EMERGENCY COMMUNICATION AND TRACKING SYSTEMS MSHA Activities
MSHA APPROVED COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS Mine Page Phones Leaky Feeder Systems Hand Held Port...
EMERGENCY COMMUNICATION AND TRACKING SYSTEMS MSHA Activities
MSHA APPROVED COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS Mine Page Phones Leaky Feeder Systems Hand Held Portable Radios Other Communication Devices
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MINE PAGE PHONES MSA Loudmouth Page Phone GaiGai-tronics Model 491491-204 Mine Dial Page Phone Conspec part No. 911075 Paging Receiver PyottPyott-Boone Model Nos. 118 and 119 Page Phone Mine Safe Electronics Communication IIA Mine Phone
LEAKY FEEDER SYSTEMS Mine Radio Systems (MRS) Flexcom Varis Mine Technologies Model IS Leaky Feeder Communication System DAC Type RFM 2000 Radio System El-Equip, Inc Model VHF-1 Radio System
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HAND-HELD TWO-WAY COMMUNICATION DEVICES Motorola HT1000 and MT2000 – It’s no longer available
MSHA is currently evaluating several applications for approval
OTHER MSHA-APPROVED COMMUNICATION DEVICES Mine Site Technologies PED Cap Lamp/Pager Mine Site Technologies Tracker IV TAG System
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MSHA APPROVAL PROCESS FOR TELEPHONES AND SIGNALING DEVICES Title 30 Code of Federal Regulations Part 23 – Must be explosion-proof or intrinsically safe – Must be supplied with back-up power supply in the event of a power outage – Entire system must be IS or XP in the event of a loss of ventilation
MSHA ACTIVITIES TO ADDRESS COMM AND TRACKING ISSUES Investigate Mine Site PED and TAG systems Evaluate available new technology – Received more than 50 proposals – Will solicit proposals through www.msha.gov – Reviewing proposals to determine which to pursue further
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COMMUNICATION SYSTEM EVALUATION CRITERIA System capability – precise tracking and 2-way voice preferred Survivability in a fire or explosion – Focusing on wireless systems
Current availability – Available hardware vs. conceptual
Capability of complying with MSHA requirements
CURRENT SYSTEMS UNDER EVALUATION Rajant Breadcrumb System Time Domain UWB Radar System Vital Alert Canary 2 Mine Messenger Transtek Partnership Geosteering TG Miner Track Nautilus “Buddy” Buddy” Tracking System CERDEC Subterranean Wireless Electric Communication System (SWECS)
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MINE SITE PED AND TAG INVESTIGATION Investigate PED installations at: – Peabody Air Quality and Twentymile Mines – Consol Blacksville and Robinson Run Mines – BHP San Juan Mine
Travel to Australia to investigate TAG installation
PROS AND CONS OF PED Pros: – Can send evacuation instructions to miners in early stages of fire fire – Can be retrofit for Koehler, NLT and MSA cap lamps – System can be deployed in emergency by arranging surface loop antenna
Cons: – – – –
Underground antenna could be compromised in fire or explosion Reliability issues Communications limited to oneone-way System is not IS so power must be removed upon loss of ventilation
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PROS AND CONS OF TAG Pro: Can provide last known location of miner before loss of power Cons: – Cannot provide precise location of personnel – System will become non-operational upon loss of power
RAJANT BREADCRUMB SYSTEM Tactical Broadband Networks Instantly deployed wireless network Currently used in military operations durable Does not require loop antenna
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TIME DOMAIN UWB RADAR SYSTEM Utilizes ultraultra-wide band radar technology Wider bands eliminates noise and interference problems Can provide twotwo-way voice and precise personnel locations identification Does not require loop antenna
VITAL ALERT CANARY 2 MINE MESSENGER Based on previously tested Canary one-way paging cap lamp Requires surface mounted loop antenna Currently being tested at Los Alamos National Laboratory Fail-safe performance
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TRANSTEK PARTNERSHIP Partnership includes Consol Energy, Department of Energy, NIOSH and Victor Products Cached twotwo-way emergency communication system Currently installed at NIOSH Lake Lynn Experimental Mine
GEOSTEERING TG MINER TRACK System utilizes electromagnetic field generators designed for Tramguard proximity protection system Can provide wireless through-the-earth signals to track personnel and/or vehicle location Currently investigating use with NIOSH communication system
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NAUTILUS “BUDDY” TRACKING SYSTEM System uses eletromagnetic antennas designed for “Buddy” proximity protection system Can provide wireless personnel tracking capability
CERDEC SWECS Subterranean wireless electric communication system US Army project Hand-held, battery powered radio in PDA form Two-way communications