Ignition of Methane-Air Mixtures by Laser-Heated Small Particles

Details

• Personal Author:
  Cashdollar, Kenneth L. ; Chaiken, Robert F. ; Dubaniewicz, Thomas H. Jr. ; Green GM
• Description:
  Optical Technologies have progressed rapidly in the past 15 years. One application of laser technology in underground coal mines currently under evaluation is the remote measurement of explosive methane gas. Federal regulations require that atmospheric monitoring systems used in gassy underground mines where permissible equipment is required shall be intrinsically safe. Mine Safety and Health Administration criteria for the evaluation and test of intrinsically safe apparatus and associated apparatus contain no guidance for optoelectronic components such as diode lasers. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health is conducting a study to help provide a scientific basis for developing appropriate safety guidelines for optical equipment in underground coal mines. Results of experiments involving ignition of methane-air mixtures by small heated particles are reported. Minimum reserved igniting powers for laser energy delivered by 200, 400 and 800 micrometers core fiber optic cables and directed onto selected targets in methane-air atmospheres were 0.6, 1.1, and 2.2 W respectively. Comparisons to results of other researchers are made. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Environmental Monitoring Laboratories Mining Occupational Health Safety
• Keywords:
  Air-monitoring Coal-mining Lasers Mine-safety Mining-industry Underground-mining
• Series:
  Mining Publications
• Publisher:
  Safety Consulting Engineers, Inc.
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Proceedings
• Place as Subject:
  Illinois ; OSHA Region 3 ; OSHA Region 5 ; Pennsylvania
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  PRL - Pittsburgh Research Laboratory
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  218-236
• Volume:
  2
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20000114
• Citation:
  Colloquium on Gas, Vapor, Hybrid and Fuel-Air Explosions, 1998 Sep; 2:218-236
• Contact Point Address:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Pittsburgh Research Laboratory, Pittsburgh, PA 15236
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  1998
• NORA Priority Area:
  Other Occupational Concerns
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Source Full Name:
  Colloquium on Gas, Vapor, Hybrid and Fuel-Air Explosions, Proceedings of the International Symposium on Hazards, Prevention, and Mitigation of Industrial Explosions
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:c3fcccc565b214595a46d2a3258f3a4d790a98c0fabc0b1f76ad32046fce19d5466aaa537bd6b457c8f299edd13f7da4dc166c0de2c4d63eb5813280a1b7845a
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/220339/cdc_220339_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 502.13 KB ]