Determining and Verifying the Operating Parameters of Suppression Nozzles for Belt Conveyor Drives

Drives in belt conveyors are critical components of the conveyor system, susceptible to various factors that can cause disruptions and energy losses. In underground mining conditions, the risk of drive fires is particularly hazardous. Therefore, it is necessary to develop highly effective fire suppr...

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Main Authors: Dominik Bałaga, Marek Kalita, Michał Siegmund, Krzysztof Nieśpiałowski, Sławomir Bartoszek, Piotr Bortnowski, Maksymilian Ozdoba, Andrzej Walentek, Bożena Gajdzik
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2023-08-01
Series:Energies
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/16/16/6077
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author Dominik Bałaga
Marek Kalita
Michał Siegmund
Krzysztof Nieśpiałowski
Sławomir Bartoszek
Piotr Bortnowski
Maksymilian Ozdoba
Andrzej Walentek
Bożena Gajdzik
author_facet Dominik Bałaga
Marek Kalita
Michał Siegmund
Krzysztof Nieśpiałowski
Sławomir Bartoszek
Piotr Bortnowski
Maksymilian Ozdoba
Andrzej Walentek
Bożena Gajdzik
author_sort Dominik Bałaga
collection DOAJ
description Drives in belt conveyors are critical components of the conveyor system, susceptible to various factors that can cause disruptions and energy losses. In underground mining conditions, the risk of drive fires is particularly hazardous. Therefore, it is necessary to develop highly effective fire suppression systems. However, there are no guidelines for designing such systems. This study presents a methodology for selecting and verifying the fire suppression systems for belt conveyor drives. The proposed AMIGA system for extinguishing fires on underground coal mine conveyor belts, incorporating spraying and water mist installations, is supported by a theoretical calculation methodology. This enables determining the number of required nozzles and flow rate for complete fire suppression. The development of a methodology for the selection and verification of the sprinkler system components utilized guidelines provided in the standard VdS 2109:2002-03 and the PN-EN 12845+A2 standard from 2010, while a novel approach is proposed for water mist parameters that has not been previously applied anywhere else, and is based on assessing the fire’s intensity and the persistent disruption of the energy balance of the combusted coal. The theoretical calculations for potential fire power facilitate the determination of the appropriate water flow rate for the spraying system to protect the upper belt drive. For the proposed AMIGA system, the potential fire power was calculated to be <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mn>10.33</mn><mspace width="0.166667em"></mspace><mrow><mi>MJ</mi><mo>/</mo><mi>min</mi></mrow></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula>. Based on this, the water flow rate for the spraying installation to protect the upper drive belt of the conveyor was established to be a minimum <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mn>37.5</mn><mspace width="0.166667em"></mspace><msup><mi>dm</mi><mn>3</mn></msup><mo>/</mo><mi>min</mi></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula>, and <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mn>21.4</mn><mspace width="0.166667em"></mspace><msup><mi>dm</mi><mn>3</mn></msup><mo>/</mo><mi>min</mi></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula> for the mist installation used to protect the space below the conveyor drive. In order to verify the developed methodology for parameter selection, on-site tests were conducted to verify the results. Tests were conducted on an AMIGA prototype suppression system integrated into a conveyor drive. The results demonstrate that the developed system is effective in extinguishing fires on the belt using the spraying installation, as well as under the conveyor belt drive using the water mist installation, within the entire supply pressure range ( <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mn>0.4</mn><mi>MPa</mi></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula> to <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mn>1.6</mn><mi>MPa</mi></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula> ).
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spelling doaj.art-6e2e070df71d41f0a6a20406612fd1a82023-11-19T00:58:24ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732023-08-011616607710.3390/en16166077Determining and Verifying the Operating Parameters of Suppression Nozzles for Belt Conveyor DrivesDominik Bałaga0Marek Kalita1Michał Siegmund2Krzysztof Nieśpiałowski3Sławomir Bartoszek4Piotr Bortnowski5Maksymilian Ozdoba6Andrzej Walentek7Bożena Gajdzik8Division of Machines and Equipment, KOMAG Institute of Mining Technology, Pszczyńska 37 Street, 44-101 Gliwice, PolandDivision of Machines and Equipment, KOMAG Institute of Mining Technology, Pszczyńska 37 Street, 44-101 Gliwice, PolandDivision of Machines and Equipment, KOMAG Institute of Mining Technology, Pszczyńska 37 Street, 44-101 Gliwice, PolandDivision of Machines and Equipment, KOMAG Institute of Mining Technology, Pszczyńska 37 Street, 44-101 Gliwice, PolandDivision of Mechatronic Systems, KOMAG Institute of Mining Technology, Pszczyńska 37 Street, 44-101 Gliwice, PolandDepartment of Mining, Faculty of Geoengineering, Mining and Geology, Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Na Grobli 15 Street, 50-421 Wrocław, PolandDepartment of Mining, Faculty of Geoengineering, Mining and Geology, Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Na Grobli 15 Street, 50-421 Wrocław, PolandDepartment of Extraction Technologies, Rockburst and Risk Assessment, Central Mining Institute, Plac Gwarków 1, 40-166 Katowice, PolandDepartment of Industrial Informatics, Silesian University of Technology, Krasińskiego 8 Street, 40-019 Katowice, PolandDrives in belt conveyors are critical components of the conveyor system, susceptible to various factors that can cause disruptions and energy losses. In underground mining conditions, the risk of drive fires is particularly hazardous. Therefore, it is necessary to develop highly effective fire suppression systems. However, there are no guidelines for designing such systems. This study presents a methodology for selecting and verifying the fire suppression systems for belt conveyor drives. The proposed AMIGA system for extinguishing fires on underground coal mine conveyor belts, incorporating spraying and water mist installations, is supported by a theoretical calculation methodology. This enables determining the number of required nozzles and flow rate for complete fire suppression. The development of a methodology for the selection and verification of the sprinkler system components utilized guidelines provided in the standard VdS 2109:2002-03 and the PN-EN 12845+A2 standard from 2010, while a novel approach is proposed for water mist parameters that has not been previously applied anywhere else, and is based on assessing the fire’s intensity and the persistent disruption of the energy balance of the combusted coal. The theoretical calculations for potential fire power facilitate the determination of the appropriate water flow rate for the spraying system to protect the upper belt drive. For the proposed AMIGA system, the potential fire power was calculated to be <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mn>10.33</mn><mspace width="0.166667em"></mspace><mrow><mi>MJ</mi><mo>/</mo><mi>min</mi></mrow></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula>. Based on this, the water flow rate for the spraying installation to protect the upper drive belt of the conveyor was established to be a minimum <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mn>37.5</mn><mspace width="0.166667em"></mspace><msup><mi>dm</mi><mn>3</mn></msup><mo>/</mo><mi>min</mi></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula>, and <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mn>21.4</mn><mspace width="0.166667em"></mspace><msup><mi>dm</mi><mn>3</mn></msup><mo>/</mo><mi>min</mi></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula> for the mist installation used to protect the space below the conveyor drive. In order to verify the developed methodology for parameter selection, on-site tests were conducted to verify the results. Tests were conducted on an AMIGA prototype suppression system integrated into a conveyor drive. The results demonstrate that the developed system is effective in extinguishing fires on the belt using the spraying installation, as well as under the conveyor belt drive using the water mist installation, within the entire supply pressure range ( <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mn>0.4</mn><mi>MPa</mi></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula> to <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mn>1.6</mn><mi>MPa</mi></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula> ).https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/16/16/6077fireconveyor drivesuppression systemwater mist
spellingShingle Dominik Bałaga
Marek Kalita
Michał Siegmund
Krzysztof Nieśpiałowski
Sławomir Bartoszek
Piotr Bortnowski
Maksymilian Ozdoba
Andrzej Walentek
Bożena Gajdzik
Determining and Verifying the Operating Parameters of Suppression Nozzles for Belt Conveyor Drives
Energies
fire
conveyor drive
suppression system
water mist
title Determining and Verifying the Operating Parameters of Suppression Nozzles for Belt Conveyor Drives
title_full Determining and Verifying the Operating Parameters of Suppression Nozzles for Belt Conveyor Drives
title_fullStr Determining and Verifying the Operating Parameters of Suppression Nozzles for Belt Conveyor Drives
title_full_unstemmed Determining and Verifying the Operating Parameters of Suppression Nozzles for Belt Conveyor Drives
title_short Determining and Verifying the Operating Parameters of Suppression Nozzles for Belt Conveyor Drives
title_sort determining and verifying the operating parameters of suppression nozzles for belt conveyor drives
topic fire
conveyor drive
suppression system
water mist
url https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/16/16/6077
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