Advanced Mine Ventilation

Respirable Coal Dust, Combustible Gas and Mine Fire Control

Pramod Thakur

• Editorial: Woodhead Publishing
• Año: 2018
• ISBN:
  9780081004586
• Categoría: Technik & Maschinenbau
• Categoría: Bergbautechnik

Advanced Mine Ventilation presents the reader with a unique book providing the theory and applications for designing mine ventilation with computers, controlling respirable coal dust and diesel particulate matter, combustible gas control and, mine fire management. The book summarizes the latest knowledge created in the past 40 years in these areas. Authored by an expert in the field with 50 years' experience, the book is a great combination of theory and applications. The mine ventilation section provides computer programs (both FORTRAN and C++) to calculate not only air quantities and pressure losses but also the concentration of any pollutant in all junctions and branches of the mine network. Small particle mechanics and dust control is covered in the second section of the book. The third section on combustible gas control discusses all aspects of mine gases from origin to control. The last section on mine fire control discusses spontaneous combustion, frictional ignitions, mine explosions, and mine sealing and recovery. The book is not only a very good reference book but also an excellent textbook for two graduate level courses in Mining Engineering.

• Provides the latest knowledge on the four related topics of mine environment control; that is, ventilation, dust, gas, and fire in a single volume
• Computer simulation of mine ventilation in both FORTRAN and C++
• State-of-the-art respirable dust control
• Mine degasification and methane production from a coal lease
• Mine fire management

Section Two

Respirable Coal Dust Control

Outline

7. Health Hazards of Respirable Dusts

8. Characteristics of Respirable Coal Dust Particles

9. Generation of Respirable Coal Dust

10. Respirable Dust Control

11. Diesel Exhaust Control

12. Respirable Dust Sampling and Measurement

7

Health Hazards of Respirable Dusts

Abstract

Coal is a brittle material with a very complex chemical composition. Mining and transporting of coal creates dust (defined as particles smaller than 100 micron) that creates two hazards: coal dust explosions and coal workers’ pneumoconiosis (CWP). In this chapter, only the health hazards and steps necessary to minimize CWP, if not eliminate it, are discussed. The dust deposition process in lungs is described. A basis for safe personal exposure limit (PEL) is discussed. At a PEL of 2 mg/m³or less the probability of category 2 CWP is reduced to zero. Steps necessary to eliminate CWP include; (1) a science-based PEL, (2) engineering control of dust concentration, (3) medical surveillance of coal miners on a routine basis, and (4) life style management of coal miners, such as, cessation of smoking and a healthy life style. The U.S. respirable dust standard at 1.5 mg/m³ is the most stringent in the world. Enforcement of these rules has drastically reduced the incidence and growth of CWP in U.S. coal mines.

Keywords

Coal workers' pneumoconiosis; Deposition of dust in lungs; Elimination of coal workers' pneumoconiosis; Lungs; Respirable coal dust

Chapter Outline

1. 7.1 Growth of Coal Workers' Pneumoconiosis
2. 7.2 A Basis for Respirable Dust Standard
3. 7.3 Prevalence and Cessation of Coal Workers' Pneumoconiosis
4. 7.4 Lifestyle Intervention Program
5. References

Coal is a brittle material, and therefore dust is produced when it is mined, crushed, or reduced in size by any method. Dust has been defined as solid particles smaller than 100 μm (1 μm = 10⁻⁴ cm) in size, which can be disseminated and carried by air. Coal dust when raised into a cloud creates two well-known hazards in coal mines, namely, coal dust explosion and coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP). For an explosion, a coal dust concentration of at least 86.5 gm/m³ of air is required [1]. Maintaining a dust concentration in mine air below this level is relatively easy because the coarse dust particles normally settle in the roadways almost immediately after disse...