Prediction of Longwall Methane Emissions and the Associated Consequences of Increasing Longwall Face Lengths: A Case Study in the Pittsburgh Coalbed

Details

• Personal Author:
  Garcia F ; Krog, Robert B. ; Marshall, J. K. ; Schatzel, Steven J. ; Trackemas J
• Description:
  In an effort to increase productivity, many longwall mining operations in the United States have continually increased face lengths. Unfortunately, the mining of larger panels may increase methane emissions. NIOSH conducted a mine safety research study to characterize and quantify the methane emissions resulting from increasing face lengths in the Pittsburgh Coalbed. The goal of this research effort was to provide the mine operator with a method to predict the increase in methane emissions from the longer faces for incorporation of additional methane control capacity into the mine planning process, if necessary. Based on measured methane emission rates of 140 cfm for a 1,032-ft face, projected longwall face methane emission rates were 191 cfm for a 1,200-ft face, 225 cfm for a 1,400-ft face, and 263 cfm for a 1,600-ft face. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Air Movements Coal Coal Mining Dust Environmental Monitoring Mining Occupational Health Personal Protective Equipment Safety
• Keywords:
  Air-flow Coal-mining Longwall-mining Mining-industry Safety-research Underground-mining Ventilation
• Series:
  Mining Publications
• ISBN:
  0415401488
• Publisher:
  Taylor & Francis Group
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Proceedings
• Place as Subject:
  OSHA Region 3 ; Pennsylvania ; 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:
  375-382
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20030320
• Citation:
  Proceedings of the 11th U.S./North American Mine Ventilation Symposium, University Park, Pennsylvania, June 5-7, 2006. Mutmansky JM, Ramani RV. eds., London, U.K.: Taylor & Francis Group, 2006 Jun; :375-382
• CAS Registry Number:
  Methane (CAS RN 74-82-8)
• Editor(s):
  Mutmansky JM; Ramani RV
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2006
• NORA Priority Area:
  Disease and Injury: Traumatic Injuries
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:1610cb87092fd8f1accc2e1ef1eb5e53dcb4247b8a9df4e9060a2a746a45e187c74c062876e931995751610c009ac479019fefc31c5f18ee2466ff2ba6846855
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/221215/cdc_221215_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 446.02 KB ]