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Articles 481 - 510 of 1187

Full-Text Articles in Mining Engineering

Control Of Silica Dust In Slate Milling Operations, Karl T. Ahlen, Robert A. Haney, Joseph M. Denk Jun 1999

Control Of Silica Dust In Slate Milling Operations, Karl T. Ahlen, Robert A. Haney, Joseph M. Denk

U.S. Mine Ventilation Symposium

The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) conducted a study to assess the present state of technology used for controlling employees' respirable silica-bearing dust exposures during dimension slate milling operations. For this study, twelve slate milling operations were visited and various measurements were taken and observations made. These measurements and observations included exhaust and room airflow, types of enclosures, water usage, and building volumes for each of the milling processes. These mills usually employed between five and twenty people. From the study, general guidelines were developed from the best practices observed and can be used at the various sawing, splitting, …

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Control Of Heat And Humidity In German Mines, Wolfgang Schlotte Jun 1999

Control Of Heat And Humidity In German Mines, Wolfgang Schlotte

U.S. Mine Ventilation Symposium

In order to increase the economic efficiency of West European hard coal, great efforts are being made at present in the coal-producing countries to lower production costs. This aim is to be achieved in Germany, among other things, by a drastic increase in the saleable output per working face up to an average of 10,000 t/d in these cases where very long longwall faces (400 m ± 50 m) are possible. With the substantially greater heat input into the air stream which this involves, there is the danger that climatic limits will be exceeded even at longwall faces with lower …

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Method For Operative Prediction Of Sponcom Hazard In Gob Area, Michael Michaylov Jun 1999

Method For Operative Prediction Of Sponcom Hazard In Gob Area, Michael Michaylov

U.S. Mine Ventilation Symposium

Expert systems for SPONCOM risk assessment ·are used for choosing suitable fire-proof mining systems and ventilation schemes. Some of them can even estimate the effectiveness of planned ventilation and specific anti-fire measures for SPONCON risk reduction as early as at the design phase. The method proposed herewith is appropriate for operative evaluation of SPONCM risk in gob areas for the following three phases during longwall development: design stope, the commencement of production, and during production. Data from mine and model experiments and statistical data for the actual coal seams serve as a basis for defining index of relative SPONCOM risk …

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The General Characteristics Of Electromagnetic Radiation During Coal Fracture And Its Application In Outburst Prediction, Xue-Qiu He, En-Yuan Wang, Zhentang Liu Jun 1999

The General Characteristics Of Electromagnetic Radiation During Coal Fracture And Its Application In Outburst Prediction, Xue-Qiu He, En-Yuan Wang, Zhentang Liu

U.S. Mine Ventilation Symposium

Coal and methane outburst are catastrophic in coal mining, their prediction is difficult. In this paper, the electromagnetic radiation (EMR) generated during coal or rock deformation and fracturing is measured and analyzed. The results show that EMR truly exists during the fracture of coal or rock (with or without the presence of gas). It follows the Hurst statistical rule, and it basically exhibits gradually enhancing tendency during the process. The EMR strength and frequency are correlated to the coal or rock fracture process. Based on the experimental and theoretical studies, a new method for coal and methane outburst prediction is …

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Scale Tests, In-Situ Measurements And Simulation Of Methane Gas Distribution At Heading Faces, Shinsuke Nakayama, Masamoto Ichinose, Kenichi Uchino, Masahiro Inoue Jun 1999

Scale Tests, In-Situ Measurements And Simulation Of Methane Gas Distribution At Heading Faces, Shinsuke Nakayama, Masamoto Ichinose, Kenichi Uchino, Masahiro Inoue

U.S. Mine Ventilation Symposium

Distributions of methane gas concentration at a heading face with an auxiliary fan were measured in both an actual coal mine and a scale model. As a result, general distribution pattern of methane gas concentration was elucidated and it was found that there exist several areas where gas concentrations tend to rise to dangerous levels. A CFO (Computational Fluid Dynamics) method was also developed and the results of the computation were compared with those obtained in these measurements. It was concluded that the CFD can be used for simulating the distributions of gas concentration that are affected by conditions in …

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Effectiveness Of Cabs For Dust And Silica Control On Mobile Mining Equipment, Joseph J. Garcia, Ronald E. Gresh, Mary Beth Gareis, Robert A. Haney Jun 1999

Effectiveness Of Cabs For Dust And Silica Control On Mobile Mining Equipment, Joseph J. Garcia, Ronald E. Gresh, Mary Beth Gareis, Robert A. Haney

U.S. Mine Ventilation Symposium

The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) has conducted a study to evaluate the effectiveness of cabs for controlling silica dust exposure during operation of mobile mining equipment. This study focused on bulldozers, front -end loaders and haul trucks, was conducted at surface coal mining operations and underground metal and nonmetal mining operations. Each piece of equipment tested was equipped with a cab. The vehicles sampled were from a range of manufacturers having different types of filter media and air intake configurations. The purpose of this study was to determine the reduction of dust and silica exposure that could be …

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Table Of Contents, Multiple Authors Jun 1999

Table Of Contents, Multiple Authors

U.S. Mine Ventilation Symposium

No abstract provided.

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Environ 2.5 — A Mine Ventilation And Cooling Network Simulation Tool, W. M. Marx Jun 1999

Environ 2.5 — A Mine Ventilation And Cooling Network Simulation Tool, W. M. Marx

U.S. Mine Ventilation Symposium

As mining operations progress, ore reserves are depleted and alternative are almost invariably found at increasing depth and a host of attendant difficulties in this regard face· the mine operator. Most significant among these is the control of the increasingly hostile environment encountered at depth in terms of both ground behaviour and the increasing hot environment. To enable the practical and economical design of mine ventilation and cooling systems, ventilation practitioners need effective and efficient tools to perform their duty. One such tool is the Environ 2.5, an interactive network simulation program that allows for the simultaneous simulation of airflow …

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Genetic Algorithm Optimization Of A Large U.K. Coal Mine Ventilation Network, Zhi-Yuan Yang, I. S. Lowndes, B. Denby Jun 1999

Genetic Algorithm Optimization Of A Large U.K. Coal Mine Ventilation Network, Zhi-Yuan Yang, I. S. Lowndes, B. Denby

U.S. Mine Ventilation Symposium

This paper reports on results of an application of a genetic algorithm to the optimisation of a large UK Coal Mine Ventilation Network. The genetic algorithm technique has been developed into a computer program for minimising the total network operating fan power costs. The application of booster fans may become an attractive alternative for ventilation engineers to provide an adequate supply of fresh air around the working areas in some deep and/or extensive mines. The objective of this research is to minimize the total power consumption of a ventilation system by determining the optimum combinations of (1) main fan and …

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Management Of Mine Explosion Risks, Jan J. L. Du Plessis, J. W. Oberholzer Jun 1999

Management Of Mine Explosion Risks, Jan J. L. Du Plessis, J. W. Oberholzer

U.S. Mine Ventilation Symposium

The management of explosions in the underground mining environment has been a high priority for managers since the turn of the century. In the early 1900s explosions, worldwide, reached catastrophic dimensions. In a number of large explosions more than 1000 people have died. In the early years of research, the basics of why explosions occurred were investigated and the participation of coal dust in underground coal mine explosions was proved. Taffanel, a French researcher, was one of the pioneers in establishing the use of stone dust and was instrumental in the design and development of the first stone-dust barriers. Throughout …

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Ventilation Optimization — Balancing The Need For More Power Against Environmental Concerns, Stephen G. Hardcastle, R. D. Lamond, D. T. Willoughby Jun 1999

Ventilation Optimization — Balancing The Need For More Power Against Environmental Concerns, Stephen G. Hardcastle, R. D. Lamond, D. T. Willoughby

U.S. Mine Ventilation Symposium

This paper shows how the Nanisivik mine was able to improve the underground working environment, decrease operational costs, and reduce its impact on the environment through optimizing their ventilation system. Through re-organizing their ventilation system, the overall flow through the mine increased by at least 20%, and local flows increased by over 100%. This change also resulted in a 45% reduction of fan motor power. And as a consequence of reduced power demands the mine has decreased its Green-house gas (GHG) emissions. Currently, ventilation is typically responsible for 40% of a Canadian mine's underground electrical consumption. This could dramatically change …

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The State Of Mining Research In Niosh, R. Larry Grayson Jun 1999

The State Of Mining Research In Niosh, R. Larry Grayson

U.S. Mine Ventilation Symposium

No abstract provided.

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Developments In Longwall Ventilation, Jürgen F. Brune, Joseph P. Aman, Mike Kotch Jun 1999

Developments In Longwall Ventilation, Jürgen F. Brune, Joseph P. Aman, Mike Kotch

U.S. Mine Ventilation Symposium

Rapid development in longwall mining technology has brought significant changes in panel layout and geometry. These changes require adaptations in the ventilation system to provide sufficient air quantities in longwall face and bleeder areas. At CONSOL, various longwall bleeder systems in the Pittsburgh No. 8 Seam have been studied with detailed ventilation surveys. Computer model network simulations were conducted from these surveys to study the effects of different bleeder configurations and ventilation adjustments. This paper examines the relationships between the longwall face air quantity and the convergence in the tailgate-to-bleeder entries, number of development entries, bleeder fan pressure and the …

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Replacement Of A Major Ventilation Raise At The Homestake Gold Mine, Justus B. Deen, John R. Marks, Leetta M. Shaffner Jun 1999

Replacement Of A Major Ventilation Raise At The Homestake Gold Mine, Justus B. Deen, John R. Marks, Leetta M. Shaffner

U.S. Mine Ventilation Symposium

Few tasks are more important to the Ventilation Engineer than planning major airways. This paper presents a case study of the inception, design, installation, cost and performance of a 253 m long, 4.27 m diameter subsurface replacement exhaust raise and its connecting drifts. The original raise served as a component of the primary exhaustway (140 m3/s) and heat rejection sink (8MW) for the deepest production district, responsible for 45% of the mine's total ounce production. The chronology of ground control problems with the original raise and attempts to halt the unraveling are described. Planning for a replacement raise commenced once …

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Ventilation-On-Demand: Quantity Or Quality — A Pilot Trial At Barrick Gold's Bousquet Mine, Stephen G. Hardcastle, M. K. Gangal, Manfred Schreer, Paul Gauthier Jun 1999

Ventilation-On-Demand: Quantity Or Quality — A Pilot Trial At Barrick Gold's Bousquet Mine, Stephen G. Hardcastle, M. K. Gangal, Manfred Schreer, Paul Gauthier

U.S. Mine Ventilation Symposium

Common to many established mines in Canada, is the problem that their ventilation systems are continually being stretched to meet new needs that were not anticipated in the original design. This can be the result of a variety of different factors, such as the discovery of new reserves at depth, accelerated production, new worker exposure regulations or a change of mining method. At Bousquet, the ventilation of a new multilevel mining block over 1 km away from the existing bottom of the mine presents a challenge. The airflow available for this region is limited to 57 m3/s by …

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Novel Approach To The Energy Analysis Of Mine Cooling Strategies, C. T. Twort, I. S. Lowndes, S. J. Pickering Jun 1999

Novel Approach To The Energy Analysis Of Mine Cooling Strategies, C. T. Twort, I. S. Lowndes, S. J. Pickering

U.S. Mine Ventilation Symposium

The extraction of minerals and coal at increasing depth, employing higher-powered, mechanized machinery to increase production levels imposes an increased burden on the ability to maintain an acceptable mine climate. Any deterioration in the mine climate within working zones may adversely affect the health and safety of the workforce. The combination of the optimal design of the mine system layout, together with the selective application of suitable ventilation and cooling systems, may be used to control the climate within working zones. The adoption of mechanical cooling within mines is an expensive process in terms of both capital and operating costs. …

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Performance Assessment Of A Multi-Stage Cooling System At San Manuel Mine, Kuda R. Mutama Jun 1999

Performance Assessment Of A Multi-Stage Cooling System At San Manuel Mine, Kuda R. Mutama

U.S. Mine Ventilation Symposium

This paper describes the mine ventilation cooling system at San Manuel Mine, which has evolved as new deeper and hotter working levels were added to the mine, between 1979 -1997. The expansion philosophy was based on utilizing existing facilities, providing lower capital cost and operational convenience. The cooling system is comprised of three surface chillers of 10.55 Megawatts (3,000 tons) total cooling capacity. Cooling towers, also located on surface, ultimately reject all the heat from underground system. The chilled water is pumped to a shell and tube heat exchanger station located 915 metres underground in a high pressure circulating water …

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Mathematical Description Of Air Cooling Using A Mining Diaphragm Cooler Taking Into Consideration The Condensation Of Water Vapour, Waclaw Dziunyński, Stanislaw Nawrat, Bernard Nowak, Janusz Roszkowski Jun 1999

Mathematical Description Of Air Cooling Using A Mining Diaphragm Cooler Taking Into Consideration The Condensation Of Water Vapour, Waclaw Dziunyński, Stanislaw Nawrat, Bernard Nowak, Janusz Roszkowski

U.S. Mine Ventilation Symposium

Taking into consideration the possibility of condensation of water vapour contained in air which flows through a diaphragm cooler, a mathematical model of space-time changes in air temperature, humidity, and also in the temperature of the heat exchanger and the cooling water in the cooler in question was created. In the mathematical description of air-cooling using the above-mentioned cooler two zones was identified. The first concerns the dry cooling of air, while within the second, the process of outdropping of water contained in the cooled air. Each of these zones has been described by applying a system of three partial …

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Rapid Extinguishing Of Sponcom Fires In Underground Mines, Zygmunt Kajdasz, George Zieba Jun 1999

Rapid Extinguishing Of Sponcom Fires In Underground Mines, Zygmunt Kajdasz, George Zieba

U.S. Mine Ventilation Symposium

The main purpose presented in this paper is to present active and passive methods to fight a sponcom fire. The active method uses an inert gas generator called the GAG while the passive method is through the use of ventilation software. In most sponcom situations a combination of these two methods results in rapid extinguishing of the overheated areas. The presented software allows for accurate and "real time" analysis of the ventilation network. Application of the GAG has been proven on many occasions as an effective means of large volumes of mine atmosphere.

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Recovery Of Minerales Monclova Minas V, Patrick Graham, William Marston, Donald Mitchell, John W. Stevenson, David Sullivan Jun 1999

Recovery Of Minerales Monclova Minas V, Patrick Graham, William Marston, Donald Mitchell, John W. Stevenson, David Sullivan

U.S. Mine Ventilation Symposium

Methane issuing from a roof-bolt hole ignited when the hot bit was withdrawn. Similar ignitions have occurred in other mines. This one differed in that flames spread quickly, coal was ignited, and, after three futile hours of applying inadequate water and extinguishing agents, the mine was sealed. Fires are fuel and ventilation controlled. In this mine there was an abundance of methane, coal, and wood lagging. Recovery of the mine, therefore, depended on successful control of its ventilation. The recovery was done without anyone suffering a scratch; a remarkable feat considering the abnormal methane outflows and concentrations, the continuing evidence …

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Installation Of Two Main Fans At P.T. Freeport Indonesia's Underground Facilities, Felipe Calizaya, A. Mulyadi Jun 1999

Installation Of Two Main Fans At P.T. Freeport Indonesia's Underground Facilities, Felipe Calizaya, A. Mulyadi

U.S. Mine Ventilation Symposium

This study summarizes the technical aspects related to the installation of two main fans at P.T. Freeport Indonesia: one centrifugal and one axial. The fans were installed to increase the exhaust capacity of two vent systems. The 450 kW fan has been installed on surface to support an underground mine expansion project. The installation included the construction of a transition chamber, a retention wall, and the fan installation and commissioning. The 250 kW fan has been installed in an incline to increase the exhaust capacity of an ore pass ventilation system. The study presents the installation details from ground excavation …

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Axial Flow Fan Use At San Manuel Mine, Kuda R. Mutama, Dave P. Pelletier Jun 1999

Axial Flow Fan Use At San Manuel Mine, Kuda R. Mutama, Dave P. Pelletier

U.S. Mine Ventilation Symposium

A case study is presented for the use of multiple axial flow main fans as the principle source of the primary mine ventilation system for a large multi level mine. Formerly owned by Magma Copper, BHP Copper Inc.'s San Manuel Mine is a large underground block caving copper mine which started producing copper in 1955. The San Manuel Mine produces over 50,000 tons per day sulfide copper ore. The total airflow into this mine is approximately 800 m3/s (1,600,000 cfm). Providing adequate ventilation has been a very challenging experience as new, deeper levels are developed. BHP relies on …

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Deployment Of Self-Contained Self Rescuers In Australian Coal Mines, Najdat I. Aziz, Ernest Y. Baafi, Paul Mackenzie-Wood Jun 1999

Deployment Of Self-Contained Self Rescuers In Australian Coal Mines, Najdat I. Aziz, Ernest Y. Baafi, Paul Mackenzie-Wood

U.S. Mine Ventilation Symposium

In view of the recent mine disasters in the Australian coal mines, there has been a need to develop strategies to introduce SCSRs into coal mines to replace the approved filter self rescuers. A study was undertaken to evaluate the performances of the units in the normal Australian underground coal mine conditions. The study involved a laboratory and field trials at four underground coal mines using a total of 37 volunteers. These volunteers walked along the escape route at their respective mines on the first day carrying the SCSRs on their belts. The walk was repeated on a second day …

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Mine Safety In Chinese Coal Mines: Today And Tomorrow, Xintan Chang, Yunxiu Sai Jun 1999

Mine Safety In Chinese Coal Mines: Today And Tomorrow, Xintan Chang, Yunxiu Sai

U.S. Mine Ventilation Symposium

As a result of governmental agency restructuring, China's coal industry has been going through evolutionary changes as well in recent years. This paper discusses the various structural changes within the former Ministry of Coal Industry (MOCI) that occurred recently and its impact on coal production, health and safety regulation enforcement, safety training, and higher education.

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Equivalent Roughness And Its Application In Calculating Friction Drag Of Mine Roadway, Yan Zhou, Xingshen Wang Jun 1999

Equivalent Roughness And Its Application In Calculating Friction Drag Of Mine Roadway, Yan Zhou, Xingshen Wang

U.S. Mine Ventilation Symposium

Some roadways, which do not behave as "wholly rough pipe" as we expected, will have different impact on airflow in a mine ventilation network because of the low Reynolds numbers. For a "non-Wholly-rough" roadway, its resistance factor (R) or the friction factor (¦) is not only dependent upon the relative roughness but also dependent upon the Reynolds number, which varies directly as the flow rate. In this case, R or ¦ is no longer a constant independent of flow rate. Thus, in order to correctly calculate the friction drag of the same roadway for different flow rates, ¦ must be …

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Practical Values Of Friction Factors, Brian S. Prosser, Keith G. Wallace Jun 1999

Practical Values Of Friction Factors, Brian S. Prosser, Keith G. Wallace

U.S. Mine Ventilation Symposium

Over the past fifteen years, engineers from Mine Ventilation Services, Inc. (MVS) have measured numerous friction factors at many different types of mining operations. The results of these measurements indicate that standardized friction factors referenced in most ventilation textbooks are greater than those measured in the field for similar airway support systems. Many referenced friction factors are still based on G. E. McElroy's classic paper "Engineering Factors in the Ventilation of Metal Mines" published in 1935. Most mechanized mines now incorporate airways that are larger, have more advanced support systems, and more uniform openings. This paper describes the measurement techniques …

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Direct And Inverse Problem Of Diffusion With Simultaneous Linear Accumulation, Petko Ivanov Lalov Jun 1999

Direct And Inverse Problem Of Diffusion With Simultaneous Linear Accumulation, Petko Ivanov Lalov

U.S. Mine Ventilation Symposium

Mine working contamination occurs when diffusion in a constant velocity medium is accompanied by a process of absorption and accumulation of the diffunding medium, as described by the generalized convective diffusion equation proposed by J.L. Litwiniszyn. The first part of this article discusses the problem of finding a solution to the integro-differential equation under study for defined initial and boundary conditions corresponding to working with a finite length (direct problem). The second part solves the problem of determining the coefficients of this equation by using the results of measurements of the contaminant concentration by sensors positioned along the working (inverse …

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Modelling Of The Occurrence Of Hydrogen Sulphide In Coal Seams, A. D. Stewart Gillies, Mehmet S. Kizil, Hsin Wei Wu, Timothy J. M. Harvey Jun 1999

Modelling Of The Occurrence Of Hydrogen Sulphide In Coal Seams, A. D. Stewart Gillies, Mehmet S. Kizil, Hsin Wei Wu, Timothy J. M. Harvey

U.S. Mine Ventilation Symposium

Hydrogen Sulphide (H2S) has been encountered within a number of Bowen Basin collieries, Central Queensland, Australia. High concentration occurrence during mining of a longwall panel raises a number of potential problems, which demand greater understanding to allow efficient mining while maintaining safe and healthy environmental conditions. Longwall panels at Mine A and Mine B have recently mined through H2S zones. The high H2S zone mined through at Mine A was wide and covering the whole length of the face comparing to the narrow H2S zone which was cutting the panel at 45° …

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Management Of The Mining Industry/Research Organization Interface, Brad John, Jeneth M. Spiliopoulos, Judy Beazley, Timothy J. M. Harvey, A. D. Stewart Gillies Jun 1999

Management Of The Mining Industry/Research Organization Interface, Brad John, Jeneth M. Spiliopoulos, Judy Beazley, Timothy J. M. Harvey, A. D. Stewart Gillies

U.S. Mine Ventilation Symposium

The purpose of a consultancy undertaken to assess management processes in research projects to improve communication between research organisations and the mining industry through the development of an improved mode of operation and customer interface is discussed. The consultancy was conducted using the Nadler and Tushman Congruency Model of Organizational Behaviour to assess components of a projects inputs, transformation process and outputs for their degree of congruence or 'fit'. As an example the University of Queensland (UQ) managed ACARP Project 'Maximising Coal Production in the Presence of Hydrogen Sulphide (H2S) Seam Gas' was used for illustration. An action …

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An Investigation Of Longwall Gob Gas Behavior And Control Methods, Steven J. Schatzel, William P. Diamond, Fred Garcia, John C. Lascola, Frank E. Mccall, Paul W. Jeran, Thomas P. Mucho Jun 1999

An Investigation Of Longwall Gob Gas Behavior And Control Methods, Steven J. Schatzel, William P. Diamond, Fred Garcia, John C. Lascola, Frank E. Mccall, Paul W. Jeran, Thomas P. Mucho

U.S. Mine Ventilation Symposium

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has initiated the use of a tracer gas in field studies to characterize geologic and mining factors influencing the migration of longwall gob gas. Three studies have been conducted using sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) at a coal mine in the Northern Appalachian Basin operating in the Pittsburgh Coalbed. Eight underground tracer gas releases and one gob gas venthole release are summarized. The results indicate that the gas flow in the bleeder network and in the interior regions of longwall panel gobs do not strongly interact and that the negative pressure …

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