Technical Development of the Coal Dust Explosibility Meter

Details

• Personal Author:
  Sapko, Michael J. ; Verakis, Harry C.
• Description:
  The NIOSH Pittsburgh Research Laboratory, in collaboration with MSHA Technical Support, has devised a prototype handheld instrument that can provide a direct assessment of the potential explosibility of a coal and rock dust mixture. Current federal regulations require that rock dust be applied in all underground areas of a coal mine to mitigate the propagation of a coal dust explosion. To determine compliance with the regulations, mine inspectors collect dust samples from sections of underground coal mines for an MSHA laboratory analysis of incombustible content. However, the laboratory analysis may not be completed for more than a week or two, during which time the mine areas from which samples are taken may be inadequately protected. The operation of the coal dust explosibility meter (CDEM) is based on the difference in optical reflectance between light rock dust and dark coal dust. For a given coal volatility, the optical reflectance of such mixtures is relatively constant at the limit of explosibility, independent of the coal dust particle size. The CDEM is not intended to replace the current MSHA laboratory analysis of coal mine dust samples for incombustible content, but rather to serve as a supplemental device for enhancing mine safety through improved rock dusting practices. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Mining Occupational Health Safety
• Keywords:
  Coal-dust Coal-mining Explosions Hazards Injuries Measurement-equipment Mining-industry Safety-research Underground-mining
• Series:
  Mining Publications
• Publisher:
  Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration, Inc.
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Proceedings
• Place as Subject:
  OSHA Region 3 ; Pennsylvania ; West Virginia
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  PRL - Pittsburgh Research Laboratory
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  1-5
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20029909
• Citation:
  2006 SME Annual Meeting and Exhibit, March 27-29, St. Louis, Missouri, Preprint 06-044. Littleton, CO: Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration, Inc., 2006 Mar; :1-5
• Contact Point Address:
  NIOSH Pittsburgh Research Laboratory, P.O. Box 18070, Pittsburgh, PA 15236
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2006
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Source Full Name:
  2006 SME Annual Meeting and Exhibit, March 27-29, St. Louis, Missouri, preprint 06-044
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:ef44c6b724b21cf201fc7a60fa0c66e5b363f0e5c3b525d2faf79304d23a55c2a73ef96bdf03d5c4e8a341c490bf9bdd16b8e5970a00de8100d6533c7078fc15
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/221163/cdc_221163_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 149.11 KB ]