Safety provision during heating of coal downcast shafts with gas heat generators using degassed methane

The article describes new technology of heating downcast shafts in coal mines in Ukraine using heat generators (air heaters) of mixed and indirect action type. It compares this method with traditional heating systems for downcast shafts and describes all their disadvantages. It is shown that application of new heating technology enables not building such elements as boilers and pipelines and not buying metal-consuming heaters. These peculiarities will help to significantly reduce capital and operation costs for construction and operation of heating system with significantly shortened commissioning periods for heating systems. The article describes an example of heater unit design layout for heating downcast shaft in mine «Scheglovskaya-Glubokaya» at colliery group «Donbass» using mixed type heat generators. It presents a layout of sensors for controlling parameters of ventilation air flow taking into account incoming hazardous combustion products form methane-air mixture combustion in channels of heating unit. The article mentions features of automated control system providing protection of heat generators in emergency situations. It also notes disadvantages of mixed type heat generators limiting their application in Russian Federation. Together with heat generators of mixed type the article also describes a working principle of heat generator of indirect action type, which to the fullest extent possible meets requirements of Russian Federation legislation and regulation for application of this heat generators in coal mines conditions. The article has a principal working scheme of heat unit layout using this type of generator. It is shown that after development of corresponding normative documents regulating processes of design, construction and operation of heating units using heaters of indirect action, their application in Russian coal mines will be possible without breaking Safety standards and rules.