Ankit
Jha, Ph.D., is the first graduate of South Dakota Mines’ new doctoral program in Mining
Engineering.
Dr.
Jha’s research, conducted under Associate Professor Purushotham Tukkaraja,
Ph.D., included a new computer system that integrates and enhances underground
mine ventilation, safety, communication and rescue operations. The concept
involves developing a command center with software that allows for real-time
tracking of individuals on digital maps inside a mine. It also records real-time
sensor data from the atmospheric monitoring system within the mine. The data collected
with specific algorithms from mine ventilation engineering and computer science
were utilized in developing the software.
When
the system alerts operators of danger, it highlights the fastest and safest
path for a mine rescue and recovery operation. Jha’s research also examined the
flammability of ventilation ducts in underground mines and made recommendations
for improvements. Furthermore, Jha investigated
efficient ventilation designs to mitigate radon emission in underground metal
mines by using experiments and computational fluid dynamics simulations.
In
his dissertation, Jha writes, “As mine rescue operations are stressful because
human lives are at stake, it is not surprising that pertinent information could
be missed, which could adversely affect the rescue operati...