Application of Foam Stopping for Mitigation of Spontaneous Heating In Underground Coal Mines
Alok Ranjan Mahananda1, B. K. Pal2
1Mr. Alok Ranjan Mahananda, Pursuing Ph.D. Mining Engineering in N.I.T, Rourkela.
2Dr. B. K. Pal, Senior Professor in Mining Engineering at NIT, Rourkela.
Manuscript received on November 22, 2019. | Revised Manuscript received on December 15, 2019. | Manuscript published on December 30, 2019. | PP: 4425-4428 | Volume-9 Issue-2, December, 2019. | Retrieval Number: B3839129219/2019©BEIESP | DOI: 10.35940/ijeat.B3839.129219
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© The Authors. Blue Eyes Intelligence Engineering and Sciences Publication (BEIESP). This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)
Abstract: The problem of spontaneous heating is a major threat to safety and productivity in mines all over the world. In India, more than 80% of fires are caused due to Spontaneous Combustion. The applicability of inert gases is expensive, time-consuming and is a very tedious process. Hence the application of advanced technologies becomes essential to be introduced in mines. In this context, Central Mine Planning and Design Institute (CMPDI), Ranchi, India carried out an R&D project entitled “Construction of quick setting stopping in case of fire in an underground mine using expansion foam agent” under the funding from the Ministry of Coal, Government of India. Under this project, two Indian mines were selected in consultation with MCL for carrying out the proposed work in Orient Mine No.3 and Bundia Mine of MCL (Ib Valley AREA). Coals from both the mines have been collected and analysed in the laboratory. The proximate analysis and CPT/IPT results show that both the coals are moderately prone to spontaneous heating. Considering both intrinsic and extrinsic properties, two stoppings were constructed in the Hirakhand Bundia mines and four in orient mines. Periodic supervision along with the altering ingress of air from intake was been checked. After careful supervision of nearly 4 years, the stoppings proved to be strong enough to be leakage proof. This paper describes the application of foam technology as stopping to avoid air entry, thus preventing the occurrences of spontaneous heating/fire in a panel of Indian coal mines.
Keywords: CPT Analysis, Foam Technology, Proximate Analysis