Moisture tolerant rock dust and methods of application thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11111786-B2
Application number	US-201515518711-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 23, 2015
Priority date	Oct 24, 2014
Publication date	Sep 7, 2021
Grant date	Sep 7, 2021

Abstract

Compositions and methods of using rock dust are disclosed. A mine rock dust may be capable of being applied in a wet form. A moisture tolerant mine rock dust may include a hydrophobic inorganic particulate material. A moisture tolerant mine rock dust may be capable of being dispersed by a light blast of air. A method may include applying a mine rock dust at a concentration having little or no respirable mine rock dust. A method of applying a mine rock dust may include applying a mine rock dust in a wet form. The mine rock dust may be applied at a concentration having little or no respirable mine rock dust. The mine rock dust may include a hydrophobic inorganic particulate material.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of inerting coal dust, comprising:
combining a surface-treated hydrophobic inorganic particulate material with water to form a mine rock dust composition;
applying the mine rock dust composition in the form of a non-foaming slurry;
wherein the surface of the inorganic particulate material is treated with a fatty acid, salt thereof, or ester thereof; and
wherein the surface treatment level of the inorganic particulate material ranges from 0.1 wt % to 5.0 wt % based on the weight of the inorganic particulate material.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method does not include applying a mine rock dust composition in a dry form after applying the step of applying the mine rock dust in the form of a slurry.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein applying the mine rock dust composition comprises applying a slurry including the hydrophobic inorganic particulate material.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein applying the slurry comprises an aerated slurry.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, after applying the mine rock dust composition, dispersing the mine rock dust with a light blast of air.

6. The method of claim 1 , the mine rock dust composition has a dispersion greater than or equal to about 0.1% by weight.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the hydrophobic inorganic particulate material comprises an inorganic particulate material treated with at least one hydrophobic treatment.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mine rock dust composition further comprises an untreated inorganic particulate material.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the hydrophobic inorganic particulate material has a contact angle ranging from about 90 to about 150 degrees; wherein the contact angle is measured by a test according to ASTM D7334-08.

10. The method of claim 1 , applying the mine rock dust composition in an amount sufficient to render coal dust explosively inert according to a 20-L explosibility test.

11. The method of claim 1 , applying the mine rock dust composition in an amount sufficient to abate explosions of coal dust.

12. A method of applying a mine rock dust composition, comprising:
combining a surface-treated hydrophobic inorganic particulate material with water to form a mine rock dust composition;
applying the mine rock dust composition in the form of a non-foaming slurry at a concentration having no respirable mine rock dust;
wherein the mine rock dust composition renders coal dust explosively inert;
wherein the surface of the inorganic particulate material is treated with a fatty acid, salt thereof, or ester thereof; and
wherein the surface treatment level of the inorganic particulate material ranges from 0.1 wt % to 5.0 wt % based on the weight of the inorganic particulate material.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the mine rock dust is capable of being dispersed with a blast of air.

Assignees

• Imerys Usa Inc

Inventors

• Paynter Christopher
• Wicks Douglas
• Anstine David

Classifications

• C09K3/22 Primary

  for dust-laying or dust-absorbing · CPC title

• E21F5/12

  Composition of rock dust · CPC title

• E21F5/08 Primary

  Rock dusting of mines; Depositing other protective substances · CPC title