Piezoceramic float dust deposition meter: a feasibility study

• Published in: IEEE transactions on industry applications Vol. 26; no. 1; pp. 167 - 170
• Main Authors: Williams, R.R., Pinkerton, J.E., Sapko, M.J.
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY IEEE 01-01-1990; Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
• Subjects: Ash; Exact sciences and technology; Explosions; Fires; Flammability; Frequency measurement; Hazards; Inhibitors; Metrology, measurements and laboratory procedures; Mining industry; Physics; Piezoelectric materials; Resonant frequency; Measuring instrument; Measurement; Dust; Resonance frequency
• ISSN: 0093-9994; 1939-9367
• DOI: 10.1109/28.52689

The US Bureau of Mines is exploring the possibility of designing a meter to measure the quantity of float dust deposited at various locations in a coal-mine by using the change in the resonant frequency of a piezoceramic diaphragm. The results of the study have shown that dust deposited on a 0.9 in diameter, 0.021 in thick piezoceramic diaphragm with a natural frequency of about 2.5 kHz exhibits a linear frequency change of about 1 Hz for every mg/cm/sup 2/ of dust loaded on the diaphragm between 0 mg/cm/sup 2/ and 30 mg/cm/sup 2/ independent of the type of dust used (coal-dust or rock-dust), and 2 Hz/mg-cm/sup -2/ between 30 mg/cm/sup 2/ and 100 mg/cm/sup 2/. The change from 1 Hz/mg-cm/sup -2/ to 2 Hz/mg-cm/sup -2/ at 30 mg/cm/sup 2/ is believed to be associated with a change in the contiguity of the dust deposit. Present results indicate that a float dust deposition meter based on this technology can measure dust loads to within +or-1 mg/cm/sup 2/ but cannot distinguish between coal-dust or rock-dust.< >