Mining Contract: Evaluation of Active Suppression Systems for Underground Coal Mines

Contract Status & Impact

This contract is complete. To receive a copy of the final report, send a request to mining@cdc.gov.

Since 2000, 59 miners have lost their lives to explosions in underground coal mines in the U.S. These deaths occurred despite strategies, standards, and regulatory oversight.

Researchers and the industry are interested in preventing and suppressing explosions in coal mines. One way to do that could be by implementing barrier systems within mines to strategically suppress the propagation of any explosion.

The contractor will determine effective locations for active barrier system placement and a standardized testing procedure will be developed to determine acceptable explosion suppressant types, triggering mechanisms, and dispensing units. The procedure will include a scaled-model testing system to simulate methane/coal dust explosions in an underground mine.