Study of the effects of operational and design characteristics of diesel equipment on gas contamination in underground mine workings

Excessive concentrations of harmful exhaust gas components from underground mining diesel vehicles with the internal combustion engines have a negative impact on the health of people working underground. Within the framework of this study we analyzed the dependence of the dilution efficiency of the exhaust gases from mining diesel underground machines equipped with the internal combustion engine on the location of the exhaust gas emission source in the underground mine using computer modeling. The main focus was on the effects of the exhaust pipe location and the engine load on these parameters. As a result of the analysis, a number of relationships were established between the fresh air flow rate and the exhaust gases emission for various exhaust pipe configurations of the diesel equipment. It is recommended to adhere to the ratio of the air to exhaust gas flow rates found as the result of this research depending on the location of the exhaust pipe of the diesel vehicle in order to improve the efficiency of ventilation in dead-end mine workings. The ratios found play a key part in developing solutions to improve the efficiency of the ventilation system, as well as to improve the safety and reduce the probability of negative effects of the exhaust gases on the health of people working underground.