The system of suction dust control via vortex air curtain can effectively control the spread of gas load dust. In order to solve the problem of large dust concentration in a fully mechanized excavation face, the forming mechanism for the dust resistance of vortex air curtain is studied based on the phase flow theory and the characteristics of gas-dust particle two-phase flow. The mathematical model of k-ε-Θ-kp is established and used to solve the diffusion law of suction dust control via vortex air curtain. And based on the Simple algorithm with a grid, the pretreatment software Fluent is adapted to conduct the numerical simulation on the spatial distribution law of dust concentration in a fully mechanized excavation face. The simulation result shows that a lot of dust could effectively enclose in a range of 0.5m from tunneling place to the front of road header driver via vortex air curtain suction dust control. According to the simulation results and the actual conditions of working face on-site, the system of suction dust control via vortex air curtain in a fully mechanized excavation face is designed. The system is composed of pane wall of fan drum and dust-removing and cleaning device. After applying vortex air curtain suction dust control system to a fully mechanized excavation face, the average sedimentation rate of the whole dust and respirable dust are as high as 94.4% and 93.7%, respectively, which effectively reduces the dust concentrations on work-site locations face in a fully mechanized excavation face, and achieves a good dust fall effect. The promising development prospect of vortex air curtain suction dust control system for solving the problem of the large dust concentration in a fully mechanized excavation face are adequately explained through the discussion.
