Mine Safety

Mine Safety I

Beginning August 1, 2009, CIT began work on a two-year project with Innovative Wireless Technologies (IWT) from Forest, VA and Pyott-Boone Electronics (PBE) of Tazewell, VA to develop an intrinsically safe carbon monoxide (CO) sensor and wireless communication system to permit continuous, remote sensing of dangerous conditions induced by high CO levels. This technology contributes to fire prevention and suppression systems, thus enhancing the overall safety of underground miners and rescue personnel. The project was advanced by Senators Jim Webb and Mark Warner, and former Senator John Warner, and it received funding from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).

The sensors and wireless communication devices have been designed to be suitable for battery- or line-powered operation in mines. The choice of CO for the battery-powered remote detection and wireless monitoring system originates in the dual significance of CO as an indicator of toxic atmosphere and possibly an impending fire hazard. CO is produced in detectable concentrations by burning coal or natural gas, overheating conveyer components, as well as by normal activities such as blasting, operation of internal combustion engines, and welding.

When the shutdown of main power is mandated under safety rules by a detected potential hazard or catastrophic emergency, the persistence of a battery back-up-powered wireless sensor network could enable remote identification by the monitoring and control system of the locations, distribution of concentrations, and cause of elevated CO. This information could become the basis of focused rescue, fire suppression, and/or other corrective responses.

A system demonstration was held on June 16, 2010 at the CIT Headquarters building in Herndon, VA. Representatives from Capitol Hill, federal agencies, and the Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy (DMME) attended to learn how the system operates using electrical power and then -- representing the condition in an underground mine after an incident -- how the system continues to function by virtue of its intrinsically safe design (battery back-up) when power is shut off.

Following a successful completion of evaluation and testing by the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), IWT and PBE are authorized to produce and distribute the new products -- an intrinsically safe sensor mesh interface (SMI) and CO sensor, respectively -- for use in mines.

Mine Safety II

CIT is teaming again with Innovative Wireless Technologies (IWT) and Pyott-Boone Electronics (PBE) from Forest and Tazewell, VA, respectively, in a second Mine Safety project. The purpose of this two-year project, which is slated to begin in fall 2010, is to enhance the overall safety of underground miners and rescue personnel by adapting methane and oxygen sensors and wireless communication systems to permit continuous, remote sensing of dangerous conditions induced by high and/or low gas levels. The intent is to provide continuous methane monitoring to detect early signs of poor ventilation or potential methane leaks entering into the ventilation system. Monitoring the oxygen levels continuously will also provide insight into the overall atmospheric gas composition for early detection of explosive conditions consisting of high levels of methane, along with low levels of oxygen. Communications through a low-throughput mesh network will provide a lower cost communication alternative for mines that do not have an installed mesh network that accommodates voice and data transmissions. Together, CIT, IWT, and PBE will develop additional sensor modalities and a low-throughput wireless mesh network over which atmospheric monitoring data, including that of methane and oxygen levels, can be communicated.

This project was advanced through Congress by Senators Jim Webb and Mark Warner, with funding from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).