Fire sensors and the detection of underground mine fires
- Bureau of Mines, Pittsburgh, PA (United States). Pittsburgh Research Center
This US Bureau of Mines study describes the results of research conducted in the Experimental Mine at Lake Lynn Laboratory on the response of fire-sensors to simulated mine fires, which include: a slowly-developing coal/conveyor belt fire, a rapidly burning liquid-fuel belt fire, and a liquid-fuel belt fire in the presence of diesel exhaust. During these tests, several mine fire sensors were evaluated with respect to sensor placement, spacing, and type. The data indicate that smoke sensors will alarm several minutes before carbon monoxide (CO) sensors; and that, in the presence of diesel exhaust, a prototype diesel-discriminating smoke sensor can successfully function without being sensitive to the diesel contaminants. The vertical placement of sensors in the entry near the fire was also shown to be critical in terms of alarm times. Additional data showed that variations exist in response time and level of response for two brands of electrochemical CO sensors. Results also indicate that early detection of fires will improve the probability of miners` escape, due to reduced smoke concentrations during the incipient stages of the fire.
- OSTI ID:
- 143755
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-930646-; TRN: IM9413%%265
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Longwall USA conference, Pittsburgh, PA (United States), 8-10 Jun 1993; Other Information: PBD: 1993; Related Information: Is Part Of Longwall U.S.A.: Conference papers; PB: 291 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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