Automatic Fire Extinguishing Control System for Mining Areas

"Coal Mine Fire Prevention and Extinguishing Regulations"

Article 55: Belt conveyors must be equipped with anti-slip, deviation prevention, coal stacking, tearing protection devices, and should also be equipped with temperature and smoke monitoring devices and automatic sprinkler systems. It is advisable to install an automatic fire extinguishing system with real-time monitoring capabilities.

System Overview

The automatic fire extinguishing control system for mining areas is an automated fire suppression system designed for coal mines and other mining areas, integrating advanced intelligent control technology and customized design concepts. The system can monitor fire conditions in real time and automatically activate sprinkler extinguishing. It uses dry powder, water, and gas as extinguishing agents, which are environmentally friendly and non-corrosive. Additionally, it features intelligent functions such as remote monitoring and operation via a mobile app, enabling centralized management of fire situations in mining areas and effectively enhancing mine safety management.

Principle Explanation

The system monitors fire sources through fire detection technology, activates the extinguishing device, and issues warnings upon detecting abnormalities. It uses efficient extinguishing agents and achieves precise fire suppression through sprinkler heads. The system supports customized design, remote monitoring, and operation to improve safety management.

The system's core equipment includes a mining explosion-proof and intrinsically safe fiber optic temperature measurement host combined with a mining intrinsically safe electric ball valve. It can monitor sensor values such as flame, carbon monoxide, smoke, and wireless temperature in real time. Paired with a mining intrinsically safe thermal imaging camera, once abnormal values are detected, it automatically determines whether a fire has occurred. If a fire is detected, it immediately controls the corresponding electric ball valve to activate the extinguishing device. This enables 3D full-area monitoring and automatic fire extinguishing operations for belt conveyors, roadways, and electromechanical chambers. Meanwhile, mining intrinsically safe indicator lights and sound-light alarms provide indication and alerts.

System Features

(1) The system consists of monitoring client (including monitoring software), temperature measurement host, intrinsically safe network switch, electric ball valve, smoke sensor, temperature sensor, carbon monoxide sensor, sound-light alarm, intrinsically safe indicator lights, and other equipment, integrating fire detection, fire alarm, automatic extinguishing, remote control, and data transmission.

(2) Through the client monitoring software, the operation status of underground automatic fire extinguishing equipment and alarm information can be fully grasped in the dispatch room; open data interfaces allow seamless integration into the mine's or third-party intelligent monitoring systems, smart mine management platforms, and other comprehensive coal mine management software platforms, realizing intelligent underground fire prevention and extinguishing systems.

(3) In the early stage of a fire in the underground power distribution room, the system can automatically detect over-temperature, carbon monoxide, and smoke signals, and immediately extinguish the fire source to prevent larger and more severe fire accidents. It can quickly extinguish mechanical, electrical, chemical, and other types of fires.

(4) The ultra-fine dry powder extinguishing agent used chemically inhibits and negatively catalyzes free radicals or active groups generated during combustion, interrupting the chain reaction of combustion to achieve fire suppression. The extinguishing agent absorbs heat and decomposes in the flame, providing good cooling effects; it is non-corrosive and non-destructive to protected materials, offering excellent protection for equipment during fires.

(5) The client is placed in the dispatch room, where all on-site monitoring and extinguishing equipment can be remotely monitored through the upper computer monitoring software. The client communicates with the extinguishing system via the existing industrial ring network.

(6) It has an early warning function that can trigger alarms based on smoke, temperature, carbon monoxide, and other detection results, completely extinguishing fires at the initial stage.

(7) On-site safety exit indicator lights and 'Do Not Spray' indicator lights provide status viewing and escape guidance for on-site personnel, including functions like 'Do Not Spray' indication.

(8) Multiple sensors are used for comprehensive detection. When the on-site ambient temperature exceeds 34°C (temperature can be set independently) or smoke appears, an alarm is triggered and dry powder extinguishing is automatically sprayed. The monitoring software displays sensor status in real time.

(9) It features fully automatic unmanned fire extinguishing and manual emergency spraying functions. Detection, alarm, and extinguishing are fully automated, enabling intelligent fire suppression and remote management.

(10) It has fire extinguishing prompts and personnel evacuation indication functions, which are easy to recognize in smoky environments after a fire, quickly indicating escape routes. After fire confirmation, the extinguishing device is activated with a delay (adjustable from 1 to 9999 seconds), allowing sufficient evacuation time for on-site personnel.

(11) It supports remote centralized control and on-site local control functions. The client can remotely control underground equipment on/off, and on-site personnel can manually operate on/off via remote control.

(12) Using distributed fiber optic temperature measurement technology, it continuously monitors and warns of fire conditions along belt conveyors and high-voltage cables in cable trenches without blind spots, completing temperature parameter monitoring and analysis. Monitoring data is transmitted via fiber optic network to the surface monitoring system software.

(13) The temperature measurement cable has surge protection and electromagnetic interference resistance.

(14) The temperature measurement host features over-temperature alarm, fiber break fault alarm, temperature curves, historical data, and other indicators, allowing users to conveniently check equipment operation status at any time.

(15) It supports multi-channel acquisition; one fiber optic temperature measurement host can monitor four temperature measurement cables simultaneously.

(16) The temperature measurement host has alarm output points internally, which can be directly configured with sound-light alarms.

(17) The temperature measurement host has passive contacts internally, which can directly link with other equipment.

(18) It can monitor the entire high-voltage cable line. The system alarms when the detected temperature ≥ alarm temperature (default 60°C, adjustable via software according to actual conditions) and automatically extinguishes fires. It can accurately measure and display the real-time temperature and location of alarm points, storing historical records for no less than one year.

(19) When high temperature is detected, the alarm device emits sound and light alarms. The light signal intensity is visible beyond 20 meters in darkness, and the sound intensity is not less than 85 dB.

(20) It has fault query, fault recording, smoke/temperature/flame detection, and operation functions.

(21) Communication Function: The device is equipped with an RS-485 communication interface, allowing seamless networking with on-site equipment, facilitating connection to the intrinsically safe underground network switch, and integration into the industrial Ethernet for remote ground monitoring.

(22) Unified Clock Synchronization Function: The software includes a sync clock button, which, when clicked, issues a command to synchronize the time of all underground devices to the time displayed on the software interface.

(23) The system uses three different types of extinguishing agents, applicable in different areas, paired with different extinguishing media:

Main Technical Parameters

(1) Analog input transmission processing error not greater than 1%;

(2) Maximum system inspection cycle not greater than 30 seconds;

(3) Remote control response time not greater than 30 seconds;

(4) Response time for calling up 85% of the full screen not greater than 2 seconds, other screens should not exceed 5 seconds;

(5) Time from main host failure to manual activation of backup host normal operation not greater than 5 minutes;

(6) System transmission error rate not greater than 10 ^-8 ；

(7) Real-time monitoring values of important analog monitoring points saved on disk can be retained for more than 7 days; records of analog statistical values, switch status and change times, equipment failure/recovery times and statuses can be retained for more than 1 year. When the system fails, the time length of lost information above does not exceed 5 minutes.