Experimental and Image Processing Investigation on the Diffusion of Dust Particles in the Atmospheric Area

The diffusion and transfer of dust particles in the atmospheric area were investigated with experimental and image processing methods. In a flat field, the rising of dust particles into the air by plowing the field with a tractor and their spreading along the surrounding environment as a real model of dust diffusion in the atmospheric area. The experiments carried out for specifying the particle-size distribution of the bed dust and its density. The experimental photos of dust diffusion were analyzed by image processing. The intensity of the diffusion of dust particles in the atmospheric area at the different roughness of surfaces for the different speeds of the tractor movement was obtained. The roughness of the surface increases the impact threshold and reduce the number of splashing particles. As particles velocities increase, the particles height increases and the proportion slope decreases at the high velocities. A relative concentration parameter C_α was defined. The results of this study compared with previous works based on this relative concentration. The concentration of dust particles decreases exponentially by increasing up to a certain height and after this height, changes in concentration are minor. Also, the role of mid-air collisions is significant, especially at high speeds.