Improvement of functional structure of methane monitoring in coal mines

Methane monitoring in mines adheres to the provisions of the sectorial Safety Code (SF) which sets the minimal requirements to the methane concentration control and automatic gas protection. Compliance with these requirements only allows stating overshooting of the allowable concentrations at mine ventilation network points specified by SC. This is insufficient for the gas-related situation control in mines as the correct ventilation management, efficient gas drainage design and relevant decision-making on emergency shutdowns of ventilation or gas-suction equipment requires predicting gas emission for each methane source and in real time, which means knowing gas balance dynamics in the course of mining. This is of specific concern in extraction areas equipped with ventilation schemes which ensure separate dilution of methane per its emission sources by means of driving and supporting auxiliary roadways. Each such scheme includes two and more roadways with intake and/or return air. This article describes the proposals on expansion of functions of the methane control systems in coal mines with a view to automating both the methane concentration control in ventilation and gas drainage systems and the overall gas balance control with regard to methane captured during gas drainage. These extended services should be set in accordance with the goals and objectives of the multifunctional safety systems, namely, the real-time presentation of information on actual efficiency of gas emission control by ventilation and gas drainage facilities (distribution of methane flows in mine ventilation network and gas drainage efficiency factor reached). Such information is necessary for the assessment and analysis of air risks, for the decision-making on adjustment of air flow rate calculations, modification of ventilation scheme, improvement of gas drainage design and method, i.e., for the current and long-term planning of expansion of ventilation and gas drainage system in conformity with advance of mining operations.

Kaledina N. O., Arzhanov I. E. Improvement of functional structure of methane monitoring in coal mines. MIAB. Mining Inf. Anal. Bull. 2022;(12):128-140. [In Russ]. DOI: 10.25018/0236_1493_2022_12_0_128.

Kaledina N. O., e-mail: nok52@mail.ru.

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