An analysis of airflow patterns in auxiliary ventilated drivages

Moloney, Kenneth W. (1997) An analysis of airflow patterns in auxiliary ventilated drivages. PhD thesis, University of Nottingham.

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Abstract

In recent years the drivage advance rates achieved within the UK coal industry have increased. In the 1980's average drivage rates were 35m per week compared to the 100/150m per week possible today. These extended rates of advance have resulted in an increase in the potential methane, dust and heat generation within the vicinity of the drivage face. In order to effectively disperse this additional pollutant load a controlled increase in air quantity is required.

Although advance rates have changed, current auxiliary ventilation practice has not. UK mining law requires that the fresh air must be delivered to within 5m of the face. This has lead to the wide spread adoption of the use of overlap auxiliary systems within mechanised drivages, since a pure forcing system set at this distance from the face would lead to excessive airborne dust. UK mining law does not at present consider on-board mounted exhaust scrubber fans to constitute an effective overlap fan within mechanised drivages. Consequently an additional overlap exhaust fan is required to be installed within such drivages.

In an attempt to determine whether working conditions could be safely and economically improved within mechanised rapid development drivages utilising an on-board mounted exhaust fan, a series of preliminary full scale gallery trials were conducted. A summary of the principal findings of these trials is presented together with an outline of a series of representative CFD simulations.

This thesis examines the accuracy of CFD simulations for auxiliary ventilated headings. This is achieved by utilising Laser Doppler Anenometry (LDA) in a scale model representative of an underground heading and a detailed underground measurement programme conducted in production headings. These measured airflow values are then compared with representative CFD simulations and conclusions

Item Type: Thesis (University of Nottingham only) (PhD)
Supervisors: Lowndes, I.
Keywords: Mine ventilation
Subjects: T Technology > TN Mining engineering. Metallurgy
Faculties/Schools: UK Campuses > Faculty of Engineering > Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering
Item ID: 12364
Depositing User: EP, Services
Date Deposited: 16 Dec 2011 14:46
Last Modified: 16 Dec 2017 17:28
URI: https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/id/eprint/12364

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