11 CONCEPTUAL MODEL FOR POLLUTION CONTROL IN COAL MINES
Anuj Kumar Bhaskar, Akash Pathak, Nitesh Kumar Singh, Prachi Jain, Samiksha Tiwari
Abstract- Coal in India has been mined since 1774 and is now the second fastest mined in the world. As in the year 2017-18 coal generated over 70% of electricity produced in India.
The health and environmental impact of the coal industry includes issues such as land use, waste management, water and air pollution, caused by the coal mining, processing and the use of its products. As according to a report by the World Health Organization in 2008, coal particulates pollution are estimated to shorten approximately 10,000 lives annually worldwide.
1 INTRODUCTION
Coal in India has been mined since 1774 and is now the second fastest mined in the world, producing 716 million metric tons (789 million short tons) in 2018. In 2017, India had 315.14 billion metric tons (347.38 billion short tons) of coal. The estimated total reserves of lignite coal that month was 44.70 billion metric tons (49.27 billion short tons). Due to high demand and poor average quality, India imports coking coal to meet the requirements of its steel plants. India's coal imports have risen from 49.8 million metric tons.
India is the second largest producer of coal in the world, after China. The production of coal was 728.72 million metric tons (803.28 million short tons) in 2018–19, a growth of 7.89%
over the previous year.
Industries in India consumed 968.25 MT of raw coal in 2018–19, growing by 7.76% over the previous fiscal.
Coal generated over 70% of electricity produced in 2017–18, while lignite accounted for 3.6% of electricity generation. India’s consumed over 70% of the coal produced in the country in 2013.
Due to high demand and poor average quality, India is forced to import high quality coal to meet the requirements of steel plants. India's coal imports have risen from 73.26 million metric tons in 2009–10 to 235.24 million metric tons (0.25931 billion short tons) in 2018–19.
Organizations under CIL (Coal India limited): -
• Eastern Coalfields Limited (ECL)
• Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL)
• Central Coalfields Limited (CCL)
• Western Coalfields Limited (WCL)
• South Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL)
• Northern Coalfields Limited (NCL)*
• Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL) NOTE: -Our study mainly focuses on the Northern Coalfields Limited, Singrauli.
1.1 Northern Coalfields Limited, Singrauli
The Singrauli Coalfield is located between latitudes 24012’ N and 230 47’ N. It is spread over nearly 2,200 km2 (850 sq mi) but only a small part of the coalfield, around 220 km2 (85 sq mi), has been identified as promising by the Geological Survey of India. The north-eastern part of the coalfield sits on a plateau with an altitude of 500m above mean sea level, well above the lower plains of 280m altitude.
The coal reserves in the north- eastern part of Singrauli coalfield, covering an area of around 220 km2 (85 sq mi), is 9,121 million tonnes, out of which 2,724 million tonnes are proved reserves and the
12 rest is inferred or indicated. Important coal
seams in this part of Singraulicolfield are:
Jhingurda (130–162 m thick), Purewa (8–
25 m thick) and Turra (12–22 m thick).
Qualitatively, the products of these seams are generally high moisture (6-9 per cent) and high ash (17-40 per cent) coals. The volatile matter ranges from 25-30 per cent.
The calorific valueof the coal varies from 4,200-5,900 Kcal/kg.
Almost all of India’s coal reserves are of Gondwana coal. Thickness of coal seams in Indian coalfields generally range from 1 m to 30 m. An exceptionally thick seam of 138 m has been discovered in Singrauli coalfield.
1.2 Operation
Singrauli Coalfield is divided into two parts by the Kachni River - Moher sub-basin and Singrauli main basin. Major part of the Moher sub-basin lies in the Singrauli district of Madhya Pradesh and a small part lies in the Sonebhadra district of Uttar Pradesh. Singrauli main basin lies in the western and southern parts of the coalfield and is largely unexplored. The present coal mining activities and future blocks are concentrated in Moher sub- basin.
Northern Coalfields Limited was carved out of Central Coalfields Limited in 1986, to take care of operations in the Singrauli Coalfield. The proved reserves in the Moher basin are about 3 billion tonnes out of which 2.3 billion tonnes have already been planned for mining, in an area of about 84 km2 (32 sq mi). During 2010-11, coal production of Northern Coalfield Limited was 66.253 million tonnes
1.3 Purpose of Study
The aim of our case study is to reduce the problems (as mentioned above) up to a possible extinct. The main objective of our case study.
To protect workers from airborne diseases - the most common disease includes the pulmonary diseases including pneumoconiosis and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases they sometimes also face the problem of silicosis
To focus on safety training programs - proper monthly induction or training session should take place so that workers will be notified about all
the safety precautions they should take while working in the organization.
To reduce the environmental impact of mining - the impact of coal mines on the environment has been shown in the above pictures like how the leafs get damaged due to the practices involve in the coal mining.
To reduce the occupational accidents - about 17% of the workers life deceased in a year happens due to the occupational accidents which can be reduced by giving proper training and instructions to the workers.
1.4 Methodology
Research on issue faced.
Dust control by water spray method.
Transportation of coal by covered conveyors method
2 LITRATURE SURVEY
Emission of coal dust - Our problem number 1 focuses on the emission of coal dust which occurs in coal mines during blasting as it is hazardous to both environment and personal health. The emission of coal dust can be supressed by water spraying method. During our research we found that at present water spray in Singrauli mines takes place with the help of spray vehicle that conquers the water throughout the area with a constant velocity.
Statement- The problem that we came across during this process was the time taken by the vehicle to spray water throughout the area is more.
Some other factors include consumption increased mud soil and occupational accidents. Dusts consist of solid matter in a minute and fine state of subdivision so that the particles are small enough to be raised and carried by wind. They may originate from many sources. A large range of industrial processes can produce particulate emissions.
A number of characteristics of dust are important in considering its impacts. Dust can have both a physical and a chemical impact.
Dust falling onto plants may physically smother the leaves. Thus
13 the absolute level of deposition is
important. This is affected by dust emission rates, meteorology and conditions on the leaf surface. Dust can also physically block stomata.
Waste Management-Some of the earliest experimental work on commercial crops was done using chemically inert dusts such as silica gel. It was realised that dusts, such as fertilizer or lime, could produce a number of plant responses due to the dust chemistry and that these could be overcome by using chemically inactive dust types. Permeability of the leaves to ammonia was found to increase with increasing concentrations of the dust and with decreasing particle size.
Air Pollution- Air pollution in coal mines is mainly due to fugitive emissions of particulate matter and gases including methane, oxides of nitrogen etc. Mining operations have generated substantial quantity of airborne respirable dust, which has led to the development of respiratory diseases in mine workers.
Worker Safety-Exposure to coal mine dust causes various pulmonary diseases, including coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). 2. Coal miners are also exposed to crystalline silica dust, which causes silicosis, COPD, and other diseases.
Facts of our Study:
Our problem number 1 focuses on the emission of coal dust
which occurs in coal mines during blasting as it is hazardous to both environment and personal health.
Some other causes of air pollution that occurs in coal mines are due to transportation (from one city to another, the transportation of coal in conveyer belt etc.).
Worker’s safety is also major cause has occupational accidents has increased in recent time.
3 CONCLUSION
The recommendations in this case study are intended to improve health and safety in mines and ensure that all workers arrive home to their friends and family each day. The aim is to integrate occupational health and safety improvements while supporting innovation and fostering productivity in the sector.
Beyond the implementation of these recommendations is the need to maintain these relationships and open communication about emerging health and safety issues and potential solutions.
These efforts are important because the only way we will eliminate workplace injuries, illnesses and fatalities is if we stay on this path of continuous improvement. This is not the endpoint of the process put in place to improve mining health and safety; in fact, there is a lot to do. Health and safety is not a static issue, it’s constantly changing as workplaces and technologies evolve and only in partnership can we continue to improve health and safety outcomes.
