Handbook for methane control

IC 9486
Information Circular/2006
TM

Handbook for Methane Control in Mining

Department of Health and Human Services
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

Information Circular 9486

Handbook for Methane Control in Mining
By Fred N. Kissell, Ph.D.

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Disease Control andPrevention National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Pittsburgh Research Laboratory Pittsburgh, PA June 2006

ORDERING INFORMATION
Copies of National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) documents and information about occupational safety and health are available from NIOSH–Publications Dissemination 4676 Columbia Parkway Cincinnati, OH 45226–1998 FAX: Telephone:e-mail: Website: 513–533–8573 1–800–35–NIOSH (1–800–356–4674) pubstaft@cdc.gov www.cdc.gov/niosh

This document is in the public domain and may be freely copied or reprinted.
————————————————————— Disclaimer: Mention of any company or product does not constitute endorsement by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). In addition, citations to Web sites external to NIOSHdo not constitute NIOSH endorsement of the sponsoring organizations or their programs or products. Furthermore, NIOSH is not responsible for the content of these Web sites.

DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2006–127

CONTENTS
Page About this handbook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Chapter 1.—Facts about methane that are important to mine safety, by F. N. Kissell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Chapter 2.—Sampling for methane in mines and tunnels, by F. N. Kissell . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Chapter 3.—Methane control at continuous miner sections, by F. N. Kissell, C. D. Taylor, and G. V. R. Goodman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Chapter 4.—Preventing methane ignitions at longwall faces, by F. N. Kissell and A. B. Cecala . . . .. . . . . . . . . . 55 Chapter 5.—Bleeder systems in underground coal mines, by J. E. Urosek, W. J. Francart, and D. A. Beiter . . . . . 63 Chapter 6.—Coal seam degasification, by P. C. Thakur . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77 Chapter 7.—Managing excess gas emissions associated with coal mine geologic features, by J. P. Ulery . . . . . .. 97 Chapter 8.—Forecasting gas emissions for coal mine safety applications, by C. O. Karacan and W. P. Diamond . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113 Chapter 9.—Control of methane during coal mine shaft excavation and filling, by F. N. Kissell . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127 Chapter10.—Methane control in highwall mining, by J. C. Volkwein and F. N. Kissell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135 Chapter 11.—Control of methane in coal silos, by F. N. Kissell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141 Chapter 12.—Explosion hazards of coal dust in the presence of methane, by K. L. Cashdollar and M. J. Sapko . 147 Chapter 13.—Methane control inmetal/nonmetal mines, by H. J. Head and F. N. Kissell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151 Chapter 14.—Preventing methane gas explosions during tunnel construction, by F. N. Kissell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169 Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181...