Doctoral dissertation
Assessment of dimethyl sulphide odorous emissions released during the underground coal extraction in coal mine Velenje
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Abstract
Underground coal extraction at Coal Mine Velenje occasionally gives rise to odour complaints
from local residents and irritates and disturbs the miners at work in the mine.
This work describes a robust quantification of odorous emissions of mine sources and a
model-based analysis aimed to establish a better understanding of the sources, concentrations,
dispersion, and possible control of odorous compounds during the coal extraction process.
Major odour sources during underground mining are released volatile sulphur compounds
from coal seam that have characteristic malodours at extremely low concentrations at μg/m3
levels. Analysis of 1028 gas samples taken over a six-year period (2008-2013) revealed that
dimethyl sulphide (DMS, (CH3)2S) is the major odour active compound present in the mine, being
detected on 679 occasions throughout the mine. While hydrogen sulphide (H2S) and sulphur
dioxide (SO2) were detected 5 and 26 times.
Analysis of gas samples has shown that main DMS sources in the mine are coal extraction
locations at longwall faces and development headings and that DMS is also released during
transport from the main coal transport system.
The dispersion simulations of odour sources in the mine have shown that the concentrations
of DMS at median levels can represent relatively modest odour nuisance. While at peak levels,
the concentration of DMS remained sufficiently high to create an odour problem both in the
mine and on the surface. Overall, dispersion simulations have shown that ventilation regulation
on its own is not sufficient as an odour abatement measure.