Common Ventilation Problems In The Appalachian Coal Region - A Case Study

When extending the life of an existing mine in Appalachia, it is common to acquire the adjacent reserves and extend the existing mine into it. The existing mine is often renovated to accommodate the new conditions. The existing mining system and the track and belt haulage systems may he modified while the new property is integrated into the old one. All of these changes create new constraints for the mine ventilation system (MVS) that require proper planning and control procedures. This paper presents a study that was carried out for the ventilation system of a newly expanded underground coal mine in the Appalachian region. The process of correcting the ventilation system of the existing mine is discussed. That is followed by a discussion of some of the stages of controlling the expanded system. Numerical data for these steps are also presented.