Chapter 7
The Role of Ventilation in Fires
and Explosions
7.1 Introduction
Mine fires and explosions can take place in both working and inactive mines. The
latter case relates mostly to spontaneous self-ignition of coal seams, which prove
impossible to extinguish and may remain active for decades. Coal-seam fires are
a global problem because of the release of tons of CO, CO 2 , CH 4 , NO x , SO x , Hg
and ashes with harmful effects on both soil and water quality. They are so extensive
that an estimated 2% to 3% of global CO 2 emissions from fossil fuels come from
unextinguished fires in coal mines (Zhang et al., 2004a; Kuenzer et al., 2007). In
addition to the above effects, if fires arise in coal seams of any great thickness, subsidence phenomena may occur, with unfortunate consequences for surface structures
above them. According to the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE), in the U.S.A., an estimated 98 coal-seam fires are currently active.
This chapter will focus on the role that mine ventilation can play in controlling and
extinguishing active mine fires.
7.2 Conditions for the Occurrence of Fire
The fire triangle (Fig. 7.1) shows the three elements necessary for a fire to take place:
activating energy, combustible material and oxygen (oxidizer).
Ventilation plays a major role with regard to the oxygen element as it is responsible
for supplying this gas. Furthermore, if there are flammable or combustible
1 gases or
vapours their concentration can be reduced with appropriate ventilation. Moreover,
mine ventilation equipment, such as fans, must be specifically designed for operation
in explosive atmospheres when relevant, so that they will not act as an ignition source
(EN 1127-2:2014).
1 Flammable materials refers to those combustible materials that can be easily ignited at room
temperatures.
© The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license
to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
C. Sierra, Mine Ventilation, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-49803-0_7
251
The Role of Ventilation in Fires
and Explosions
7.1 Introduction
Mine fires and explosions can take place in both working and inactive mines. The
latter case relates mostly to spontaneous self-ignition of coal seams, which prove
impossible to extinguish and may remain active for decades. Coal-seam fires are
a global problem because of the release of tons of CO, CO 2 , CH 4 , NO x , SO x , Hg
and ashes with harmful effects on both soil and water quality. They are so extensive
that an estimated 2% to 3% of global CO 2 emissions from fossil fuels come from
unextinguished fires in coal mines (Zhang et al., 2004a; Kuenzer et al., 2007). In
addition to the above effects, if fires arise in coal seams of any great thickness, subsidence phenomena may occur, with unfortunate consequences for surface structures
above them. According to the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE), in the U.S.A., an estimated 98 coal-seam fires are currently active.
This chapter will focus on the role that mine ventilation can play in controlling and
extinguishing active mine fires.
7.2 Conditions for the Occurrence of Fire
The fire triangle (Fig. 7.1) shows the three elements necessary for a fire to take place:
activating energy, combustible material and oxygen (oxidizer).
Ventilation plays a major role with regard to the oxygen element as it is responsible
for supplying this gas. Furthermore, if there are flammable or combustible
1 gases or
vapours their concentration can be reduced with appropriate ventilation. Moreover,
mine ventilation equipment, such as fans, must be specifically designed for operation
in explosive atmospheres when relevant, so that they will not act as an ignition source
(EN 1127-2:2014).
1 Flammable materials refers to those combustible materials that can be easily ignited at room
temperatures.
© The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license
to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
C. Sierra, Mine Ventilation, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-49803-0_7
251