Fire detection for conveyor-belt entries. Rept. of Investigations/1991

Technical Report · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1991

OSTI ID:5509920

Litton, C D; Lazzara, C P; Perzak, F J

The report details the results of a series of large-scale experiments where small coal fires were used to ignite conveyor belting at air velocities ranging from 0.76 m/s to 6.1 m/s. In the tests, electrical strip heaters imbedded within a pile of coal were used to heat the coal to a point of flaming ignition. The flaming coal subsequently ignited conveyor belting located approximately 5 to 10 cm above the coal pile. During the tests, temperature, CO, and smoke levels were continuously measured in order to determine both alarm time and level as the fire intensity progressed through the stages of smoldering coal, flame coal, and flaming coal plus flaming belt. Analysis of the data leads to certain conditions of air velocity and sensor alarm levels that are required for early detection of conveyor belt entry fires. Two nomographs are presented which define sensor alarm levels and sensor spacings as a function of belt entry cross-sectional area and belt entry air velocity.

• Research Organization: Bureau of Mines, Pittsburgh, PA (United States). Pittsburgh Research Center
• OSTI ID: 5509920
• Report Number(s): PB-92-152107/XAB; BUMINES-RI--9380
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
016000* -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Health & Safety
AEROSOLS
AIR FLOW
ALARM SYSTEMS
BELT CONVEYORS
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON MONOXIDE
CARBON OXIDES
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CHALCOGENIDES
COAL
COAL MINES
COLLOIDS
CONVEYORS
DETECTION
DISPERSIONS
ENERGY SOURCES
EQUIPMENT
FIRE DETECTORS
FIRE HAZARDS
FIRES
FLUID FLOW
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GAS FLOW
HAULAGE EQUIPMENT
HAZARDS
IGNITION
MATERIALS
MATERIALS HANDLING EQUIPMENT
MINES
MONITORING
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
RESIDUES
SENSITIVITY
SMOKES
SOLS
TEMPERATURE MEASUREMENT
UNDERGROUND FACILITIES