College of Mining, National University of Science and Technology–MISIS, Moscow, Russia:

N. O. Kaledina, Professor, Doctor of Engineering Sciences, nok52@mail.ru
V. A. Malashkina, Professor, Doctor of Engineering Sciences

The article addresses the issues of mine methane safety. The analysis of causes of accidents, among basic ones, points at insufficient development of methane safety issues in detailed designs. It is emphasized that sustained high productivity of cutting–loading machines needs enhancement of mine methane drainage efficiency, primarily, in coal beds under mining, for methane release from mined-out voids can be efficiently controlled using airing schemes with isolated dilution of methane with respect to its source. Working conditions in coal mines, despite the use of advanced protection equipment, including multi-functional safety systems, yet represent the most hazardous environment in mining. The highest threat to life of miners is considerable methane release from high-grade power-generating and coking coal. Thus, ensuring safe working environment by means of reduction in mine air methane content in the course of highly productive coal mining remains of the current concern. In most mines characterized by high methane content of coal, ventilation systems fail to maintain allowable methane concentration in a production face area during operation of a high-duty cutter–loader. Idling of cutter–loaders in order to drain face areas limits capacity of modern machines, which calls for improvement of inseam methane drainage efficiency. This article shows potential ways of upgrading coal mine methane drainage systems towards appreciable enhancement of mining safety of extraction panels in terms of methane owing to the control over gas-dynamic processes in mine drainage systems through sound selection of the design parameters of underground vacuum gas line with regard to hydro- and thermo-dynamic processes during transport of air and methane mixture. The reserve for enhancing efficiency of in-seam methane drainage and recovered methane utilization is adjustment of operating regimes of drainage plants depending on current parameters of mine air methane content. It is suggested to develop and document a procedure for joint calculation of design parameters and technical characteristics for mine ventilation–drainage system applicable at the stage of mine planning and in the course of actual mining.

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