Interestingly, two of the research projects deal with proven Chinese technology and their transference to Australia.
The application of longwall top coal caving (LTCC) to Australia has been the subject of ongoing research for some time. The project just approved, Longwall Top Coal Caving Application Assessment In Australia aims to develop design tools and technology to facilitate the application of the LTCC method in Australia. The project will develop a geotechnical top coal caving model and assessment procedure, an understanding of the environmental hazards and an optimum top coal mining process model.
The second Chinese related project, Locating underground heatings with surface radon detecting technique continues earlier ACARP research into this technology.
Radon detecting techniques are used on the surface to identify underground heating events related to spontaneous combustion. This usually occurs in the goaf where it is very difficult to accurately identify the location of the heating and is hard to control.
The earlier ACARP project successfully identified temperature abnormalities over a known heating area in the longwall 7 goaf at Dartbrook mine. The new research will aim to further the understanding of how the technique works and develop a prototype radon collector.
Detection and prevention of underground explosions forms an important theme in this year’s projects.
Safety in Mines Testing and Research Station (SIMTARS) has two projects related to this issue.
Investigation into the Effect of Equipment Placement within a Flameproof Enclosure aims to make it easier to make modifications to equipment in flameproof enclosures without the need for additional testing and certification.
Equipment placed in flameproof enclosures has to be organized in a certain configuration that will withstand an internal ignition. When the phenomenon of pressure piling occurs excessive pressure can develop within a flameproof enclosure. For this reason the location of components within an enclosure is fixed.
Problems arise when the configuration of an enclosure has to be changed or components added - a costly and time consuming process that adds to the price of certification of flameproof equipment. Thus there is a need to identify the boundaries within which component placement can be changed or additional equipment included, typically during the overhaul and repair of the enclosure, without compromising the flameproof certification of the equipment.
Second SIMTARS project Effectiveness of Slurry Stone Dusting in Preventing the Progression of Underground Explosions aims to test the efficacy of slurry dusting, which tends to dry to a hard cake form.
It is suspected that the stone dust, in this hard cake form, will not be dispersed in sufficient quantity to form an effective suppressant in the case of weaker explosions.
Another innovative project is looking at flameproof enclosures from a different angle – it asks why not make them transparent?
The project entitled, Transparent Flameproof Enclosure Cover aims to build a large sized transparent flameproof cover to allow underground workers to physically observe the operation of enclosed equipment.
Researchers said this has the potential to dramatically reduce the time taken to diagnose equipment faults on electrically powered machines and improve equipment availability. In addition, transparent covers will also assist maintenance staff with preventative maintenance because poorly performing equipment can be replaced before complete failure occurs.
“If the new cover reduced the downtime of a longwall shearer by as little as one hour per week, then the cost of this project would be recovered in less than three months,” researchers said.
