Compiled by the U.S. Dept of Health and Human Services, CDC/NIOSH Office of Mine Safety and Health Research, this 2006 handbook describes effective methods for the control of methane gas in mines and tunnels. The first chapter covers facts about methane important to mine safety, such as the explosibility of gas mixtures. The second chapter covers methane sampling, which is crucial because many methane explosions have been attributed to sampling deficiencies. Subsequent chapters describe methane control methods for different kinds of mines and mining equipment, primarily for U.S. coal mines. These coal mine chapters include continuous miners and longwalls, including bleeders. Coal seam degasification is covered extensively. Other coal mine chapters deal with methane emission forecasting and predicting the excess gas from troublesome geologic features like faults.
Content:
Front Matter
• List of Illustrations
• List of Tables
• Unit of Measure Abbreviations Used in This Report
• Table of Contents
1. Facts about Methane That are Important to Mine Safety
2. Sampling for Methane in Mines and Tunnels
3. Methane Control at Continuous Miner Sections
4. Preventing Methane Ignitions at Longwall Faces
5. Bleeder Systems in Underground Coal Mines
6. Coal Seam Degasification
7. Managing Excess Gas Emissions Associated with Coal Mine Geologic Features
8. Forecasting Gas Emissions for Coal Mine Safety Applications
9. Control of Methane during Coal Mine Shaft Excavation and Filling
10. Methane Control in Highwall Mining
11. Control of Methane in Coal Silos
12. Explosion Hazards of Coal Dust in the Presence of Methane
13. Methane Control in Metal/Nonmetal Mines
14. Preventing Methane Gas Explosions during Tunnel Construction
Index