Apparatus and Method for Mining Coal

Abstract

The present invention relates to a novel method of mining underground coal and recovering coal seam gas, the method including locating a seam of coal; digging a mine shaft to reach the seam of coal; constructing a ventilated underground control center which includes a computerized control panel, wherein the computerized control panel controls the movement of a drill head, a hollow drill shaft, a movable hydraulic shield, a movable resin roof bolting machine, and a movable waste extrusion device; providing mining personnel to the ventilated underground control center; wherein the mining personnel operate the computerized control panel to perform the tasks of moving the drill head into the seam of coal to obtain aggregate coal and coal seam gas; extruding waste material into mined-out space of the coal seam; and transferring the aggregate coal and coal seam gas to the surface of the earth.

We claim: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for mining an underground coal seam comprising:
 (a) an underground control center located within the underground coal seam, wherein the control center contains a computerized control panel;   (b) a hollow drill shaft, wherein the drill shaft is rotatable and extendable;   (c) a drill head; and   (d) a power source, wherein the power source is operatively connected to the computerized control panel by electrical means; and wherein the power source is operatively connected to the drill head by the hollow drill shaft.   
     
     
         2 . An apparatus according to  claim 1  further comprising:
 (e) an above-ground coal collection unit; 
 (f) an above-ground coal slurry pump house; 
 (g) a transfer means wherein the transfer means operatively connects the coal slurry pump house to the coal collection unit; 
 (h) a coal slurry pipe wherein the coal slurry pipe receives a coal slurry from the hollow, extendable drill shaft during a mining operation, and wherein the coal slurry pipe transfers the coal slurry to the above-ground coal slurry pump house. 
 
     
     
         3 . An apparatus according to  claim 2  further comprising a ventilation system wherein the ventilation system comprises:
 (j) a ventilation fan wherein the ventilation fan is located on the surface of the earth; 
 (k) a ventilation unit wherein the ventilation unit is located inside the underground control center; and 
 (l) a ventilation shaft wherein the ventilation shaft extends downwardly from the ventilation fan, and operatively connects the ventilation fan to the ventilation unit. 
 
     
     
         4 . An apparatus according to  claim 3  further comprising:
 (m) a first stationary hydraulic shield wherein the stationary shield is located substantially adjacent to the underground control center; 
 (n) a second power source; 
 (o) a second movable hydraulic shield wherein the second movable hydraulic shield is located behind the drill head and wherein the second movable hydraulic shield is operatively connected to the second power source and wherein the second power source is operatively connected to the computerized control panel; 
 (p) a movable resin roof bolting machine wherein the resin roof bolting machine is operatively connected to the second power source and wherein the second power source is operatively connected to the computerized control panel; and 
 (q) a movable extrusion device wherein the movable extrusion device is operatively connected to the second power source and wherein the second power source is operatively connected to the computerized control panel. 
 
     
     
         5 . A method of mining underground coal comprising:
 (a) locating an underground seam of coal;   (b) digging a main shaft toward the underground seam of coal wherein the main shaft extends into the seam of coal;   (c) constructing a ventilated underground control center within the seam of coal, wherein the underground control center is located adjacent to the main shaft; wherein the ventilated underground control center comprises an overhead comprising a ceiling section and roof bolts, a plurality of walls depending from the ceiling section, and a floor section for receiving the walls; wherein the overhead, the plurality of walls and the floor section define a substantially airtight space; and wherein the control center further comprises a computerized control panel;   (d) obtaining an extendable, rotatable, hollow drill shaft wherein the drill shaft has a proximal end and a distal end; and wherein the drill shaft is operatively connected to the ventilated underground control center at its proximal end;   (e) obtaining a drill head wherein the drill head is operatively connected to the drill shaft at the distal end of the drill shaft;   (f) obtaining a power source wherein the power source is operatively connected to the computerized control panel by power source electrical means; wherein the power source is located adjacent to the ventilated underground control center; and wherein the power source is operatively connected to the drill head by means of the extendable, rotatable, hollow drill shaft;   (g) obtaining a stationary first hydraulic shield wherein the first hydraulic shield is located between the underground control center and the seam of coal;   (h) obtaining a movable second hydraulic shield; wherein the second hydraulic shield is located behind the drill head;   (i) obtaining a movable resin roof bolting machine; wherein the resin roof bolting machine is located behind the movable second hydraulic shield;   (j) operating the computerized control panel wherein the power source activates the drill head, and wherein the drill head bores into the seam of coal;   (k) obtaining an above-ground coal collection unit;   (l) obtaining an above-ground coal slurry pump house;   (m) obtaining a transfer means wherein the transfer means operatively connects the coal slurry pump house to the coal collection unit;   (n) obtaining a coal slurry pipe; wherein the coal slurry pipe operatively connects the hollow drill shaft to the coal slurry pump house; wherein the hollow drill shaft contains the coal slurry;   (o) transporting the coal slurry to the above-ground coal slurry pump house; and   (p) removing the coal slurry from the coal slurry pump house to the coal collection unit by the transfer means.   
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 5  further comprising:
 (q) obtaining a movable extrusion device, wherein the extrusion device is located behind the movable resin roof bolting machine; and wherein the extrusion device is operatively connected to the second power source; 
 (r) obtaining and above-ground waste disposal unit; 
 (s) obtaining waste material, wherein the waste material is added to the above-ground waste disposal unit; 
 (t) obtaining a hollow transfer tubing; wherein the hollow transfer tubing operatively connects the underground movable extrusion device to the above-ground waste disposal unit; and 
 (u) operating the computerized control panel to activate the movable extrusion device; wherein waste material is extruded into a mined-out space. 
 
     
     
         7 . A method of recovering gas from naturally existing subsurface formations of coal or carbonaceous shale comprising:
 (a) locating the subsurface formation of coal or carbonaceous shale;   (b) digging a main shaft toward the subsurface formation, wherein the main shaft extends into the formation;   (c) constructing a ventilated underground control center within the subsurface formation, wherein the underground control center is located substantially adjacent to the main shaft; wherein the ventilated underground control center comprises an overhead comprising a ceiling section and roof bolts, a plurality of walls depending from the ceiling section, and a floor section for receiving the walls; wherein the overhead, the plurality of walls and the floor section define a substantially airtight space; and wherein the control center further comprises a computerized control panel;   (d) obtaining an extendable, rotatable, hollow drill shaft wherein the drill shaft has a proximal end and a distal end; and wherein the drill shaft is operatively connected to the ventilated underground control center at its proximal end;   (e) obtaining a drill head wherein the drill head is operatively connected to the drill shaft at the distal end of the drill shaft;   (f) obtaining a first power source wherein the first power source is operatively connected to the computerized control panel by power source electrical means; wherein the first power source is located adjacent to the ventilated underground control center; and wherein the first power source is operatively connected to the drill head by means of the extendable, rotatable, hollow drill shaft;   (g) obtaining a stationary first hydraulic shield between the ventilated underground control center and the subsurface formation;   (h) obtaining a second power source, wherein the second power source is operatively connected to the computerized control panel, and wherein the second power source is located adjacent to the underground control center;   (h) obtaining a movable second hydraulic shield; wherein the second hydraulic shield is operatively connected to the second power source; and wherein the movable second hydraulic shield is located behind the drill head;   (i) obtaining a movable resin roof bolting machine; wherein the resin roof bolting machine is operatively connected to the second power source; and wherein the resin roof bolting machine is located behind the movable second hydraulic shield;   (j) operating the computerized control panel to activate the first power source; wherein the drill head is allowed to bore into the subsurface formation;   (k) operating the computerized control panel to activate the second power source, wherein the movable second hydraulic shield and the movable resin roof bolting machine are advanced behind the drill head;   (k) obtaining an above-ground gas collection unit;   (l) obtaining a gas transfer pipe, wherein the gas transfer pipe operatively connects the hollow drill shaft at the proximal end of the drill shaft to the above-ground gas collection unit; and wherein the hollow drill shaft contains gas from the subsurface formation; and   (m) transporting the gas from the hollow drill shaft to the above-ground gas collection unit, wherein the order of the apparatus located along the extendable, rotatable, hollow drill shaft beginning at its distal end is as follows: drill head, movable second hydraulic shield, movable resin roof bolting machine, stationary first hydraulic shield and stationary power source; and wherein the drill head, the movable second hydraulic shield and the movable resin roof bolting machine advance into the subsurface formation when the power source is activated.   
     
     
         8 . A method according to  claim 7  further comprising:
 (n) obtaining a movable extrusion device, wherein the extrusion device is located behind the movable resin roof bolting machine, 
 (o) obtaining an above-ground waste disposal unit; 
 (p) adding waste material to the waste disposal unit; 
 (q) obtaining a hollow transfer tubing; wherein the hollow transfer tubing operatively connects the extrusion device to the waste disposal unit; and 
 (r) operating the computerized control panel to activate the movable extrusion device; wherein waste material is drawn into the hollow tranfer tubing, received by the movable extrusion device and extruded into a mined-out space. 
 
     
     
         9 . Coal obtained by a process comprising:
 (a) locating an underground seam of coal;   (b) digging a main shaft toward the underground seam of coal wherein the main shaft extends into the seam of coal;   (c) constructing a ventilated underground control center within the seam of coal, wherein the underground control center is located adjacent to the main shaft; wherein the ventilated underground control center comprises an overhead comprising a ceiling section and roof bolts, a plurality of walls depending from the ceiling section, and a floor section for receiving the walls; wherein the overhead, the plurality of walls and the floor section define an airtight space; and wherein the control center further comprises a computerized control panel;   (d) obtaining an extendable, rotatable, hollow drill shaft wherein the drill shaft has a proximal end and a distal end; and wherein the drill shaft is operatively connected to the ventilated underground control center at its proximal end;   (e) obtaining a drill head wherein the drill head is operatively connected to the drill shaft at the distal end of the drill shaft;   (f) obtaining a power source wherein the power source is operatively connected to the computerized control panel by power source electrical means; wherein the power source is located adjacent to the ventilated underground control center; and wherein the power source is operatively connected to the drill head by means of the extendable, rotatable, hollow drill shaft;   (g) constructing a stationary first hydraulic shield between the operations center and the seam of coal; wherein the stationary first hydraulic shield is located adjacent to the power source;   (h) constructing a movable second hydraulic shield; wherein the second hydraulic shield is located behind the drill head;   (i) constructing a movable resin roof bolting machine; wherein the resin roof bolting machine is located behind the movable second hydraulic shield;   (j) operating the computerized control panel, wherein the power source activates the drill head, and wherein the drill head bores into the seam of coal;   (k) obtaining an above-ground coal collection unit;   (l) obtaining an above-ground coal slurry pump house;   (m) obtaining a transfer means wherein the transfer means operatively connects the coal slurry pump house to the coal collection unit;   (n) obtaining a coal slurry pipe; wherein the coal slurry pipe operatively connects the hollow drill shaft to the coal slurry pump house; wherein the hollow drill shaft contains the coal slurry;   (o) transporting the coal slurry to the above-ground coal slurry pump house; and   (p) removing the coal slurry from the coal slurry pump house to the coal collection unit by the transfer means.