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Field investigation to measure airflow velocities of a ram dump car using circular routing at a Midwestern underground coal mine: a case study

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Abstract

Due to the successful application of roof bolter canopy air curtains (CACs) to protect roof bolter operators from high levels of coal mine respirable dust, a shuttle car CAC is currently being developed. Since a shuttle car consistently trams from the continuous miner to the feeder and back at a speed up to 9.66 kph (6 mph) or 2.68 m/s (528 fpm), it is thought that the shuttle car may encounter very high air velocities (mine ventilation air velocity + max shuttle speed (2.68 m/s (528 fpm)). Past research and preliminary lab testing showed that CAC protection in high interference air velocities is difficult to achieve. Therefore, testing was conducted at a Midwestern US coal mine to determine the air velocities their shuttle car actually encounters. This mine used ram dump cars as their shuttle cars. Results showed that coal mine dust exposure is generally very low at the feeder and when tramming. Elevated concentrations are encountered at the ram dump car operator position when the car is being loaded by the continuous miner. Recorded air velocities while tramming did not reach the max air velocity of mine ventilation air velocity + 2.68 m/s (528 fpm) calculated as 3.32 m/s (653 fpm). High velocities, while encountered, were of low frequency and associated with low respirable coal mine dust concentrations. Therefore, using this new information, designing the shuttle car CAC for maximum interference air velocity may not be as important as previously thought.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. CDC-NIOSH, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

    W. R. Reed & M. Shahan

  2. J.H. Fletcher & Co., Huntington, WV, USA

    G. Ross

  3. Prairie State Generating Company LLC, Lively Grove, IL, USA

    K. Singh, R. Cross & T. Grounds

Authors
  1. W. R. Reed
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  2. M. Shahan
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  3. G. Ross
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  4. K. Singh
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  5. R. Cross
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  6. T. Grounds
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to W. R. Reed.

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The findings and conclusions in this report are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent of the official position of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Mention of any company name, product, or software does not constitute endorsement by NIOSH.

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Appendix

Appendix

Ram dump car traverses showing dust concentration and air velocity encountered during cycle. Blue-shaded areas = time behind CM, green-shaded areas = time at feeder.

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Traverse no. 1 of ram dump car (blue-shaded area = ram dump car at CM) (green-shaded area = ram dump car at feeder)

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Traverse no. 2 of ram dump car (blue-shaded area = ram dump car at CM) (green-shaded area = ram dump car at feeder)

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Traverse no. 3 of ram dump car (blue-shaded area = ram dump car at CM) (green-shaded area = ram dump car at feeder)

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Traverse no. 4 of ram dump car (blue-shaded area = ram dump car at CM) (green-shaded area = ram dump car at feeder)

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Traverse no. 5 of ram dump car (blue-shaded area = ram dump car at CM) (green-shaded area = ram dump car at feeder)

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Traverse no. 6 of ram dump car (blue-shaded area = ram dump car at CM) (green-shaded area = ram dump car at feeder)

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Traverse no. 7 of ram dump car (blue-shaded area = ram dump car at CM) (green-shaded area = ram dump car at feeder)

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Traverse no. 8 of ram dump car (blue-shaded area = ram dump car at CM) (green-shaded area = ram dump car at feeder)

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Traverse no. 9 of ram dump car (blue-shaded area = ram dump car at CM) (green-shaded area = ram dump car at feeder)

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Traverse no. 10 of ram dump car (blue-shaded area = ram dump car at CM) (green-shaded area = ram dump car at feeder)

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Reed, W.R., Shahan, M., Ross, G. et al. Field investigation to measure airflow velocities of a ram dump car using circular routing at a Midwestern underground coal mine: a case study. Environ Monit Assess 191, 515 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-019-7624-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-019-7624-8

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