Testing the Performance of a New Fan Silencer Prototype for Auxiliary Ventilation

Details

• Personal Author:
  Bhattacharya, S. ; Calizaya, Felipe
• Description:
  Mechanized underground mines often suffer from noise overexposure. Noise levels are usually above the Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) where underground fans are used. Sound levels in active workings can reach 121 dB(A), especially when fans are not equipped with silencers. Use of silencers seldom ensure PEL for various reasons. Overexposure of noise induces permanent hearing loss among mine workers. Recent field studies by a NIOSH-funded research project at six coal and non-coal mines revalidated the findings. The University of Utah has undertaken laboratory studies to reduce fan noise at the source. A new silencer prototype with varying noise dampening material has been designed and tested. The silencer and an associated extension which can be repacked with different dampening materials were used in various configurations. Attempts were made to simulate field conditions where installations are quick and not perfect. The test results are presented here. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Mining Noise Noise, Occupational Occupational Health Safety Ventilation
• Keywords:
  Mine Shafts Mining Equipment Noise Exposure Underground Mining Ventilation Equipment
• Publisher:
  Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration, Inc.
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Contract
• Genre:
  Proceedings
• Place as Subject:
  OSHA Region 3 ; OSHA Region 8 ; Pennsylvania ; Utah
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  1-5
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20068867
• Citation:
  2018 SME Annual Meeting, February 25-28, 2018, Minneapolis, Minnesota, preprint 18-063. Englewood, CO: Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration, Inc., 2018 Feb; :1-5
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2018
• Performing Organization:
  University of Utah
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Start Date:
  20150901
• Source Full Name:
  2018 SME Annual Meeting, February 25-28, 2018, Minneapolis, Minnesota, preprint 18-063
• End Date:
  20191031
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:8270cd8ff73266d216368d12cf7d57296dca23059fca28be554f77ed364eef7b65f7d5d290582a0776fcfb665737cdbb8e345cd747710cb344019bdd3166e90b
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/207434/cdc_207434_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 502.82 KB ]