Abstract
This paper deals with the increasing safety of working in aggressive potential locations, having SCADA system and WSN sensors, using a “probabilistic strategy” in comparison with a “deterministic” one, modeling/simulation and application in underground coal mining. In general, three conditions can be considered: 1) an unfriendly environment that facilitates the risk of accidents, 2) aggressive equipments that can compete to cause accidents and 3) the work security breaches that can cause accidents. These conditions define the triangle of accidents and are customized for an underground coal mining where the methane gas is released with the exploitation of the massive coal. In this case, the first two conditions create an explosive potential atmosphere. To allow people to work in a safe location it needs: first, a continuing monitoring through SCADA system of the explosive potential atmosphere and second, the use of antiexplosive equipment. This method, named “deterministic strategy”, increases the safety of working, but the explosions have not been completely eliminated. In order to increase the safety of working, the paper continues with the presentation of a new method based on hazard laws, named “probabilistic strategy”. This strategy was validated through modeling/simulation using CupCarbon software platform, and application of WSN networks implemented on Arduino equipments. At the end of the paper the interesting conclusions are emphases which are applicable to both strategies.
Highlights
This paper deals with the increasing safety of working in aggressive potential locations, having SCADA system and WSN sensors, using a “probabilistic strategy” in comparison with a “deterministic” one, modeling/simulation and application in underground coal mining
Three conditions can be considered: 1) an unfriendly environment that facilitates the risk of accidents, 2) aggressive equipments that can compete to cause accidents and 3) the work security breaches that can cause accidents. These conditions define the triangle of accidents and are customized for an underground coal mining where the methane gas is released with the exploitation of the massive coal
To allow people to work in a safe location it needs: first, a continuing monitoring through SCADA system of the explosive potential atmosphere and second, the use of antiexplosive equipment
Summary
As stated [1], in some activities, staff must work in an unfriendly or even aggressive zone where the environment in which the activity unfolds can affect the health and safety of the people. A location with potential for accidents can be maintained as a safe location if by technical means the conditions (1) and (3) are excluded. Work is only allowed in secure locations. Depending on the concrete case, the accident triangle can be customized as it will appear in the context for the case encountered in underground carbon mining [2]. Supplementary, the presence of ignition energy sources (hot surfaces, flame and hot gases, mechanical and/or electric sparks, electrical equipment, static electricity, electromagnetic waves, exothermic reactions, etc.) transforms a potentially explosive atmosphere, into an explosion-hazardous location. Electrical equipment is a source of ignition energy and to prevent the initiation of explosions, is specially manufactured in an antiexplosive construction
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