Page 202 - Advanced Mine Ventilation

182 Advanced Mine Ventilation

5. Operating a diesel engine in a roadway with zero relative velocity must be avoided. The rapid
growth of concentration if this is done is shown by Eq. (11.20). Also, running an engine in a
blind heading in the stationary mode should be avoided. Rebreathing of exhaust creates
excessive rise in carbon monoxide.
6. Pollutant concentration is a complex function of engine size, number of engines, velocity of
travel, air velocity, length of haul, and production. However, it pays to keep air velocities low
but consistent with all safety statutes and run diesel engines at higher velocities.

11.5 Diesel Equipment Maintenance and Training of
Personnel

The maintenance and training requirements stated in W.V. Diesel Rule (Title 196) are
one of the best in the coal industry. The following is an excerpt from that.

11.5.1 Maintenance Plan

Following is a breakdown of the maintenance plan that will be utilized by a mine to
insure compliance with the W.V. Diesel Rule (Title 196).
1. All maintenance, repair, and diagnostic testing of diesel-powered equipment will be per-
formed by mechanics qualified under Section 196-1-24.
2. The maintenance of all equipment will begin with the operators pre-opt check list, which will
be maintained on each piece of diesel-powered equipment until the next 100 h maintenance is
performed at which time the old pre-opt check list book will be discarded and a new pre-opt
record will begin. By maintaining the pre-opt check list on the equipment the qualified me-
chanic, who is to perform the 100 h maintenance, will be able to read over this document and
define problem areas with this particular piece of equipment. This practice will allow the
qualified mechanic to have an understanding of problem areas of each particular piece of
equipment.
3. The 100 h maintenance required by Section 196-1-19 will be performed by a mechanic who
has been qualified under Section 196-1-24 of this Act.
a. The 100 h maintenance intervals will be tracked by a tag system. This tag system will
require the qualified mechanic to check the hours of operation at the end of the required
maintenance and add 100 h to the actual hours of operation. The qualified mechanic will
then insert this number on the tag and attach it to the piece of diesel-powered equipment at
a conspicuous place in the operator’s compartment. This will allow the equipment oper-
ator easy reference as to when the next 100 h maintenance will need to be scheduled. We
believe this tracking system will insure compliance of Section 196-1-19.
b. A copy of the 100 h check list is attached to this Appendix as “100 h Required Mainte-
nance Check List.”
c. The qualified mechanic will perform all checks and necessary repairs required by Section
196-1-19. All repairs of diesel-powered equipment will be recorded in the Diesel-
Powered Equipment Maintenance and Repair Book.
d. If the on-board diagnostics controls show that maintenance and/or repair is needed prior to
the next 100 h maintenance interval, a qualified mechanic will perform the necessary
maintenance and record the same in the Diesel-Powered Equipment Maintenance and
Repair Book.