Mining Environment Detection System

描述（由申请人提供）：地下矿井中可燃、易爆和有毒气体水平的升高是与采矿活动相关的死亡和伤害的充分记录的致病因素。传感器研究与开发公司（SRD）将通过开发一种强大的多功能气体探测器系统来推进目前用于探测和监测地下煤矿作业中发现的不安全气体的技术，该系统可应用于采矿作业中所有关键的气体监测要求。这项应用研究的最终目标是实现综合多气体分析仪的商业化，该分析仪适用于固定式，便携式和机器安装应用，具有必要的支持电子设备和软件，可以将完整的无线数据传输到远程控制中心。这种新型矿井大气监测技术的能力将允许对整个矿井系统进行实时气体监测，并为早期发现和预防甲烷爆炸以及发现和控制自发加热事件提供可靠的数据。多气体传感元件是一个单片互补金属氧化物半导体（CMOS）微热板传感器阵列支撑平台，目前支持16个纳米尺寸的半导体金属氧化物（SMO）传感器，每个传感器都涂有化学定制的、分析物选择性的、掺杂金属氧化物催化剂的传感膜。这16个选择性气体传感器和用于分析数据的信号处理算法将检测、监测和量化不同气体背景下复杂大气气体混合物的化学成分。这种多气体分析仪将实时检测和监测与矿井爆炸和火灾相关的有害气体（甲烷，一氧化碳，氧气，二氧化碳等），并具有所需的特性（适合在恶劣环境中使用，耐用，坚固）和功能，以取代目前在采矿作业中使用的所有气体探测器（固定式，手持式，机器安装）。最重要的是，这项工作的目的是为采矿业提供一个敏感、强大、实时、自主的气体监测仪，具有必要的无线数据传输能力，可以应用预测建模工具来预防与矿山有关的火灾和爆炸。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Elevated levels of flammable, explosive and toxic gases in underground mines are well-documented causative factors in the fatalities and injuries associated with mining activities. Sensor Research and Development (SRD) Corporation will advance the current technologies used to detect and monitor the unsafe gases found in underground coal mining operations by developing a robust, multi-functional gas detector system that can be applied to all of the critical gas monitoring requirements in mining operations. The ultimate goal of this applied research is the commercialization of a comprehensive multi-gas analyzer, suitable for stationary, portable and machine mounted applications with the necessary support electronics and software enabling complete wireless data transfer to remote control centers. The capabilities of this novel mine atmosphere monitor technology will permit real- time gas monitoring of the complete mine system and provide reliable data for the early detection and prevention of methane explosions and the detection and control of spontaneous heating events. The multi-gas sensing element is a monolithic complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) micro- hotplate sensor array support platform which currently supports 16 nano-sized semiconducting metal- oxide (SMO) sensors, each coated with a chemically tailored, analyte selective, metal oxide catalyst doped sensing film. These 16 selective gas sensors and the signal processing algorithms used to analyze the data will detect, monitor and quantitate the chemical components of complex atmospheric gas mixtures within diverse gas backgrounds. This multi-gas analyzer will detect and monitor in real- time, the hazardous gases associated with mine explosions and fire (methane, carbon monoxide, oxygen, carbon dioxide, etc.) and will have the required characteristics (suitable for use in harsh environments, durable, robust) and functionality to replace all gas detectors (stationary, hand-held, machine mounted) currently used in mining operations. Most importantly, the intent of this effort is to provide the mining industry with a sensitive, robust, real-time, autonomous gas monitor with the requisite wireless data transfer capability to apply predictive modeling tools for the prevention of mine related fires and explosions. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Significant improvements in the safety of underground mining operations, by reducing fatalities and injuries caused by fire and explosions, can be realized through technological advancements in gas detection equipment. Real-time, hazardous gas concentration data will be collected using sensors distributed throughout the underground mine, and analyzed to predict, alert and prevent mine disasters resulting from spontaneous combustion and explosions.