Explosion Pressure Design Criteria for New Seals in U.S. Coal Mines
March 2007
NIOSH Docket Number 100
Seals are dam-like structures constructed in underground coal mines throughout the U.S. to isolate abandoned mining panels or groups of panels from the active workings. Historically, mining regulations required seals to withstand a 140 kPa (20 psi) explosion pressure; however, the 2006 MINER Act requires MSHA to increase this design standard by the end of 2007. This report provides a sound scientific and engineering justification to recommend a three-tiered explosion pressure design criteria for new seals in coal mines in response to the MINER Act. Much of the information contained in this report also applies to existing seals.
Materials Under Evaluation
Notice of public input opportunity; 72 FR 10765; 03/09/07 [PDF – 509 KB]
Submissions from the Public in Order of Receipt
Submission to Zipf (NIOSH) from Baer (Sandia National Laboratories) – 2/1/07 [PDF – 44 KB]
Submission to Zipf (NIOSH) from Kuhl (Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory) –2/1/07 [PDF – 656 KB]
Submission to Zipf (NIOSH) from Arguello (Sandia National Laboratories) – 2/2/07 [PDF – 42 KB]
Submission to Zipf (NIOSH) from Hermuelheim (Deutsche Steinkohle) – 2/13/07 [PDF – 951 KB]
Submission to Zipf (NIOSH) from Denning (MSHA Coal Mine Safety and Health District 9) – 2/13/07 [PDF – 23 KB]
Submission to Zipf (NIOSH) from Tasillo (MSHA Technical Support) – 2/13/07 [PDF – 1,030 KB]
Submission to Zipf (NIOSH) from Wala (University of Kentucky) – 2/15/07 [PDF – 675 KB]
Submission to Zipf (NIOSH) from McNider (Jim Walter Resources) – 2/16/07 [PDF – 1,240 KB]
Submission to NIOSH Docket Office from Worthington (Sick Maihak) – 2/22/07 [PDF – 3,430 KB]
Submission to Zipf (NIOSH) from Hansen (GexCon AS) – 2/27/07 [PDF – 1,040 KB]
Submission to Zipf (NIOSH) from Heuze (Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory – 2/28/07 [PDF – 314 KB]
Submission to Zipf (NIOSH) from Sherer (MSHA Coal Mine Safety and Health – 2/28/07 [PDF – 50,310 KB]
Submission to NIOSH Docket Office from Campoli (Minova USA, Inc.) – 03/06/07 [PDF – 47 KB]
Submission to Zipf (NIOSH) from Schiefelbein (AngloCoal) – 03/06/07 [PDF – 414 KB]
Submission to Zipf (NIOSH) from Lyne (Queensland Mines Inspectorate, Australia) – 03/08/07 [PDF – 2,380 KB]
Submission to NIOSH Docket Office from Lusk (University of Kentucky) – 03/08/07 [PDF – 200 KB]
Submission to Zipf (NIOSH) from Harvey (AngloCoal) – 03/09/07 [PDF – 973 KB]
Submission to Zipf (NIOSH) from Conaway (Arch Coal, Inc.) – 03/10/07 [PDF – 59 KB]
Submission to Zipf (NIOSH) from Grayson (University of Missouri) – 3/11/07 [PDF – 2,660 KB]
Submission to Zipf (NIOSH) from Dyduch (Central Mining Research Institute) – 03/12/07 [PDF – 1,340 KB]
Submission to Zipf (NIOSH) from Bessinger (San Juan Coal Company) – 03/12/07 [PDF – 142 KB]
Submission to Zipf (NIOSH) from Gillies (The Mineserve Group) – 03/13/07 [PDF – 2,910 KB]
Submission to Zipf (NIOSH) from Beerbower (Peabody Energy Co.) – 03/13/07 [PDF – 4,810 KB]
Submission to Guturnca (NIOSH) from Skiles (MSHA Technical Support) – 03/13/07 [PDF – 9,120 KB]
Submission to Zipf (NIOSH) from Spearing (Excel Mining Systems, Inc.) – 03/14/07 [PDF – 1,080 KB]
Submission to NIOSH Docket Office from Watzman (National Mining Association) – 03/14/07 [PDF – 26,230 KB]
Submission to Zipf (NIOSH) from Esterhuizen (NIOSH/PRL) – 03/16/07 [PDF – 3,810 KB]
Submission to Zipf (NIOSH) from Barbee (International Union of Operating Engineers) – 03/26/07 [PDF – 1,270 KB]
Submission to NIOSH Docket Office from Baker (United Mine Workers of America) – 04/18/07 [PDF – 2,310 KB]
Submission to ZIpf (NIOSH) from Wieland (Uncertainty Ink) – 04/24/07 [PDF – 743 KB]
Compilation of reviews and responses to the reviews from Karl Zipf (NIOSH) – 05/01/07 [PDF – 5,190 KB]
Peer Review
Title: Explosion Pressure Design Criteria for New Seals in U.S. Coal Mines
Subject: This report proposes new explosion pressure design criteria for seals in coal mines.
Purpose: Before the Mine Improvement and New Emergency Response (MINER) Act of 2006, seals were required to withstand a 20 psi explosion pressure. According to the recent MINER Act, the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) should increase this design standard by the end of 2007. NIOSH is developing an engineering-science basis for new standards in support of MSHA’s mandate under the MINER Act.
Timing of Review: February 2007
Primary Disciplines or Expertise Needed for Review: Gas explosion physics, structural dynamics, and mining engineering
Type of Review: Individual
Number of Reviewers: More than 10
Reviewers Selected by: NIOSH
Public Nominations Requested for Reviewers: Yes
Opportunities for the Public to Comment: Yes
Peer Reviewers Provided with Public Comment Before Their Review: No
Peer Reviewers:
A.J.S. (Sam) Spearing
Organizational Affiliation: Excel Mining Systems, Inc.
Areas of Expertise, Discipline, or Relevant Experience: Mining engineering and mine safety engineering
Recommended by: NIOSH
J Arguello
Organizational Affiliation: Sandia National Laboratories
Areas of Expertise, Discipline, or Relevant Experience: Structural analysis and structural dynamics
Recommended by: NIOSH
Melvin Baer
Organizational Affiliation: Sandia National Laboratories
Areas of Expertise, Discipline, or Relevant Experience: Gas explosions and explosion physics
Recommended by: NIOSH
Tim Baker
Organizational Affiliation: United Mine Workers of America
Areas of Expertise, Discipline, or Relevant Experience:
Recommended by: NIOSH
Chris Barbee
Organizational Affiliation: International Union of Operating Engineers
Areas of Expertise, Discipline, or Relevant Experience:
Recommended by: NIOSH
David Beerbower
Organizational Affiliation: Peabody Energy Co.
Areas of Expertise, Discipline, or Relevant Experience: Mining engineering and mine safety analysis
Recommended by: NIOSH
Stephen Bessinger
Organizational Affiliation: San Juan Coal Company
Areas of Expertise, Discipline, or Relevant Experience: Mining engineering, mine ventilation, and mine safety analysis
Recommended by: NIOSH
Alan Campoli
Organizational Affiliation: Minova USA, Inc.
Areas of Expertise, Discipline, or Relevant Experience: Mining engineering and seal engineering
Recommended by: NIOSH
Doug Conaway
Organizational Affiliation: Arch Coal, Inc.
Areas of Expertise, Discipline, or Relevant Experience:
Recommended by: NIOSH
William Denning
Organizational Affiliation: MSHA Coal Mine Safety and Health District 9
Areas of Expertise, Discipline, or Relevant Experience:
Recommended by: NIOSH
Zdzslaw Dyduch
Organizational Affiliation: Central Mining Research Institute, Poland
Areas of Expertise, Discipline, or Relevant Experience: Explosion modeling and explosion physics
Recommended by: NIOSH
Stewart Gillies
Organizational Affiliation: The Minserve Group, Australia
Areas of Expertise, Discipline, or Relevant Experience: Mine ventilation and mining engineering
Recommended by: NIOSH
R Grayson
Organizational Affiliation: Professor, University of Missouri, Rolla
Areas of Expertise, Discipline, or Relevant Experience: Mining engineering and mine safety analysis
Recommended by: NIOSH
Olav Hansen
Organizational Affiliation: GexCon AS, Norway
Areas of Expertise, Discipline, or Relevant Experience: Gas explosions and explosion modeling
Recommended by: NIOSH
Tim Harvey
Organizational Affiliation: AngloCoal, Australia
Areas of Expertise, Discipline, or Relevant Experience: Mining engineering and mine ventilation
Recommended by: NIOSH
Walter Hermulheim
Organizational Affiliation: Deutsche Steinkohle, Germany
Areas of Expertise, Discipline, or Relevant Experience: Mining engineering and mine safety analysis
Recommended by: NIOSH
Francois Heuze
Organizational Affiliation: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
Areas of Expertise, Discipline, or Relevant Experience: Structural analysis
Recommended by: NIOSH
Allen Kuhl
Organizational Affiliation: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
Areas of Expertise, Discipline, or Relevant Experience: Gas explosions and explosion physics
Recommended by: NIOSH
Braden Lusk
Organizational Affiliation: University of Kentucky
Areas of Expertise, Discipline, or Relevant Experience: Mining engineering and seal engineering
Recommended by: NIOSH
Brian Lyne
Organizational Affiliation: Queensland Miners Inspectorate, Australia
Areas of Expertise, Discipline, or Relevant Experience: Mining engineering, mine ventilation, and mine safety engineering
Recommended by: NIOSH
Tommy McNider
Organizational Affiliation: Jim Walter Resources
Areas of Expertise, Discipline, or Relevant Experience: Mining engineering and mine ventilation
Recommended by: NIOSH
Kevin Schiefelbein
Organizational Affiliation: AngloCoal, Australia
Areas of Expertise, Discipline, or Relevant Experience: Mining engineering and mine ventilation
Recommended by: NIOSH
Erik Sherer
Organizational Affiliation: MSHA Coal Mine Safety and Health
Areas of Expertise, Discipline, or Relevant Experience: Mining engineering and mine safety engineering
Recommended by: NIOSH
Mark Skiles
Organizational Affiliation: MSHA Technical Support
Areas of Expertise, Discipline, or Relevant Experience: Mining engineering, mine safety engineering, and structural mechanics
Recommended by: NIOSH
Carol Tasillo
Organizational Affiliation: MSHA Technical Support
Areas of Expertise, Discipline, or Relevant Experience: Mining safety engineering
Recommended by: NIOSH
Andrew Wala
Organizational Affiliation: University of Kentucky
Areas of Expertise, Discipline, or Relevant Experience: Mining engineering and mine safety engineering
Recommended by: NIOSH
Bruce Watzman
Organizational Affiliation: National Mining Association
Areas of Expertise, Discipline, or Relevant Experience: Gas explosions
Recommended by: NIOSH
Michael Wieland
Organizational Affiliation: Uncertainty link
Areas of Expertise, Discipline, or Relevant Experience: Explosion physics
Recommended by: NIOSH
Bill Worthington
Organizational Affiliation: Sick Maihak
Areas of Expertise, Discipline, or Relevant Experience: Gas analysis
Recommended by: NIOSH
Charge to Peer Reviewers:
No specific instructions were provided. We simply requested review and comment on all matters pertinent to our report. Reviewers tended to concentrate their comments within their specific areas of expertise.