Mining Project: Continuous Monitoring of Airflow and Methane in Coal Mines

Research Summary

This project developed guidelines to assess ventilation effectiveness in underground coal mines using improved sampling protocols and defining optimal instrument locations for continuous-reading airflow and methane monitors.

This project had five research aims, as follows:

1. identify potential applications and limitations of integrated air velocity and methane monitoring systems;
2. develop guidelines to interpret air velocity and methane monitor outputs;
3. determine the size and concentration of methane clouds at continuous miner faces;
4. improve knowledge and understanding of airflows in extended cuts; and
5. define the effects of airflow directions and magnitudes on controlling methane levels in these extended cuts.