NIOSH Mining Laboratory

Full Scale Face Ventilation Gallery

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The full-scale gallery is designed to simulate face ventilation in mining entries having a 7-ft mining height and widths up to 16½ ft. An exhaust fan draws air into the gallery and curtains or tubing are used to direct air to the face of the entry. A full-scale model mining machine, equipped with water sprays and dust scrubber, and a roof bolting machine are used to determine the effects of face equipment on ventilation.

To evaluate how selected face ventilation systems affect gas distributions near the face, methane is released from a pipe manifold located at the entry face and measured at 16 locations with methanometers. The measurements are recorded with a computer-based data acquisition system. The speed and direction of airflow near the face is determined with ultrasonic anemometers. A computer program, written specifically for research in the ventilation gallery, is used for airflow data collection.

Site:  Pittsburgh Research Laboratory