Testing and Usage of Ventilation Control Devices within the Australian Coal Mining Industry

This paper summarises an evaluation of an existing Australian explosion research facility in order to examine its suitability for determining the explosion resistance of ventilation control devices (VCDs). A combination of computational fluid dynamics (to model the methane/air explosion through time and space), finite element analysis (to model the structure\u27s response to the pressure impulse) and measurements from full-scale tests were used in this study. Comparisons were made between the theoretically predicted, practically measured results and those found for the same designs tested at an established experimental mine, namely the Lake Lynn Experimental Mine (LLEM). This paper also summarises the results of a survey of current Australian coalmine ventilation practices. Information was obtained of practices both before and after the introduction of new QLD coalmine ventilation regulations. The research has shown that the TestSafe Australia Explosions Gallery is acceptable for testing of VCDs up to 70 kPa. This facility proved unsatisfactory for high-pressure tests on seals. Options for the verification of the explosion resistances of high-pressure seals are given