The study of the silica clay dust elemental composition in building materials’ production

The paper discusses the physical properties of the silica clay used as building material and mineral. During crushing, pouring, packing and other processes the dust which enters the storage bunkers of dust removal systems, is formed; it is emitted from the dust collecting devices into the atmosphere, and a part of the dust enters the working area. The paper compares the elemental composition of the silica clay before the crushing operation; the dust collected in bunkers of dust removal systems; in the air emissions; the dust after using the dust collectors and working area air dust. The study was conducted using a Versa 3D Dual Beam scanning electron microscope. The dust characteristics’ comparative studies were carried out in three intake zones for three types of dust collectors used in dust removal systems: fabric filters, cyclones and swirling approach flows (SAF). The homogeneity hypothesis was tested using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov criterion. Based on the measurement results, it was concluded that the dust from the dust bunkers for all the dust collector options has a close elemental composition and can be returned to the additives’ production process. It is shown that the dust entering the working area air and in emissions into the atmosphere are close in their characteristics. The results of measuring the random distribution functions of the elemental composition and molecular weight are obtained, which allow calculating particle weight and other characteristics with 95% certainty, as well as evaluating the aerodynamic characteristics of dust particles, etc.