Mine Rescue Research Articles

Innovative Method of Gas Control in Case of Accidents in Coal Mines

In the article on the basis of the analysis it is proved that the currently used technical means and methods of control of the mine atmosphere in coal mines during the conduct of rescue operations it is impossible to obtain complete and timely information about the gas situation in the system of mine workings of the emergency site and adjacent potentially hazardous areas. The article describes an Autonomous small-sized multichannel gas control system of a new technical level, protected by a patent for a utility model developed by LLC “Research and production center for automation of safety” (Moscow) and a Branch of “Prokopevsky paramilitary mine rescue unit” FSUE “VGSCH” EMERCOM of Russia (Prokopyevsk) in order to eliminate the noted problem of monitoring the mine atmosphere in the liquidation of the accident.

Personality and occupational stress in the field of mine rescue and intervention

The special conditions created by emergency situations are likely to lead to psychological and emotional strains. For part of intervention and rescue personnel, these are accompanied by mobilization of internal resources, while in others these may lead to disabling phenomena as well as the occurrence of stress symptoms. Some people have a constitutional or psychological vulnerability to the action of traditional stressors, being more prone to psychic stress. The multifactorial complex of non-specific factors that modulate the individual response necessarily includes personality traits, acquired during the individual’s experience and manifested in the context of its interactions with the social network, as well as in actual situations (stressful events). This paper presents the results of a series of psychological personality assessments of intervention and rescue personnel, in the context of analysing the relationship between personality traits and the risk of occupational stress occurrence.

Efficient Laser-Based 3D SLAM for Coal Mine Rescue Robots

An accurate description of laneway space with self-localization is a key issue when coal mine rescue robots (CMRRs) perform post-disaster exploration and rescue missions. The 3D simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) is an effective but time-critical and highly challenging task in complex laneway scenarios, especially after disasters. In this paper, we propose a novel real-time 3D SLAM based on normally distributed transform (NDT) that employs pose graph optimization and loop closure to further improve mapping consistency. We innovatively extract floors and walls in the laneway as plane nodes to construct landmark constraints, in addition to applying pose nodes from the lidar odometry via NDT. A lightweight and effective loop detection method is conducted using odometry with an appearance-based approach to building a globally consistent map. The proposed method was evaluated on a public dataset, and field tests in an underground coal mine were performed. Results indicate that our algorithm can achieve lower computational complexity and drift, which can provide pose estimation and environment description for CMRRs to realize remote control assistance and automatic navigation in coal mine rescue missions.

Effect of a Simulated Mine Rescue on Physiological Variables and Heat Strain of Mine Rescue Workers.

To describe physiological responses of mine rescuers during a simulated mine emergency. Body-worn monitors (n = 74) and core temperature (Tc) capsules (n = 54) assessed heart rate (HR), respiration rate (RR), energy expenditure (EE), oxygen consumption ((Equation is included in full-text article.)), Tc and skin temperature (Tskin), by team position and task. A multivariate analysis was performed with team positions, tasks, and measures as factors. HRmean and HRpeak were 78.6% and 94.5%, respectively, of predicted maximum heart rate. Arduous labor tasks elicited higher HR, RR, and (Equation is included in full-text article.)than casualty care. Captains exhibited lower HRmean, HRpeak, RR, RRpeak, (Equation is included in full-text article.), Tc, and Tskin compared with other positions. Tc mean exceeded 38.6 °C (n = 14 recorded Tc >39 °C). Captains' physical loading and heat stress were lowest. Nonetheless, all tasks and positions induced high physical load and heat strain.

Analysis of SRK S.A. mining rescue costs

In connection with the mining reform, which took place in 2015, and the necessity to liquidate some of the active mining plants, the Management Board of SRK S.A. established the Emergency Rescue Station. Below article describes the beginnings of SRK mining rescue organization and its current situation. The main intention of this paper is to present an analysis of SRK S.A. mining salvage costs in 2015-2017 related to its equipment, maintenance and operations. Next important aspect is a presentation of the results of the SWOT analysis, which tries to answer the question if having its own mining rescue services bring SRK S.A. losses or financial benefits. The presented results are an interesting case study that illustrate the actual level of annual expenses and capital expenditures borne by SRK S.A. in order to ensure the safety of people working underground in liquidated mining plants and the savings brought by own mining rescue services.

Antenna with a reactive impedance substrate for mine rescue applications

Antenna with a reactive impedance substrate for mine rescue applications

The Mines Rescue Service in the Polish System of Crisis Management

The paper presents the place of the mines rescue service in the structures of the crisis management system in Poland. The mines rescue service as one of several entities of the rescue system in Poland focuses on helping injured miners and other people trapped underground. The paper mentions existing legal regulations concerning the mines rescue service and other emergency services. An important piece of legislation for members of mines rescue teams, is the ordinance of the Minister of Energy of 16 March 2017 which introduces a number of revolutionary changes such as obligation to deliver qualified first aid and on-the-spot psychological support. In this way the mines rescue service has become more utilitarian and more universal and therefore may be efficiently used for operations in more general crisis situations and even better contribute to the smooth functioning of the state.

The Encountered Problems and Solutions in the Development of Coal Mine Rescue Robot

Based on the various problems in the process of coal robot applications, from three-dimensional analysis of the key technology, market demand, and policy regulations and standardization, the paper reviews the use of carbon fiber material, elastic material of traditional surface spraying and integral casting technology to realize lightweight robot, by using the dual redundant design to improve the reliability of the rescue robot CPU, through the functions of voice recognition obstacle sensor, gas sensor acquisition components, and distribution information to realize the underground rescue mission. In addition, virtual test technology, hardware in the loop simulation technology, and shrinkage model technology are proposed to solve the difficulties of hard field testing of rescue robots. These suggest that concrete measures have been pointed out to break the problem of the development of the coal mine relief robot.

Testing of Sealing Elements for FIB-1 Apparatus Designed to Liquidate Open Eruption by Drilling Tools

Abstract Petroleum and natural gas still have their place among the most important resources in many industrial areas. Their global consumption influences an increasing demand on the quality of drilling works and the efficiency of extraction. Nonetheless, even in this field of human activity, we can encounter exceptional events and accidents. One of the most serious kinds of accidents during exploration is the so called open eruption of extracted medium. The specific case of this accident is an open eruption caused by drilling tools when a working crew is not capable of securing drilling workplace. In order to solve this emergency situation, Main Mining Rescue Station Hodonin (HBZS Hodonin), in cooperation with researchers from Faculty of Mining and Geology at VSB - Technical University of Ostrava, designed and developed specialised apparatus DPRP (Drill Pipe Rescue Press), working designation FIB-1. This apparatus enables the liquidation of eruption by pressing the drilling pipe. The residual crack, which remains following the pressing, must be eliminated by sealing materials. This paper reviews the testing of sealing elements (materials), designed by our team, in residual crack of circle shape with help of hydraulic press MTS 816 Rock Test System.

A simple optimization method for the design of a lightweight, explosion-proof housing for a coal mine rescue robot

Weight has a significant effect on the mobile performance of a robot. A coal mine rescue robot (CMRR) is a special type of mobile robot and is relatively heavy because it is explosion proof. In this study, a simple optimization method is proposed for the design of a lightweight, explosion-proof housing of a CMRR. A stress analysis of the individual panels is performed first and ANSYS software is used to perform a stress analysis of multiple stiffened panels. A simple stress equation is developed based on the results and represents the basis of the optimization method. Subsequently, the optimization equations of the explosion-proof housing are developed and the explosion-proof housing of the CUMT-IV robot is designed. Explosion tests were conducted using a physical prototype to verify the strength of the explosion-proof housing. Further, two simple guidelines are developed based on the optimized results to reduce the design difficulty for engineering applications. The simple optimization method proved suitable for designing the explosion-proof housing.

3D modeling in engineering design of mine rescue work tactics

3D modeling in engineering design of mine rescue work tactics

Engineer training of mine rescue men

Engineer training of mine rescue men

Tenability analysis for improvement of firefighters’ performance in a methane fire event at a coal mine working face

Due to the high rate of methane ignitions at active continuous miner working faces in underground coal mines, this location has been the focus of many researchers, as well as safety initiatives. Multiple ignitions occur annually in US mines, and outcomes vary widely based on the magnitude of the ignition and the subsequent damage to ventilation controls or development of active fire. Depending on the magnitude of the explosion or fire, auxiliary ventilation controls, such as exhausting line curtain or tubing may be damaged or completely removed, affecting the ventilation into the area. Investigation of a typical dead end continuous miner working face with exhausting ventilation was undertaken to explore firefighting conditions post ignition. Regular mining crews are trained in the fighting of mine fires, while mine rescue or fire brigade teams may also be utilized for firefighting depending upon the conditions. The research in this article develops an approach to analyze the tenable limits in a fire event in an underground coal mine for barefaced miners, mine rescue teams, and fire brigade teams in order to improve safety and training of personnel trained to fight fires. A detailed computational fluid dynamics analysis was conducted to investigate temperature, visibility, radiation, and concentration of combustion products based on different damage assumptions following an ignition at the continuous miner working face. The source of the combustion products analysis and the exposure effects were considered to assess the potential for harm to mine personnel, mine rescue teams, or fire brigades during a firefighting operation, taking into account their training and personal protective equipment during the 5- and 15-min exposure. This study has shown that if the exhausting line curtain was destroyed, the situation would not be tenable for barefaced personnel. The findings were utilized to recommend the tenable limits for barefaced miners, mine rescue team, and fire brigade teams during the 15-min exposure to the methane fire at a continuous miner working face. The outcome of this research, applied to training, will result in the more efficient evacuation, as well as safe and effective firefighting under certain conditions.

A Novel Framework Based on the Improved Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) Model to Understand the Impact of Job Characteristics on Job Burnout from the View of Emotion Regulation Theory.

It has been suggested that individual job characteristics have a significant impact on job burnout, and the process is subject to the regulation of demographic variables. However, the influence path of job characteristics on job burnout is still a "black box". On the basis of a systematic literature review by employing Pub Med, Science Direct, Web of Science, Google Scholar, CNKI and Scopus for required information with the several keywords "Job burnout", "Emotion regulation", "Personality traits", and "Psychological stress", in this study, an improved mine rescue workers-oriented job demands-resources (JD-R) model was put forward. Then, a novel analysis framework, to explore the impact of job characteristics on job burnout from the view of emotion regulation theory, was proposed combining the personality trait theory. This study argues that job burnout is influenced by job demands through expressive suppression and by job resources through cognitive reappraisal respectively. Further more, job demands and job resources have the opposite effects on job burnout through the "loss-path" caused by job pressure and the "gain-path" arised from job motivation, respectively. Extrovert personality traits can affect the way the individual processes the information of work environment and then how individual further adopts emotion regulation strategies, finally resulting in indirectly affecting the influence path of mine rescue workers' job characteristics on job burnout. This present study can help managers to realize the importance of employees' psychological stress and job burnout problems. The obtained conclusions provide significant decision-making references for managers in intervening job burnout, managing emotional stress and mental health of employees.

The Wireless Channel Characteristic Analysis of Coal Mine Rescue Robot in Unstructured Vertical Working Environment

Coal mine rescue robot wireless communication system is the important premise to the coal mine disaster rescue work. Based on the wireless signal transmission mechanism, we research the rescue robot emergency wireless channel characteristic mode in the vertical roadway of the unstructured environment. In this environment, the signal attenuation law has been revealed. After theoretical analysis, the wireless channel change rule has been grasped in the vertical working environment. It provide the basis to rescue robot in complex environment when build a wireless communication network.

Analiza wymagań prawnych dotyczących bezpieczeństwa i higieny pracy w ratownictwie górniczym

Analiza wymagań prawnych dotyczących bezpieczeństwa i higieny pracy w ratownictwie górniczym

Research of Pose Control Algorithm of Coal Mine Rescue Snake Robot

Aiming at how to achieve optimal control of joint pitch angles in the process of the robot surmounting obstacle, taking the developed coal mine rescue snake robot as an experimental platform, a pose control algorithm based on particle swarm optimization weight coefficient of extreme learning machine (PSOELM) is proposed. In order to obtain the optimized hidden layer matrix of the extreme learning machine (ELM), particle swarm optimization (PSO) is applied to optimize the weight coefficient of hidden layer matrix. The simulation and experiment results prove that, compared with the ELM algorithm, the smaller mean square error (MSE) between the joint pitch angles of robot and the expected values is acquired by the PSOELM, which overcomes the shortcoming that traditional extreme learning machine cannot reach the best performance because of the random selection of the parameters of the hidden layer nodes. PSOELM is superior to ELM algorithm in control accuracy, fast searching for the optimal and stability. Optimal control of robot’s joint pitch angles is achieved. The algorithm is applied to the surmounting obstacle control of the developed snake robot, and it lays the foundation for further implement of the coal mine rescue.

POSSIBILITIES OF THE USE OF WORKING SELF-CONTAINED BREATHING APPARATUSES FILTRATING CARBON MONOXIDE IN THE PRACTICE OF MINE RESCUE SERVICES

Abstract In the current practice of the Mining Rescue Service of the Czech Republic, since 2005, the insulated overpressure regenerative breathing apparatuses with a closed circuit and supply of medicinal oxygen are used as the backbone working breathing apparatuses. At the end of the year 2010, the compressed-air breathing apparatuses were introduced into the practice of the Mining Rescue Service of the Czech Republic, which, in precisely defined types of mine rescue service interventions and under precisely defined conditions, can replace the aforementioned backbone working insulated overpressure regenerative breathing apparatuses. Recently, mining rescue services in deep coal mines have been more and more often conducted under conditions of an irrespirable mine atmosphere containing high concentrations of carbon monoxide, but at the same time containing sufficient oxygen for the breathing physiology of mine rescuer (for example, interventions dealing with the disposal of machinery under conditions of occurrence of endogenous mining fire of coal). This fact, after a long time, has resumed again the discussion of miners' rescue experts about whether it would be possible to implement the use of breathing apparatuses filtrating carbon monoxide into practice by the Mining Rescue Services of the Czech Republic in order to ensure a sufficient level of safety for mining rescuers even in an unexpected and rapid decline of the oxygen amount in the mine air at the site of the mine rescue service. The benefit of the breathing apparatuses filtrating carbon monoxide is their significantly lower weight, long protection period and also significantly smaller dimensions and design variability of the device. The disadvantages are higher breathing resistances and a higher temperature of the air mass inhaled from the breathing apparatus filtrating carbon monoxide.

Study on the Unsafe Acts and Education Function in Coal Mine Accidents Caused by Rescue

This paper selects 69 coal mine rescue accidents from 1981 to 2011 in China, focusing on direct unsafe acts and high-frequency unsafe acts that lead to coal mine rescue accidents. Two conclusions can be drawn. The first conclusion is that there are five categories of direct unsafe acts that cause coal mine rescue accidents: not wearing respirators as required, not following the gas detection requirements, the poor abilities of the ambulance crew, technical measures not in place, and the violation of commanding. The first two has a larger proportion, as their sum is 57.97%, more than half. The second conclusion is that out of all relevant unsafe acts, nineteen categories of high-frequency unsafe acts are statistically significant, and 5 types are well-marked due to their higher frequency: not wearing respirators when rescuing, talking through respirator in the underground rescue process, not testing underground gas composition dynamically, not carrying a spare respirator, no pro-examination of the equipment. The analysis results can be used to educate employees and students.

International Scientific and Research Conference on Knowledge-based Technologies in Development and Utilization of Mineral Resources (KTDMUR2017)

PrefaceSince 1995 the Siberian State Industrial University has been organizing an international scientific conference Knowledge-based technologies in development and utilization of mineral resources which is devoted to the issues of critical technologies in exploration, development of mineral deposits and their extraction, search for original knowledge-based directions of mining production diversification providing a comprehensive extraction of mineral resources, their deep processing and use. The conference is held annually within the framework of the International Specialized Exhibition of Mining Technologies Russian Coal and Mining.In 2017 the conference was held from 6 to 9 June and was dedicated to the 400th anniversary of the city of Novokuznetsk. The conference was organized by Siberian State Industrial University (Novokuznetsk, Russia), Federal Research Center for Coal and Coal Chemistry of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Kemerovo, Russia), National Mine Rescue Center (Novokuznetsk, Russia), the University of Science and technology Liaoning (Anshan, China), Expo center “Kuzbass Fair” (Novokuznetsk, Russia). The event was actively supported by the Administration of Kemerovo Region and Novokuznetsk, the Russian Foundation for Basic Research.The conference is a recognized scientific and practical forum for professional discussion of problems related to the state and prospects for the development of new technologies, machinery and equipment that ensure the rational use of mineral resources, industrial and environmental safety of mining enterprises. The event was attended by scientists and specialists from different institutions, companies and coal mining enterprises from Russia, Germany, India, Italy, the Donetsk People’s Republic. Active participation of PhD students and young scientists is particularly noteworthy.More than 100 papers were presented at the conference by authors and research teams. The present issue of IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science contains 45 specially selected research papers covering the following topics: knowledge-based technologies for the development of mineral deposits, geomechanical and gas-dynamic processes in the integrated development of underground resources, innovative solutions for improvement of the technical level of mining equipment production, automation of control systems in mining, new directions for energy supply and energy saving at mining enterprises, provision of industrial and environmental safety in mining, deep processing of coal and coal products.The Organizing Committee would like to thank the Russian Foundation for Basic Research for its financial support (project No. 17-05-20150). We also appreciate contribution of all conference participants into development of mining science and practice.Vice-chair of the Organizing Committee and Editor-in-chiefProf. Dr. Viktor Fryanov