Tube bundle system studies at Signal Peak Energy Bull Mountains #1 Mine

Area of Science:

• Mining Engineering
• Geological Engineering
• Environmental Science

Background:

• Underground coal mining presents risks of spontaneous combustion and hazardous gas accumulation.
• Bleederless ventilation systems aim to create inert atmospheres in longwall gobs, reducing combustion risks.
• Continuous monitoring is crucial for mine safety, but traditional methods have limitations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe and interpret gas analysis data from a tube bundle system (TBS) in bleederless longwall panels.
• To assess the effectiveness of bleederless ventilation in controlling mine atmosphere composition.
• To evaluate the performance and limitations of a TBS for underground coal mine gas monitoring.

Main Methods:

• Operation of a tube bundle system (TBS) for continuous gas sampling and analysis.
• Monitoring of two bleederless, longwall panels at the Bull Mountains No. 1 Mine.
• Analysis of gas composition, including carbon dioxide, and correlation with barometric pressure changes.

Main Results:

• Coal oxidation was observed to be slow at the monitored mine.
• A reservoir of low-oxygen atmosphere was confirmed behind the longwall face.
• Gas expansion from the gob into the tailgate area occurred with decreased barometric pressure, significantly increasing CO2 concentrations.

Conclusions:

• Bleederless ventilation can facilitate inert atmospheres but requires careful monitoring for potential risks.
• Subsidence cracks can compromise the inert atmosphere, increasing spontaneous combustion risk.
• Tube bundle systems provide valuable data but their slow response time must be considered for effective hazard warning.