Venting, Remote Air Sampling and Monitoring of Air Quality in Blasted Mining Excavations: Current Problems and Solutions

Abstract

Objective: to analyze working conditions and safety of miners involved in mining excavations by drilling and blasting and to develop modern schemes and technical solutions to improve their standards. Methodology: comprehensive and detailed analytical studies of the current problems connected with occupational health and safety of personnel working specifically in lifting mine excavations of different purposes were carried out, on the basis of which the key tasks for their practical solution were defined. Results: The preliminary analysis and analytical studies have determined that the main and most acute problems requiring an urgent solution are connected with the ventilation of mine workings, and the need to improve the means of sampling and express-control of the quality of air from the bottom-hole zone of mines. According to the state standard “System of product development and launching into manufacture” (“DSTU 3974-2000”) the fundamentally new integral system of schemes and technical solutions (having no analogs) was developed. The system allows for efficiently and reliably solving the extremely complicated issues of ventilation, dust and gas removal, air quality sampling, and control (express analysis) of air composition in drilling and blasting mining excavations of different purposes (ore mining, ventilation, material-entry) to the height of 80-100 m. The developed equipment includes a multipurpose high-pressure ejector-type automatic dust collector ADC-1, designed for efficient ventilation of lifting workings and providing normal sanitary and hygienic working conditions for tunnelers while performing their work cycle, and for reliable neutralization of explosion products; the modernized device for remote control of air composition RCAC-20/80 ore-welding ventilation and material-entry from the bottom-hole zone of the lifting excavations. This process can be carried out both with the use of standard special indicator tubes with chemical reagents and with the use of modern electronic gas-measuring apparatuses (“Dräger-2500/5000” made in Germany or their analogs). Scientific novelty: the integration, i.e. bringing into a single system, of developed up-to-date technical solutions for effective ventilation, reliable dust and gas extraction, gas removal, and air quality sampling and control of air composition of the lifting workings by the drilling and blasting method.