field for solid dielectrics at ambient conditions can be extended for dielectrics in other thermodynamic states. It follows from the experimental results reported herein that the breakdown field, E_b(d), of Pb(Zr₀.₉₅Ti₀.₀₅)O₃ (PZT 95/5) and Pb(Zr₀.₅₂Ti₀.₄₈)O₃ (PZT 52/48) ferroelectrics subjected to explosive adiabatic compression obeys the above-mentioned law in a wide range of voltages, up to 150 kV.

Method And Apparatus For Jet-Assisted Drilling Or Cutting, David A. Summers, Klaus Woelk, Kenneth Doyle Oglesby, Greg Galecki

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

An abrasive cutting or drilling system, apparatus and method, which includes an upstream supercritical fluid and/or liquid carrier fluid, abrasive particles, a nozzle and a gaseous or low-density supercritical fluid exhaust abrasive stream. The nozzle includes a throat section and, optionally, a converging inlet section, a divergent discharge section, and a feed section.

Production Scheduling And Waste Disposal Planning For Oil Sands Mining Using Goal Programming, E. Ben-Awuah, H. Askari-Nasab, Kwame Awuah-Offei

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

In oil sands mining, timely provisions of ore and tailings containment with less environmental footprints are the main drivers of profitability and sustainability. The recent Alberta Energy Resources Conservation Board Directive 074 requires oil sands waste disposal planning to be an integral part of mine planning. This requires the development of a well integrated strategy of directional mining and tailings dyke construction for in-pit and ex-pit tailings storage management. The objectives of this paper are to: 1) determine the order and time of extraction of ore, dyke material and waste that maximizes the net present value; 2) determine the destination …

Effect Of Shock Front Geometry On Shock Depolarization Of Pb(Zr 0.52ti 0.48)O₃ Ferroelectric Ceramics, S. I. Shkuratov, Jason Baird, E. F. Talantsev

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

By use of experimentation, we detected a shock wave geometry effect on the depolarization of poled PbZr_0.52Ti_0.48)O₃ Z(PZT 52/48) ferroelectrics. It follows from the experimental results that shock front geometry is one of key parameters in the shock depolarization of PZT 5248 ferroelectrics. This shock depolarization effect forms a fundamental limit to miniaturization of explosive-driven shock-wave ferroelectric generators (FEGs). Based on obtained experimental results, we developed miniature generators that reliably produce pulsed voltages exceeding 140 kV.

Note: Utilizing Pb(Zr 0.95ti 0.05)O₃ Ferroelectric Ceramics To Scale Down Autonomous Explosive-Driven Shock-Wave Ferroelectric Generators, S. I. Shkuratov, Jason Baird, E. F. Talantsev

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Further miniaturization of recently designed autonomous ferroelectric generators (FEGs) S. I. Shkuratov, J. Baird, and E. F. Talantsev, Rev. Sci. Instrum. 82, 086107 (2011), which are based on the effect of explosive-shock-wave depolarization of poled ferroelectrics is achieved. The key miniaturization factor was the utilization of high-energy density Pb(Zr_0.95Ti_0.05)O₃ (PZT 955) ferroelectric ceramics as energy-carrying elements of FEGs instead of the previously used Pb(Zr_0.52Ti_0.48)O₃ (PZT 5248). A series of experiments demonstrated that FEGs based on smaller PZT 955 ferroelectric elements are capable of producing the same output voltage as those …

3d Finite Element Analysis Of Pwa-Oil Sand Terrain System Interaction, Y. Li, Samuel Frimpong, W. Y. Liu

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

A simulator for analyzing the interaction between the oil sand terrain and a pipe wagon articulating (PWA) system has been developed in this paper. An elastic-plastic oil sand model was built based on the finite element analysis (FEA) method and von Mises yield criterion using the Algor mechanical event simulation (MES) software. The three-dimensional (3D) distribution of the stress, strain, nodal displacement, and deformed shape of the oil sands was animated at an environmental temperature of 25C. The 3D behavior of the oil sand terrain was investigated with different loading conditions. The effect of the load and contact area on …

A Reversibility Analysis Of Encoding Methods For Spiking Neural Networks, Catherine Johnson, S. Roychowdhury, Ganesh K. Venayagamoorthy

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

There is much excitement surrounding the idea of using spiking neural networks (SNNs) as the next generation of function-approximating neural networks. However, with the unique mechanism of communication (neural spikes) between neurons comes the challenge of transferring real-world data into the network to process. Many different encoding methods have been developed for SNNs, most temporal and some spatial. This paper analyzes three of them (Poisson rate encoding, Gaussian receptor fields, and a dual-neuron n-bit representation) and tests to see if the information is fully transformed into the spiking patterns. an oft-neglected consideration in encoding for SNNs is whether or not …

Note: Miniature 120-Kv Autonomous Generator Based On Transverse Shock-Wave Depolarization Of Pb(Zr0.52ti0.48)O₃ Ferroelectrics, S. I. Shkuratov, Jason Baird, E. F. Talantsev

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The design of autonomous ultrahigh-voltage generators with no moving metallic parts based on transverse explosive shock wave depolarization of Pb(Zr_0.52Ti_0.48)O₃ (PZT 5248) poled ferroelectrics was explored and studied. It follows from experimental results that the output voltage produced by the shock-wave ferroelectric generators (FEGs) is directly proportional to the number of PZT 5248 elements connected in series. It was demonstrated that miniature FEGs (volume less than 180 cm³) were capable of reliably producing output voltage pulses with amplitudes exceeding 120 kV which is the record reported in open literature.

Electric Breakdown Of Longitudinally Shocked Pb(Zr₀.₅₂Ti₀.₄₈)O₃ Ceramics, S. I. Shkuratov, E. F. Talantsev, Jason Baird

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Electric breakdown of longitudinally-shock-compressed Pb(Zr₀.₅₂Ti₀.₄₈)O₃ (PZT 52/48) ferroelectric ceramics was experimentally investigated. It was found that a dependence of breakdown field strength, E_g, of shocked ferroelectrics on the thickness of the element, d, ranging from 0.65 to 6.5 mm is described by the E_g (d) = γ  · d^-w law that describes the breakdown of dielectrics at ambient conditions. It follows from the experimental results that the tunnel effect is a dominant mechanism of injection of prime electrons in the shocked ferroelectric elements. It was demonstrated that electric breakdown causes significant energy losses in miniature autonomous …

The Depolarization Of Pb(Zr0.52ti0.48)O₃ Ferroelectrics By Cylindrical Radially Expanding Shock Waves And Its Utilization For Miniature Pulsed Power, S. I. Shkuratov, Jason Baird, E. F. Talantsev

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The effects of depolarization of Pb(Zr_0.52Ti_0.48)O₃ (PZT 52/48) poled ferroelectrics by cylindrical radially expanding shock waves propagated along and across the polarization vector P₀ were experimentally detected. Miniature (total volume 100 cm³) autonomous generators based on these effects were capable of producing output voltage pulses with amplitudes up to 25 kV and output energies exceeding 1 J.