RANCHI: In a first of its kind imitative, IIT (ISM) mining engineering research unit has discovered measures to prevent fire and explosion in mines and ensure better safety. Associate professor of mining engineering department IIT (ISM), Devi Prasad Mishra has conducted the research on pulverised coal that can help to improve the safety of coalmines from spontaneous combustion and explosion, as well
as risk management of coalmines.
The outcome of research titled ‘Physico-Chemical Characteristics of Pulverized Coal and their interrelations- a spontaneous combustion and explosion perspective’ can also have applications with regard to safety and risk management of process industries and utilities sector dealing with pulverized coal.
“Not only in coal mines, but the study will also prove to be helpful to the industries and utility sectors that deal with pulverized coal. It will strengthen their safety and help in the risk management process,” said Mishra. It was found during the study that with a decrease in particle size, its surface area increases which enables it to interact with oxygen, further increasing its combustibility and explosivity, he added.
The research findings helped the team to get knowledge about the particle size, exposed specific surface area and gas adsorption characteristics of coal of various particle sizes that in turn facilitated the mine management to take appropriate measures to prevent the occurrence of spontaneous combustion, mine
fires and explosions in coal mines.
The objective, according to Mishra, was to study the spontaneous combustion susceptibility of coal with particle size variation and exclusivity. The study will also give direction to further research in the field, he said. “Now, we will go to the application part and try to adopt techniques so that fire and explosions could be prevented in coal mines. For example, there is an issue of Jharia Coal Mines in Dhanbad; we will try to find out the material or chemical to put into it to check further spread of fire,” said Mishra.
In order to prevent fire and explosion in mines, suitable measures have to be taken to reduce dust so that they do not get in contact with oxygen, he added. Fire is a very common phenomenon in underground mines everywhere.
“This research can be extended to coarser mine size coals, which are generally found in goaf (mined out) areas of underground mines, coal stacks and waste dumps and prone to spontaneous combustion” further opined the Associate Professor while highlighting the need for further research in the area.
Elaborating on the advantages of the research Mishra said, “This unique study which led to a better understanding of the physio-chemical characteristics of pulverized coal also revealed the variations of bulk density, specific surface area and gas adsorption characteristics of coal with particle size”.
"The relationship developed in this research can help to determine the bulk density and specific surface area of pulverized coal of known particle size” summed up Mishra, adding that they visited several mines across the country during the course of research to analyze the pulverized coal.