Use Of Foam To Increase Resistance To Gas Flow In Mine Applications And Apparatus For Delivering Same
A process for increasing resistance to the flow of gas in underground mining operations includes providing a foam composition at desired selected locations to create a barrier to the flow of gas.
1 . A method of increasing resistance to gas flow in a mine void space comprising delivering a foam composition to a void space from one of a shortwall mining machine, a longwall mining machine, a pillar extractor, a portion of a shortwall mining machine, a portion of a longwall machine, and portion of a pillar extractor.
2 . The method of claim 1 further comprising delivering the foam through a nozzle mounted to one of one of a shortwall mining machine, a longwall mining machine, a pillar extractor, a portion of a shortwall mining machine, a portion of a longwall machine, and portion of a pillar extractor.
3 . The method of claim 1 wherein the foam expands into at least a portion of the void space.
4 . The method of claim 3 wherein the void space is a gob.
5 . The method of claim 3 wherein the void space is adjacent an active mine workplace.
6 . The method of claim 1 wherein a low oxygen content gas is used to expand the foam composition.
7 . The method of claim 1 wherein a nitrogen containing gas is used to expand the foam composition.
8 . The method of claim 1 wherein the foam composition is delivered from a nozzle fixed to a shield associated with one of the sidewall mining machinery and the longwall mining machinery.
9 . A method of increasing resistance to gas flow in an underground mining operation comprising delivering a foam composition in a void defined by two adjacent pillar supports.
10 . An underground ore cutting machine that during operation creates a gob comprising at least one nozzle associated with the machine and configured to discharge a foam composition to an area adjacent the gob wherein the foam composition provides resistance to gas flow.