STOWING

What is stowing?
In underground mine when coal is extracted
from the coal seam then cavity or void is formed.
These voids or cavity is packed with some
incombustible material to protect mine as well as
surface features and so many other advantages are
also obtained. This process of packing the void or
goaf is called stowing.
 Advantages of stowing
a) Chances of Spontaneous heating is less
b) No roof fall
c) Higher percentage of extraction is obtained.
d) No problem of inundation
e) Strata control will be easy
f) Subsidence is reduced
g) Ventilation planning will be easier
 Disadvantages of stowing
a) Costly : additional man power is required
: More machinery is required
b) Increase relative humidity of the mine (hydraulic
stowing).
c) Dustier (pneumatic &mechanical stowing)
d) More Noisy (pneumatic &mechanical stowing)
e) Roadways become slippery (hydraulic stowing)
f) Face advance rate is slow
 Types of stowing
1. Manual stowing or hand packing: In this method
laborers are used to dump the stowing material with
the help of baskets which are carried on their
shoulders. In this method the stowing materials are
transported near the stowing site with the help of
tubs. Thereafter the material is loaded by the laborers
in the basket and unloads the materials in the stowing
site.
 
Merits:
i) Very simple method.
ii) Very less capital cost is required.
iii) It can be used in flat seam also.

Demerits:
i) This is very slow method
ii) It requires more man power
iii) Packing efficiency is only 50 %.
 2. Hydraulic Stowing: In this method the stowing
materials are transported from surface to the stowing
site in the underground directly through the pipes
with the help of water. In this method a huge amount
of water and stowing material is required. Water and
sand is mixed in proper ratio at the surface and
thereafter it is transported to the under ground mine.
Steps involved in sand stowing
1) Collection of sand at river bank.
2) Transportation of the sand from river bank to the
mixing plant.
3) Mixing of sand with appropriate amount of water
in the mixing plant.
4) Transportation of the sand water mixture from
mixing plant to the stowing site in the underground
through the pipes.
5) Erection of barricades to retain the sand and allow
the water to flow.
6) Pumping of stowed out water from the stowing
site up to the surface for its reuse.
Materials / instruments required for hydraulic
stowing:
a) Stowing materials: For packing the goaf
b) Water: To mix with the sand and to transport it.
c) Pipe ranges: For transportation of the sand water
mixture from mixing chamber to the stowing site
d) Barricading materials: for arresting of sand in
stowing site
e) Props: To erect the barricades.
f) Water meter: To measure the quantity of water.
g) Lea recorder: To measure the sand quantity.
 
Merits
1) This is simple and more flexible method.
2) Packing density is highest
4) Operating cost is very less.
5) No machinery is used to transport the stowing
material as required in other methods.
 
Demerits
1) This method requires large amount of water.
2) This method cannot be used in deep and hot
mines as it increase the relative humidity.
3) This method can be used only in inclined seam
at least 5ᵒ inclination is must for this method.
4) Requires more number of pumps.
5) Only small size stowing material can be used.
3. Pneumatic stowing
(Being used in Germany, Britain & some foreign
countries)
In this method we send a stowing material in the goaf
with the help of compressed air. This method requires
compressor plant at the surface and the compressed air
is made available at the stowing site by supplying it
through the pipes. At the stowing site there is a
machine which delivers the stowing materials in to the
stream of compressed air. The material which comes in
contact with the compressed air is carried away by the
compressed air into the goaf.
What should be the quality of a good stowing
material for pneumatic stowing?
1) It should not be sticky.
2) The material should be neither too small nor too big.
3) Material should not be too dry as it will cause
dusty environment.
4) It should be cheaper, free flowing and easily
available
5) It should not be combustible.
 Merits
1) No adverse effect on floor and roof.
2) No need of water thus more flexibility.
3) No pumping of water is required
4) Coarser material can be used.
5) Applicable for nearly all conditions of seam;
i.e. flat seam also can be stowed by this method.
6) No problem of humidity and thus in deeper
mine this method can be adopted.
 Demerits
1) High capital investment is required as
compressor and pipe for its supply from surface
up to the underground stowing point.
2) More power consumption.
3) Operating cost is high.
4) More air born dust is produced.
5) More noise and danger of electrostatic spark.
6) Packing efficiency is less
4. Mechanical stowing
In this method, stowing is done with the help of
high speed belt conveyor to fill the goaf
What should be the quality of a good stowing
material for pneumatic stowing?
1) It should not be sticky.
2) Bigger size materials are used. Size of the
material varies from 80 mm to 120 mm. 3)
Material should not be too dry as it will cause
dusty environment.
4) It should be cheaper, free flowing and easily
available.
5) It should not be combustible.
 Belt stower : This is a machine which is used for
packing the goaf by sending packing materials in the
goaf with the help of high speed belt, which is a
portable unit. The stowing material is transported up to
the stowing site by some transportation system and at
the stowing site the high speed belt is used to throw the
stowing material into the goaf. No water is used thus
there is no problem of humidity.
The stowing material is fed in to the hopper situated
above the high speed belt (stower).
is used
The discharge velocity of the material is 12m/sec.
Comparison of various stowing
methods
  manual hydraulic pneumatic mechanical
Capital Cost LEAST MAX. MORE MEDIUM
Equipment NO YES YES YES
Efficiency POOR MAX. MORE LESS
Overall Cost COSTLIEST CHEAPER COSTLY CHEAPER
THAN THAN
PNEUMATIC HYDRAULIC
Capacity VERY LESS MAX. MORE LESS
Installation NO YES YES YES
Maintenance NO YES YES YES
Dust LESS NO MORE LESS THAN
PNEUMATIC
Noise LESS NO MAX. LESS THAN
PNEUMATIC
Compactness VERY LESS MAX. MORE MEDIUM
Dewatering NO YES NO NO
& Pump
Safety LESS MAX. MORE LESS
during
working
THANK YOU