Improvement in Booster Fan Applications for US Coal and Metal/Non-Metal Mines Through the Application of Technology, International Operating Experience, and NIOSH Research

Details

• Personal Author:
  Martikainen AL ; Pritchard CJ
• Description:
  Booster fans have been effectively used in underground gassy and non-gassy, metal, non-metal, and international coal mines for increasing airflow to difficult-to-ventilate areas. Health and safety aspects of booster fans were evaluated based on the previous body of domestic and international research, which showed that except for US-based nonanthracite coal mines, booster fans are perceived as a safe option to achieve increased ventilation capacity that results in health, safety, and environmental benefits. Inherently, booster fans themselves are not a hazard; it is their installation and operation that are of concern. This analysis showed that when located, sized, and operated correctly, booster fans are a tool to be considered to safely increase mine airflow. Improved technology in ventilation network modeling, atmospheric monitoring, and control of ventilation systems can reduce the risk associated with underground mine booster fan applications. Based on this body of knowledge and recent National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) research, a compilation of effective booster fan installation and operation recommendations is presented that can be incorporated to improve the use of booster fans in underground coal and metal/non-metal (M/NM) mining applcations. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Air Movements Coal Coal Mining Environmental Monitoring Manufacturing And Industrial Facilities Metals Mining Occupational Health Safety Safety Management Ventilation

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• Keywords:
  Air-flow Air-monitoring Author Keywords: Mine Ventilation Booster Fans Coal-mining Control-systems Control-technology Controlled-atmospheres Environmental-control-equipment Equipment-reliability Industrial-equipment Industrial-ventilation Machine-operation Metal-mining Metal Mining Mining-industry Non-metal Mining Nonmetal-mining Recirculation Safety-monitoring Safety-research Underground-mining Underground Mining Ventilation-equipment

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• Series:
  Mining Publications
• Publisher:
  Virginia Tech
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Proceedings
• Place as Subject:
  OSHA Region 10 ; OSHA Region 3 ; Virginia ; Washington
• 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
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20046595
• Citation:
  Proceedings of the 15th North American Mine Ventilation Symposium, June 20-25, 2015, Blacksburg, Virginia. Blacksburg, VA: Virginia Tech, 2015 Jun; :15-07
• Contact Point Address:
  C. J. Pritchard, NIOSH, Spokane Mining Research Division, Spokane, WA
• Email:
  hyp4@cdc.gov
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2015
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Source Full Name:
  Proceedings of the 15th North American Mine Ventilation Symposium, June 20-25, 2015, Blacksburg, Virginia
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:cb8a1ddf90984c1d224dcf466aee1ebb8a4b7356a495df56d8a4b13323a0c411c22cd12fd5ec4032324d7e02ada6cec3868c00c71f3e39265bb34d9fc2a11796
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/228153/cdc_228153_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 830.88 KB ]