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Grab sampling
Integrated sampling
In this case, the time of sampling usually vary from few seconds to two-three
minutes. In this method, samples at predetermined places in mines are usually
collected. The results of analysis are representatives of airborne concentration of
the contaminant at the sampling station. Under this sampling method, various
techniques are employed for collecting samples. They are listed in the Table 1.
Table 1 Various techniques of grab sampling
Name
of
method
Water
displacement
method
Air
displacement Initially, the bottle is filled with
method
dry air. At the spot of sample
collection,
the
dry
air
is
replaced/displaced by mine air
by pumping mine air in the
sample container using pump or
bellows. The air pumped is about
10 times the capacity of the
bottle/container.
Evacuation
The sample container is a glass
bulb to which another glass tube
is attached. The other end of the
glass tube has a jet drawn out.
The container is evacuated using
a pump. After evacuation, the jet
of the glass tube is sealed. This
is done on the surface. The
apparatus is then taken to the
sample spot. At the spot, the
sample air rushes in the tube by
breaking the tip of the seal.
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Remarks
Suitable
sampling
dioxide.
for
of
routine
carbon
The
bottle
may
be
checked for vacuum with
a vacuum gauge just
before
collecting
the
sample.
Compression
Compressing
the
sampled air, increase the
mass of air that has been
sampled (i.e. the sampled
air has more volume than
the container at the STP).
- It can be used to take
integrated sample also
discussed latter.
Some
of
them
also
produce
alarm
signals
when
gases
have
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Fig. 1 Mechanically driven air sampler (after Vutukuri and Lama, 1986)
a. Construction
Fig. 1 suggests that, it consists of flexible tubing wound around a cylinder. The
cylinder is tilted such that one end of the tube is immersed in water and the other
end of cylinder being in contact with a spring-wound clock motor.
b. Working
The motor rotates at a pre-determined interval of time. This causes the end of the
tube immersed in water to come out and then at the completion of rotation, the
apparatus assumes the previous position as shown in Fig. 1. In the meantime, air
gets trapped in the tube. Hence for each revolution, air sample can be taken. While
taking the apparatus outside the mine, the mouth of the tube is clamped. The
sample is taken out in the laboratory from the tube using syringe.
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c. Precautions
Sample once collected should be analyzed as soon as possible to avoid diffusion of
some of the gases that might take place from the plastic tube.
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I = Io eaLc
IO = Intensity of incident light
I = Intensity of transmitted light
a = Absorbency index
L= Optical path or length of the cell
C= Molar concentration
Construction:
It consists of the following major components:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
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Working:
The source of infra-red radiation produces waves of radiation having wavelength of
the order such that it covers almost all the gases present. Prism disperses the
parallel rays of beam, produced by the split and collimator, into components with
various wavelengths. The absorption cell holds the sample. Rotating the prism can
make a beam of particular wavelength to traverse the absorption cell. The receiver
receives the intensity of the light transmitted by sample in the absorption cell.
B. Gas Chromatography
It is one of the recent developed techniques in the field of gas analysis. The
estimate of the concentration of different gases present in mine air can be obtained
using this method with higher degree of accuracy even for smaller samples.
However, simple gas chromatographer is not so much capable in producing
accurate results for rare constituents of mine air like CO, H2S, SO2, Oxides of
Nitrogen, etc.
It has one or more columns, containing gas adsorbents, through which an inert gas
carrier (e.g. hydrogen or helium) is pumped in. The adsorbent may be granulated
solids or liquids. The sample to be analyzed is introduced into the carrier gas before
the column or coil. Thus, constituent gases in the sample are adsorbed by the
adsorbent in the column. The sample air is being injected continuously. This forces
the adsorbent to release the previously adsorbed gas constituents. The rate of
desorption is not uniform for all the gases and is dependent on concentration. The
detector attached with the chromatographer records the concentration of different
constituents in the air sample.
C. Mass Spectrometry
It is a very accurate method for quantitative estimation of the constituents of
various gases present in the mine air, even if they are present in the smallest
possible concentrations. The principle involves the bombardment of free electrons
of the mine air sample. This causes different gases in the sample to form ions. The
formation of ions is based on the mass/charge ratio. The ions are then made to
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pass through a magnetic field. This causes them to separate in beams according to
mass/charge ratio. The spectrum produced can be scanned and then with suitable
technique, their concentration can be found out.
REFERENCES
Hartman, H. L., Mutmansky, J. M. & Wang, Y. J. (1982); Mine Ventilation and Air
Conditioning; John Wiley & Sons, New York.
McPherson, M. J. (1993); Subsurface Ventilation and Environmental Engineering;
Chapman & Hall, London.
Misra G.B. (1986); Mine Environment and Ventilation; Oxford University Press,
Calcutta, India.
Ramlu, M. A. (1991); Mine fires, Explosions, Rescue, Recovery and Inundations;
Oxford and IBH Publishing Co. Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi.
Vutukuri, V. S. & Lama, R. D. (1986); Environmental Engineering in Mines;
Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
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