Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Subscription Access

Analysis of Heat Stress in an Underground Coal Mine using Computational Fluid Dynamics


Affiliations
1 Civil and Environmental Engineering, Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra 835 215, India
 

Coal mining plays a significant role in the economy of India. The health and safety of miners working in underground mines is a serious concern. One of the risk factors is with regard to the ventilation systems. Computational fluid dynamics is one of the major tools used to study the air-flow distribution. It helps in understanding the blind galleries which may need adequate ventilation. It also helps suppress the spontaneous heating of poorly ventilated workings and in generating heat-stress plots inside the galleries to ensure the safety of mine workers.

Keywords

Coal Mining, Computational Fluid Dynamics, Heat Stress, Underground Mines, Ventilation Systems.
User
Notifications
Font Size

  • Power sectors of all India, administration of National Electricity Policy, Ministry of Power and Government of India, February 2020.
  • Kishore, B., Future of Bulk Production from Underground Coal Mine in India. Coal Mining Technology and Management (CMTM), June 2018, vol. 21(1).
  • Ren, T. and Balusu, T., The use of CFD modelling as a tool for solving mining health and safety problems. In 10th Underground Coal Operators’ Conference, University of Wollongong and the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, 2010, pp. 339–349.
  • Ren, T. and Wang, Z., Computational fluid dynamics modelling of respirable dust and gas behaviour on a longwall face. In Australian Mine Ventilation Conference, Australian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, Australia, 3 July 2013, pp. 191–200.
  • Lu, Y., Saad, A., Sasmito Agus, P. and Kurnia Jundika, C., Prediction of air flow, methane, and coal dust dispersion in a room and pillar mining face. Int. J. Min. Sci. Technol., 2017, 27(4), 657–662.
  • Liu, H., Mao, S., Li, M. and Yue, J., 3D simulation for dynamic characteristics of airflow and dust control in a laneway of coal mine. In 24th International Conference on Geoinformatics, Galway, 2016, pp. 1–6; doi:10.1109/GEOINFORMATICS.2016.7578972.
  • He, D. C. and Xueqiu, X. N., Numerical simulation of airflow distribution in mine blind galleries. Int. J. Min. Sci. Technol., 2017, 27(4), 663–667.
  • Vancho, A., Dejan, M., Zoran, D. and Stojance, M., CFD simulation of the brattice barrier method for approaching underground mine fires. Min. Sci., 2016, 23, 161–172; doi:10.5277/msc162313.
  • Javier, T., Susana, T., Mario, M., Malcolm, G. and Judith, V., Models of methane behaviour in auxiliary ventilation of underground coal mining. Int. J. Coal Geol., 2009, 80(1), 35–43.
  • Fluent Inc., FLUENT user’s guide, 2006.
  • ISO 7243. Hot environments estimation of the heat stress on working man, based on the WBGT-index (wet bulb globe temperature), 1989.
  • Hettinger, T. H., Peters, H., Noack, M. and Muller, B. H., Validation of the thermal indices for the evaluation of the heat load in steel industry. Final report of ESCS research contract, 1986.
  • Mairiaux, P. and Malchaire, J., Comparison and validation of heat stress indices in experimental studies. Ergonomics, 1995, 38, 58–72.
  • Mcpherson, M. J., Subsurface Ventilation and Environmental Engineering, Chapman and Hall, London, 1992.
  • Lotens, W. A. and Havenith, G., Effects of moisture absorption in clothing on the human heat balance. Ergonomics, 1995, 38, 1092–1113.
  • ISO 9920. Ergonomics of the thermal environment –estimation of thermal insulation and water vapour resistance of a clothing ensemble, 2007.
  • Lee, J.-H., Kim, Y.-K., Kim, K.-S. and Ki, S., Estimating clothing thermal insulation using an infrared camera. MDPI J., 2016, 16(3), 341; https://doi.org/10.3390/s16030341.
  • Mcpherson, M. J., Subsurface Ventilation Engineering, Mine Ventilation Service, Inc., Fresno, 2009.
  • ISO 7933, Ergonomics of the thermal environment –analytical determination and interpretation of heat stress using calculation of the predicted heat strain, 2004.
  • Waclawik, J. and Branny, M., Numerical modelling of heat exchange between a human body and the environment. Arch. Min. Sci., 2004, 49, 223–251.
  • Hartman, H. L., Mutmansky, J. M., Ramani, R. V. and Wang, Y. J., Mine Ventilation and Air Conditioning, John Wiley, New York, 1997.
  • Epstein, Y. and Moran, D. S., Thermal comfort and the heat stress indices. Ind. Health, 2006, 44, 388–398.
  • King, J., Thermoregulation: physiological responses and adaptations to exercise in hot and cold environments. J. Hyperplasia Res., 2004, 4.
  • Shapiro, Y. and Epstein, Y., Environmental physiology and indoor climate thermoregulation and thermal comfort. Energy Build, 1984, 7, 29–34.

Abstract Views: 434

PDF Views: 141




  • Analysis of Heat Stress in an Underground Coal Mine using Computational Fluid Dynamics

Abstract Views: 434  |  PDF Views: 141

Authors

Navin Prasad
Civil and Environmental Engineering, Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra 835 215, India
Bindhu Lal
Civil and Environmental Engineering, Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra 835 215, India

Abstract


Coal mining plays a significant role in the economy of India. The health and safety of miners working in underground mines is a serious concern. One of the risk factors is with regard to the ventilation systems. Computational fluid dynamics is one of the major tools used to study the air-flow distribution. It helps in understanding the blind galleries which may need adequate ventilation. It also helps suppress the spontaneous heating of poorly ventilated workings and in generating heat-stress plots inside the galleries to ensure the safety of mine workers.

Keywords


Coal Mining, Computational Fluid Dynamics, Heat Stress, Underground Mines, Ventilation Systems.

References





DOI: https://doi.org/10.18520/cs%2Fv121%2Fi2%2F264-274