Effect of shearer web depth on dust generation and methane liberation
The Bureau of Mines recently investigated dust generation and methane liberation during half- and full-web cutting at a double-drum shearer longwall face. This study was conducted to ascertain the health and safety aspects of wider web shearing at longwalls. Results from these underground tests showed that deeper web cutting reduced dust generation and methane liberation per ton of coal mined, while significantly improving shearer production rates. When cutting with the airflow (head-to-tail cut pass) full-web cutting decreased dust generation per ton by 16 pct at the shearer and 6 pct at the tailgate, with an increase in shearer production rate of 72 pct. Methane liberation per short ton also decreased by 36 pct at the shearer and 22 pct at the tailgate. Full-web cutting against the airflow (tail-to-head cut pass) decreased dust generation per ton by 41 pct at the shearer and 37 pct at the tailgate over half-web cutting, with an increase in shearer production rate of 61 pct. Methane liberation per ton also decreased by 35 pct at the shearer and 41 pct at the tailgate. These improvements for full-web cutting are a reflection of improved cutting efficiency (less dust and methane produced from cutting) and less new face area exposed per ton of coal mined (less methane liberated from face per short ton of coal mined).
- OSTI ID:
- 7129276
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
012033 -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Underground Mining-- Mine Environment-- (1987-)
016000* -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Health & Safety
AIR FLOW
ALKANES
COAL DEPOSITS
COAL SEAMS
CUTTING MACHINES
DEGASSING
DUSTS
EQUIPMENT
FLUID FLOW
GAS FLOW
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
HYDROCARBONS
LONGWALL MINING
METHANE
MINERAL RESOURCES
MINING
MINING EQUIPMENT
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PERFORMANCE
RESOURCES
SAFETY
UNDERGROUND MINING