Design and demonstration of a continuous dust control parameter monitoring system

The purpose of this joint U.S. Bureau of Mines-Mine Safety and Health Administration study was to assemble an intrinsically safe, continuous dust control parameter monitoring system and demonstrate the capabilities of the system to augment a coal mine`s dust control plan. Monitoring of the dust control parameters will assist the mine operator in restricting respirable dust levels in underground coal mining by keeping all dust control systems operating in concert and at optimum levels. Extensive laboratory tests were completed to determine appropriate sampling stations for the continuous monitor sensors to ensure accurate measurement and analysis of operating parameters. Field testing was done in an active longwall coal mining section to test the monitor`s durability and assess the reliability of the sensors and data acquisition system. It was demonstrated in this study that intrinsically safe instruments are available to be assembled into a continuous dust control parameter monitoring system. Therefore, with cooperation and support from the mining community, monitoring systems can be engineered into coal mining machines to assist in controlling respirable dust.