Effect of rock dust on explosibility of coal dust. [Review of early research]

Technical Report · Wed Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1975

OSTI ID:7189365

Richmond, J K; Liebman, I; Miller, L F

Early research on coal dust explosions by the Federal Bureau of Mines and in other countries is reviewed to examine the effect of a single inhibitor, rock dust, on the explosion limits of coal dust. The parameters studied in this research included coal dust fineness, volatile content, and type of initiation. This research resulted in appropriate safety regulations in the respective countries. Also reported are the results of recent research in the Experimental Mine of the Bureau of Mines to investigate in detail the limits of coal dust explosions; the research used three types of coal with rock dust added as the independent variable. New experimental techniques and new criteria for defining propagation/nonpropagation were applied to the experiments. Also, a limit explosion propagation model is proposed based on the assumption of rapid devolatilization of the coal particles, with the subsequent combustion of the evolved volatile products contributing primarily to the propagation of the explosions. The model assumes also that the resultant char acts mainly as an inert diluent similar to the rock dust. The model also suggests that the function of stronger initiation is mostly to lift more dust from the mine surfaces.

• Research Organization: Bureau of Mines, Washington, DC (USA)
• OSTI ID: 7189365
• Report Number(s): BM-RI-8077
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
010600 -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Properties & Composition
016000* -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Health & Safety
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
COAL
COAL FINES
DOCUMENT TYPES
DUSTS
ENERGY SOURCES
EXPLOSIONS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
INHIBITION
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
REVIEWS
ROCKS
VOLATILITY