Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry

To prevent airborne dust from Petroleum Coke stockpiles, there must be an understanding of all the variables. The first variable is the particle size of the material in the stockpile. The USDA has defined silt as material with a particle size smaller than 200 mesh. The US EPA has adopted this definition in their regulations (EPA Appendix C.2). The second variable is moisture. It is common for stockpiles of petroleum coke to have water or some other dust suppressant applied to them to prevent airborne dust. This technique is only effective if the suppressant can impact the moisture of the -200 mesh material. This study will provide data on the relationship between moisture and particle size as it applies to the prevention of airborne dust from petroleum coke stockpiles.