Comparison between field experiment and CFD modeling of the surface stabilization of fine-grained bulk materials with biopolymer reagent

Abstract

Tailings storage facilities are a significant source of fugitive dust emissions, and the susceptibility of their surface layer to wind erosion is directly related to both the environmental safety and the geomechanical stability of the facility. This report presents results of a field test with a biodegradable polymer reagent for surface sealing. A 0.5% aqueous solution of the reagent was used to conduct the test, applied by a water carrier onto a dry section of the field. The formation of a surface crust of varying thickness was observed due to the uneven application caused by strong winds during the test. In order to better understand the observed unevenness, a simplified three-dimensional CFD model was developed in ANSYS Fluent, reproducing the wind flow over a stepped slope – a geometrically simplified analogue of the tailings slope. The simulation results show a clearly pronounced recirculation zone in the leeward part of the slope, which is in qualitative agreement with the observed uneven application of the reagent in the field.