Methane-Air Detonation Experiments at NIOSH Lake Lynn Laboratory

Details

• Personal Author:
  Addis JD ; Gamezo VN ; Karnack FA ; Kessler DA ; Marchewka WP ; Mohamed KM ; Oran ES ; Sapko, Michael J. ; Sellers DD ; Weiss, Eric S. ; Zipf, R. Karl, Jr.
• Description:
  The methane-air detonation experiments are performed to characterize high pressure explosion processes that may occur in sealed areas of underground coal mines. The detonation tube used for these studies is 73 m long, 105 cm internal diameter, and closed at one end. The test gas is 97.5% methane with about 1.5% ethane, and the methane-air test mixtures varied between 4% and 19% methane by volume. Detonations were successfully initiated for mixtures containing between 5.3% and 15.5% methane. The detonations propagated with an average velocity between 1512 and 1863 m/s. Average overpressures recorded behind the first shock pressure peak varied between 1.2 and 1.7 MPa. The measured detonation velocities and pressures are close to their corresponding theoretical Chapman-Jouguet (CJ) detonation velocity (DCJ) and detonation pressure (PCJ). Outside of these detonability limits, failed detonations produced decaying detached shocks and flames propagating with velocities of approximately 1/2 DCJ. Cell patterns on smokefoils during detonations were very irregular and showed secondary cell structures inside primary cells. The measured width of primary cells varied between 20 cm near the stoichiometry and 105 cm (tube diameter) near the limits. The largest detonation cell (105 cm wide and 170 cm long) was recorded for the mixture containing 15.3% methane. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Coal Coal Mining Explosions Fires Methane Mining Occupational Health Safety
• Keywords:
  Author Keywords: Detonation Coal-mining Experiments Explosion-prevention Explosion-protection Explosive-atmospheres Explosive-gases Explosive-hazards Fire-hazards Gas-mixtures Gases Limits Methanes Mining-industry Underground-mining

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• Series:
  Mining Publications
• ISSN:
  0950-4230
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  District of Columbia ; OSHA Region 3 ; Pennsylvania
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  OMSHR - Office of Mine Safety and Health Research
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  295-301
• Volume:
  26
• Issue:
  2
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20039093
• Citation:
  J Loss Prev Process Ind 2013 Mar; 26(2):295-301
• Contact Point Address:
  R.K. Zipf Jr., Office of Mine Safety and Health Research (OMSHR), National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Pittsburgh, PA 15236
• Email:
  rzipf@cdc.gov
• CAS Registry Number:
  Methane (CAS RN 74-82-8)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2013
• NORA Priority Area:
  Mining
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Source Full Name:
  Journal of Loss Prevention in the Process Industries
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:b93c3882aa924eb84d1901c6c7cf2e56afb973b678bc1234ce0f64f6db29d925778b77d4616672afd92a993ce87a83f3e95a9be164fc00bd21a49df6435a9071
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/227327/cdc_227327_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 1.05 MB ]