DISRUBUTION OF MINE AIR-I 30

UNIT-IV
DISRIBUTION OF MINE AIR -1

4.0 OBJECTIVES:
After this unit ,the learner will be able to know
 Ventilation devices - Brattices , Stoppings ventilation doors ,Regulators.
 Construction ,Location and field of application of ventilation devices. Effects of
regulators on mine ventilation system .
 Effects of regulator on mine ventilation systems .
 Accessional and Descensional .
 Merits and demerits of Ascensional and Descensional ventilation system .
 Homotropal and Antitropal ventilation
 Sources of leakage of air in a mine .
 Preventive measure of leakage of air.
 Purpose of air -lock .
 Location of air -lock.

4.1 INTRODUCTION:
Working conditions in underground are obviously dangerous and inconvenient unless
planned well. the problems like poor ventilation, increased temperature, humidity and dust are
more common in underground. If proper measures and arrangements are not made against
these problems the miners fell inconvenient and discomfort and thereby productivity and
production are get reduced.
These problems can be controlled by the proper design and right location of brattices,
ventilation doors, stoppings, air-crossings and regulators. These appliances must be maintained
in efficient working order and in good repair.
4.2.0 Coursing Of Air
Coursing of air is the process of supplying the fresh air in a mine up to the last working
places in required proportion by using the devices like brick stoppings , ventilation doors,
brattice cloth, air-crossings, air pipes and regulators by avoiding the leakage of air.
4.2.1 Ventilation Devices
Brattice cloth, ventilation stoppings, ventilation doors, regulators, and air-crossings.
4.2.2 Description Of Ventilation Devices
1. Brattices : Brattice portions are erected to course the ventilating current upto the
working face in a narrow heading e.g. in the main heading or companion heading in
bord and pillar working.
Only the roads in bye of the last connecting gallery or roadway should be fitted with a
brattice portion which is however useful only for a limited length. Long stone drifts and
headings if partitioned by brattice cloth will not give adequate quantity of air at the face and the
auxiliary fan os usually the convenient arrangement for proper ventilation.
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2 . Ventilation Stoppings :These stoppings are to be made of incombustible material and

there fore are of brick or stone. The thickness of ventilation stopping is minimum 38cms of
brick or stone in lime or cement and plastered to prevent leakage of air .
3.Doors: Doors are used on these roads which are required for ventilation, it should be
taken of hinges and kept way. The ventilation door must be arranged to close automatically
and with this object the frame of the door is fitted that the top lean about 50mm -75mm
forward in the direction of pressure .The door of course should open against the intake air so
that air pressure normally keeps it closed .
4.2.3 Regulators
A regulator is a window of adjustable opening in a brick
- stopping . the shutter of the regulator can be locked in
position to prevent tampering by workers .
Introduction of a regulator in a roadway increases
the resistance to the air current and it should therefore be
used on the return side of the district whose ventilation
has to be reduced and fixed in a place where all the air of the
district has to pass. Obviously a regulator cannot be
placed on haulage roads.
The regulator has the effect of reducing the air
flowing the in regulated split and at the same time
increasing the volume of air flowing in the un regulated split. If a return air-way is common to
two districts and one of the district is to be regulated the regulator must be placed in the intake
air way of this split to be regulated. If such in take airway is to be used for traffic of tubs or
workers it is not possible to fit
the regulator in a stopping
and it should therefore be
fitted in a ventilation door.
4.2.5. Air –Crossings: Air
crossings are constructed
where intake air and retunr air
currents have to cross each
other. These should be leak-
proof, and fire proof and
have ample cross section. Normally an air crossing is constructed at a place where it has a
reasonably long life and the ground free from rock movement. Air crossing in a gassy coal
mine (degree 2 and 3) should be explosion proof.
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4.2.5. ASCENSIONAL AND

DESCENSIONAL VENTILATION

Ascensional Ventilation
Ascensional ventilation is the
system of supply of ventilation air to the
lower levels of the district or faces and
then travel to the higher levels before it
mixes with the return air as shown fig.
4.2(split-A)
Merits:
1. Fire damp being lighter than air
,smoke ,fumes etc .has the tendency to
move higher levels .
2. Natural ventilation assists the fan
ventilation because it gets hot
during travel in the mine and has the property to go to higher levels .

3. If the fan is stopped the air will flow continuously in the same direction by natural
ventilation .
Descensional Ventilation
Descensional ventilation is the system of supplying the air to the rise side of the district and
allow it to travel to the lower levels and then meets the return air by ventilating all the working
places as shown in fig (split B).
Merits
1.In hot deep mines the air become discomfort as it pass over water drains of dip side and it
reaches the upper working places in drier and cooler conditions, If it is implemented with
ascentional ventilation system .In such conditions descensional ventilation system is preferred .
2. During hydraulic sand stowing methods in dip side workings the descensional ventilation
system is preferred .
4.2.7 Homotropal And Antitropal Ventilation
when the air and mineral flow in the same direction, the ventilation method is known as
homotropal ventilation .
when the air and mineral flow in the opposite direction the ventilation method is said to be
antitropal ventilation.
4.2.8 Sources Of Leakage Of Air
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1. Doors of fan drift and air lock , If the air lock is provided with glass windows to admit
natuaral light at the pit top , a broken glass plane causes heavy leakage .
2. Where air lock is not provided , the space between the cages and shaft walls and also
between the cages and pit top landing level is covered by wooden lid which is lifted by the
ascending cage , the arrangement permits of substantial leakage and it is heavy whenthe lid is
lifed by the winding rope capel and the cage is resting at the pit -top.
3. Ventilation stoppings , ventilation doors and air-crossings.
4. In the longwall method of coal mining, the roadside packwalls if the goaf is not solid
stowed.
5. Broken or crushed pillars of coal.
6. Wrong siting of underround booster fan.
4.2.8. Preventive Measures Of Leakages Of Mine Air
1. Air-locks at the pit-top should be of proper design
2. Doors of the airlocks and of the fan drift should have rubber linings for leakage
proof closing.
3. Precautions should be taken to see that both the doors of an airlock are not
opened simultaneously, and this point should be impressed upon the workers. If
possible the doors should be mechanically interlocked so that when one is open, the
other cannot be opened.
4. Have the underground intake and return as far apart as possible and have very few
connections between them. If possible the main return and main intake of the mine
should be kept in different seams.
Care must be taken to locate major airways in strong undistutbed ground to
reduce leakage.
5. All the underground ventilation doors, ventilation stoppings and air-crossings
should be well constructed and maintained.
6. In longwall method of coal mining roadside packwalls should be well constructed
to avoid leakage through them .
7. Where the pillars of coal/mineral are broken or cracked sometimes due to heavy
roof pressure as in the vicinity of depillaring or stopping area or near fault zones, they
should be coated by a spray of cement-mortar.
8. For reducing leakage it is preferable to use a large number of low pressure fans in
series than a single fan producing high pressure.
4.2.9. Purpose Of Air-Lock
The purpose of air-lock is it not only minimises the leakage but becomes essential where
the ventilation system is likely to be disturbed seriously by too frequent or prolonged opening
of the doors.
Air-lock is simply a set of two doors so installed that one of them is always shut when
the other is opened to pass men, tubs or a train.
4.2.10. Location Of Air-Lock
According to Indian coalmines Regulations the air-locks should be provided
between main intake and returns. In fact air-locks should always be provided where the
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pressure accross the door is high . It must noted here that the pressure on single doors
should not exceed 250 Pa. in order that they offer no difficulty in opening, where as
pressures upto 500Pa. can be allowed with air-locks. Beyond this pressure however
air-lock doors are difficult to open and small shutters are to be provided on each of the
doors . The small shutter is more easily opened under high pressure and once it is open
, air pressure accross the door gets equalised as a result of which it becomes fairly easy
to open the main door.
4.3. SUMMARY
Working of air :- Working of air is the method of supply of fresh air into the mine
working by using by the ventilation devices.
Ventilation Devices
Brattice is the cloth like thing used in narrow heading to supply air to the last working
places or faces .Ventilation stopping are made of stone or brick and plastered well to prevent
air -leakages. Ventilation doors are generally operated automatically and opens against intake
air so that the air pressure normally keeps the doors closed. Air crossings are used to keep the
intake air and return air to be independent and generally. Regulations are used to increase the
air pressure by adjustable doors and increasing the resistance. The system of ventilation in
charge Ascentional ventilation incharge Ascentional ventilation descensional ventilation
,homotropal ventilation and Antitropal ventilation .Exact location of air –lock plays important
role is supply of air .
4.4 ASSIGNMENTS
4.4.1 short questions
1. List the ventilation devices used for country the air-currents in u/g coal mines.
2. List the merits of Ascentional ventilation
3. What is Antitropal Ventilation
4. What is the purpose of air -lock .
4.4.2 Essay questions
1. Explain the effects of regulator on mine Ventilation system .
2. List the preventive measures of leakage of mine air.
3. Explain about location of air -lock .
4. Explain the purpose & location of Air -crossings with neat sketch.
5. List the merits and demerits of Ascentional Ventilation.
6. List the Advantages of Homotropal and antitropal ventilation system.
4.4.3 Objective Questions
1. Ascentional ventilation means
a) Intake supplies from upper working and to return air way
b) Intake air supplies to the lower workings and allow to travel upper workings
and to return air way.
c) Both are correct
d) None Ans(b)
2) Homotropal ventilation means
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a) Air flow & mineral transport in the same direction .

b) Air flow & mineral transport in opposite direction .
c) Both are correct
d) None Ans(a)

4.5 REFERENCE
a) Elements of mining technology vol-2 by D.J Deshmukh.
b) Mine ventilation vol-2 m by S.Ghatak.
c) Mine Environment and ventilation by G.B Mishra.
d) Mine Environment by V.S Vutukuri & R.B.Lama.
e) U.M.S VOl-1.
f) Mine Ventilation by H.L Hartmen.
g) Ventilation problems by L.C Kaku.