Inflatable Devices for Use in Combating Mine Fires

摘要

The U.S. Bureau of Mines is conducting studies on the development of relativelyinexpensive, lightweight inflatable devices that can be used for rapidly isolating mine fire areas to allow for fire suppression and/or personnel escape. These inflatable devices were designed to be deployed either remotely through a borehole from the ground surface or from within the mine. Full-scale testing has confirmed the feasibility of both deployment methods. Other inflatable bag concepts that were tested for use during mine fires included an inflatable feed-tube seal for high expansion foam generators and a positive pressure inflatable walk-through escape device.