Mining Publication: Use of Rocsil® Foam to Remotely Construct Mine Seals
Original creation date: December 2008
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is conducting a program of research to evaluate and improve remote mine seal construction technology for mine fire control and suppression. The main focus of this work is to develop reliable technology that will remotely seal a mine opening from floor-to-roof and rib-to-rib. NIOSH, in partnership with Strata Mine Services Inc., is evaluating the capability of a two component phenolic foam-based product, called Rocsil®, that is intended for cavity filling, air and gas sealing, and consolidation of highly fractured strata. Rocsil® can be rapidly applied, has a quick cure time, a high expansion rate, good compressive resistance and excellent anti-static properties. When the resin and catalyst are mixed, an immediate foaming reaction occurs followed by rapid expansion up to 30 times the original volume. By virtue of its fire-resistance properties, Rocsil® foam has application for sealing underground mine areas undergoing heating from spontaneous combustion and it could be useful for remote mine seal construction to aid in mine fire control and suppression. This paper presents an overview of remote mine sealing technology, introduces the use of Rocsil® foam for remote mine seal installations, offers a case study of the use of this rigid foam material to remotely construct a temporary in-mine seal and discusses technology improvements.
Authors: MA Trevits, C McCartney
Peer Reviewed Journal Article - December 2008
NIOSHTIC2 Number: 20034928
Trans Soc Min Metall Explor 2008 Dec; 324:89-93
See Also
- Evaluation of Remotely Installed Mine Seals for Mine Fire Control
- Inflatable Partitions for High-Expansion Foam Generators
- Mine Fires - Measuring the Efficacy of Gas-Enhanced Foam
- NIOSH Mine Fire Research in the United States
- Remote Mine Fire Suppression Technology
- SPONCOM - A Computer Program for the Prediction of the Spontaneous Combustion Potential of an Underground Coal Mine
- SponCom - Spontaneous Combustion Assessment Software - 2.0
- Technical Solutions for Enhancements to Mine Safety Using Barricade II Fire Blocking Gel
- Technology News 545 - NIOSH Updates Spontaneous Combustion Assessment Software
- The Use of Nitrogen-Enhanced Foam at the Pinnacle Mine Fire
- Content source: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Mining Program