Air Flow Patterns in Coal Mines : A Study of Flow Patterns in Different Mining Configurations

Coal has been and remains an important source of energy for the generation of electricity worldwide. It is extracted from the ground by various mining techniques and currently presents one of the most dangerous working environments for humans. Accidents in coal mines are reported with alarming regularity in media. The two main factors that are directly linked to the dangers in mining of coal are the risk for explosions and inhalation of gases such as methane and coal dust. In light of the hazards with airborne pollutants, it is critical to ensure an adequate and efficient ventilation of the mine. From a safety point of view, one should ensure that there is a high exchange rate of air in every passage in the mine to keep the concentration of pollutants to a minimum; however, from an economical point of view, the cost in doing so would be prohibitive. This project addresses the ventilation of mines from a modeling and simulation point of view: After a literature review of various ventilation systems and existing models for ventilation in a coal mine, the author will derive a simple -yet efficient- model that can be solved for a mine after calibration.