Experiments with Air Flow Control in a Coal Mine

The problem of automatic control of a coal mine ventilation network is discussed. It is found that the structure of the control system should have two levels, i.e. local regulation of ventilation parameters (air flows) in faces to eliminate the effect of quick disturbances, and supervisory control of the whole ventilation process by periodical modifications to the working characteristics of the main fans. Practical and theoretical problems connected with implementation of the system in Polish mining are listed and discussed. To solve these problems a series of experiments with air flow control in three different coal faces were carried out with the aim of checking the measuring and control equipment in & real mine conditions as well as investigating the gasodynamics of the ventilation process. The results of the experiments are analysed, and used to verify the mathematical model of the gasodynamics of a longwall face