ACARP ACARP ACARP ACARP
Underground

An Innovative Fibre Optic Based Methane Sensor

Underground » Ventilation, Gas Drainage and Monitoring

Published: February 13Project Number: C20014

Get ReportAuthor: Saiied Aminossadati, Warwick Bowen, Eoin Sheridan, Mohammad Amanzadeh, Mehmet Kizil | The University of Queensland

The release of methane gas into underground coal mines is an unavoidable consequence of most coal mining operations. The presence of such gas in mine environment poses some safety and health concerns and requires constant monitoring by means of an intrinsically safe, fast, reliable and accurate gas monitoring system. In addition, recent carbon tax legislation requires that gases ventilated from mines be accurately measured. Optical fibre technology provides a means of fast, remote sensing without the requirement for electrical equipment in the mine, while spectroscopic detection in the near-infrared offers sensitive, accurate and selective detection of methane. Despite this, there are currently no commercially available spectroscopic fibre optic methane detection systems available for use in underground coal mines.

In the first stage of this project, the spectroscopic fibre optic sensing technique was developed using pre-filled open path gas cells with known concentrations of methane. The measurement of average methane concentration using a number of gas cells connected via a single optical fibre was also investigated. The results showed that open path gas cells had sufficient accuracy, fast response time and excellent sensitivity and robustness to have the potential as the future underground mine gas sensing systems. The second stage of the project involved the development and experimental analysis of three microstructure fibre optic sensor heads: tapered fibre, drilled single mode fibre and drilled hollow core fibre. The results showed that the tapered fibre and the drilled single mode fibre were unable to detect a signal corresponding to methane due to limited interaction volume between the gas and the laser light. The drilled hollow core fibre was able to detect methane with an excellent accuracy and a reasonable response time even though the methane gas was diffused into the core of the fibre through only one hole drilled in the hollow core fibre. In summary, both open-path gas cell and drilled hollow core fibre sensors show significant potential to be developed into commercial methane sensing systems in collaboration with industry.

Underground

Health and safety, productivity and environment initiatives.

Recently Completed Projects

C33029Review Longwall Face Ventilation To Mitigate Goaf Gas Emissions Onto Walkways And Tailgate End

As longwall mining increasingly targets deeper coal seams, managing ...

C29009Control Of Transient Touch Voltages During Switching

There have been an increasing number of electric shock incidents rep...

C29025Effectiveness Of Shotcrete In Underground Coal Mines

The primary objective of this project is to quantify the effectivene...

Underground

Open Cut

Safety, productivity and the right to operate are priorities for open cut mine research.

Recently Completed Projects

C33036Radar Tyre Monitor System

This project focussed on trialling a radar sensing technology design...

C26020Preventing Fatigue Cracking Via Proactive Surface Dressing

Fatigue cracking of plant and equipment presents a significant chall...

C33046Rationale For The Use Of Paired Continuous Real Time Noise Monitors To Reduce Uncertainty In The Quantification Of Noise From Open Cut Coal Mines

Numerous experimental studies of varying duration have been undertak...

Open Cut

Coal Preparation

Maximising throughput and yield while minimising costs and emissions.

Recently Completed Projects

C34041A Coal Spiral For The 2020S

The objective of this project is to develop an enhanced coal process...

C33057Foreign Contaminants Detection On Conveyor Belts Using Digital Imaging Processing Techniques And Coal Penetrating Sensors

This project was initiated to tackle the ongoing issue of foreign co...

C29065Wash Plant Fines Testing Methods Enhancement

Accurately estimating the proportion of expected fine size material ...

Coal Preparation

Technical Market Support

Market acceptance and emphasising the advantages of Australian coals.

Recently Completed Projects

C34054Scoping Study: Design Of Cokes From Biomass-Coal Blends For Sustainable Blast Furnace Ironmaking

There is an increasing focus on improving the environmental sustaina...

C34058Strength Development In Fouling Deposits

When coal is combusted in a boiler, the fly ash that is produced flo...

C34059Coke Reactivity With CO2 And H2O And Impacts On Coke Microstructure And Gas Diffusion

With the global shift to low-carbon ironmaking, partial substitution...

Technical Market Support

Mine Site Greenhouse Gas Mitigation

Mitigating greenhouse gas emissions from the production of coal.

Recently Completed Projects

C34066Safe Operation Of Catalytic Reactors For The Oxidation Of VAM Operating Under Abnormal Reaction Conditions

The catalyst Pd/TS-1 has shown excellent activity in oxidising venti...

C28076Selective Absorption Of Methane By Ionic Liquids (SAMIL)

This third and final stage of this project was the culmination of a ...

C29069Low-Cost Catalyst Materials For Effective VAM Catalytic Oxidation

Application of ventilation air methane (VAM) thermal oxidiser requir...

Mine Site Greenhouse Gas Mitigation

Low Emission Coal Use

Step-change technologies aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Recently Completed Projects

C17060BGasification Of Australian Coals

Four Australian coals were trialled in the Siemens 5 MWth pilot scale ga...

C17060AOxyfuel Technology For Carbon Capture And Storage Critical Clean Coal Technology - Interim Support

The status of oxy-fuel technology for first-generation plant is indicate...

C18007Review Of Underground Coal Gasification

This report consists of a broad review of underground coal gasification,...

Low Emission Coal Use

Mining And The Community

The relationship between mines and the local community.

Recently Completed Projects

C16027Assessing Housing And Labour Market Impacts Of Mining Developments In Bowen Basin Communities

The focus of this ACARP-funded project has been to identify a number...

C22029Understanding And Managing Cumulative Impacts Of Coal Mining And Other Land Uses In Regions With Diversified Economies

The coal industry operates in the context of competing land-uses that sh...

C23016Approval And Planning Assessment Of Black Coal Mines In NSW And Qld: A Review Of Economic Assessment Techniques

This reports on issues surrounding economic assessment and analysis ...

Mining And The Community

NERDDC

National Energy Research,Development & Demonstration Council (NERDDC) reports - pre 1992.

Recently Completed Projects

1609-C1609Self Heating of Spoil Piles from Open Cut Coal Mines

Self Heating of Spoil Piles from Open Cut Coal Mines

1301-C1301Stress Control Methods for Optimised Development...

Stress Control Methods for Optimised Development and Extraction Operations

0033-C1356Commissioned Report: Australian Thermal Coals...

Commissioned Report: Australian Thermal Coals - An Industry Handbook

NERDDC