Longwall Ventilation Field Studies: A Comparison of Bleeder and Bleederless Systems

Details

• Personal Author:
  Gangrade V ; Schatzel, Steven J.
• Description:
  Researchers at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) conducted multiple ventilation research field studies with a cooperating trona mine and two coal mines, all using the longwall mining method. For these field studies, sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) tracer gas was utilized to define airflow pathways and air velocitiesin a longwall system. The three field sites were chosen for their varying face lengths, ventilation design, and caving characteristics. The research studies indicated that the transport of ventilation air from the headgate towards the tailgate occurs in the main face airflow, inflow within the region of the shield legs, and inflow through the fracture zone in front of the gob. The research studies also characterized the rates and direction of transport in active panel gobs. The findings suggest that ventilation of trona mines operating with the longwall mining method have similar characteristics to the ventilation of coal mines. The results discussed in this paper define the pathway of ventilation airflow in an active longwall panel, and the findings contribute directly towards improving miner safety and health. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Air Movements Environmental Monitoring Minerals Mining Occupational Health Safety Ventilation
• Keywords:
  Air Flow Air Monitoring Carbonates Coal Mines Environmental Monitoring Fracture Zones Geologic Characterization Geologic Formations Geologic Structures Longwall Mining Monitoring Systems Safety Research

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• Series:
  Mining Publications
• Publisher:
  Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Proceedings
• Place as Subject:
  Arizona ; Colorado ; OSHA Region 3 ; OSHA Region 8 ; OSHA Region 9 ; Pennsylvania
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  PMRD - Pittsburgh Mining Research Division
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  1-7
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20059730
• Citation:
  MineXchange: 2020 SME Annual Conference & Expo, February 23-26, 2020, Phoenix, Arizona, preprint 20-112. Englewood, CO: Society for Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration, 2020 Feb; :1-7
• Contact Point Address:
  V. Gangrade, CDC NIOSH, Pittsburgh, PA
• CAS Registry Number:
  Sulfur hexafluoride (CAS RN 2551-62-4) ; Trona (Na3H(CO3)2.2H2O) (CAS RN 15243-87-5)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2020
• NORA Priority Area:
  Mining ; Oil and Gas Extraction
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Source Full Name:
  MineXchange: 2020 SME Annual Conference & Expo, February 23-26, 2020, Phoenix, Arizona, preprint 20-112
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:72f4055dedacd7f5cd55d5cfa3915a1ab4539fd44aeab7f5f0ee7ba786cea2ffae286c3a8728c423e0909eb0ee4f8fabc40dc4eef99a73129669cb7f8c92afc5
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/215283/cdc_215283_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 921.97 KB ]