Mine Ventilation Dr.

Muhammad Usman Khan CEP

Complex Engineering Problem(CEP)

Maintaining Auxiliary Ventilation

Submitted to :

Dr. Muhammad Usman Khan

Submitted by :

2017-MIN-12 2017-MIN-13

2017-MIN-20 2017-MIN-38

Dated :

10th -December-2019

Department of Mining Engineering, University of Engineering and

Technology Lahore, Pakistan.

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Mine Ventilation Dr. Muhammad Usman Khan CEP

AKNOWLEDGEMENTS

First of all we are thankful to ALLAH ALMIGHTY for the completion of our report. We would
like to convey our sincere gratitude to our teacher, all the guidelines regarding this Complex
Engineering Problem were given by Dr. Muhammad Usman Khan, that led us to complete the
CEP. The rubrics assigned by him, were really helpful to search for our specific problem and to
solve it. His kindness is greatly appreciated. It was a great experience to work for this assignment
under the his supervision. We also owe our thankfulness to our Mining Engineering Department,
because it is providing us the platform to perform beyond our limits.

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Mine Ventilation Dr. Muhammad Usman Khan CEP

ABSTRACT

The main purpose of the report is to maintain an auxiliary ventilation in a Room and Pillar Copper
mine located at Red mountain(California) U.S. Cross-sectional area of mine is 20m2. Advancing
away form mine shaft with deteriorated return airways and leakage had negative effect on
ventilation airflows to the face area. No additional capacity is available at main surface.

The major points documented in this report are Introduction( Problem statement, general
problems), Cause(specific and general), and Solution techniques(specific(primary and secondary)
and general).

After research, it is concluded that underground mine Auxiliary ventilation plays a vital role in
production and safety of workers. As booster fans are not allowed in U.S. so, its use and regulation
should be monitored regularly. For all sort of mines Ventilation can be ensured by adaptation of
general principle of underground mine ventilation and specifically for our Copper Mine, line
brattice should be installed in mine to direct the air to face area and to avoid leakage along
periphery, line brattice should be installed along walls

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Mine Ventilation Dr. Muhammad Usman Khan CEP

Table of Contents

ABSTRACT.................................................................................................................................... 3
1 Introduction .................................................................................................................................. 6
1.1 Problem Statement ................................................................................................................ 6
1.2 General Mine Ventilation Problems ...................................................................................... 7
2 Literature review .......................................................................................................................... 7
2.1 General Principle of underground ventilation ....................................................................... 7
2.1.1 Booster or Auxiliary fans ............................................................................................... 8
2.1.2 Stoppings or seals ........................................................................................................... 8
2.1.3 Doors and air locks ......................................................................................................... 9
2.1.4 Regulators ....................................................................................................................... 9
2.1.5 Air crossings ................................................................................................................. 10
3 Causes of deterioration and leakage .......................................................................................... 10
3.1 Specific causes of leakage and deterioration of airways ..................................................... 10
3.2 General causes of leakage and deterioration of airways ..................................................... 11
4 Solutions .................................................................................................................................... 11
4.1 Specific Primary Solution ................................................................................................... 11
4.2 Specific Secondary Solution ............................................................................................... 11
4.3 General solution .................................................................................................................. 12
5 Ventilation Planning and Design Parameters at Homestake – A Case Study............................ 12
6 Summary .................................................................................................................................... 13
7 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................. 14
References ..................................................................................................................................... 15

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Mine Ventilation Dr. Muhammad Usman Khan CEP

List of Figures

Figure 1 Room And Pillar Mining Schematic diagram ................................................................. 6

Figure 2 The ventilation system and its control ............................................................................. 7
Figure 3 A typical boster fan setup ................................................................................................ 8
Figure 4 Kennedy steel stoppings as installed in the mine ............................................................ 9
Figure 5 A typical ventilation door ............................................................................................... 9
Figure 6 An air crossing schematic diagram ................................................................................ 10
Figure 7 Room and pillar development with line brattices to regulate airflow in conveyor ....... 11
Figure 8 A continuous brattice line will reduce leakage around peripherals. .............................. 12

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Mine Ventilation Dr. Muhammad Usman Khan CEP

Maintaining An Auxiliary Ventilation in a Room and Pillar, Copper Mine.

1 Introduction
ventilation systems are often subject to high leakage rates. As a result, changes in airflow resistance
will strongly affect the efficiency with which air is delivered to the working face. A method of
supplementing the main ventilating current in a mine by using a small fan to draw air from the
main current and force it through canvas or metal pipe to some particular place, such as the ends
of drifts, crosscuts, raises, entries, or other workings, driven in a mine.

The most common mining system is room-and-pillar. In this system a series of parallel drifts are
driven, with connections made between these drifts at regular intervals. When the distance between
connecting drifts is the same as that between the parallel drifts, then a checkerboard pattern of
rooms and pillars is created. The pillars of ore are left to support the overlying rock, but in some
mines, after mining has reached the deposit’s boundary, some or all of the pillars may be removed.

1.1 Problem Statement

Maintain an auxiliary ventilation in a Room and Pillar Copper mine located at Red
mountain(California) U.S. Cross-sectional area of mine is 20m2. Operating at the depth of
approximately 1200m. Advancing away form mine shaft with deteriorated return airways and
leakage had negative effect on ventilation airflows to the face area. No additional capacity is
available at main surface.

Figure 1 Room And Pillar Mining Schematic diagram

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Mine Ventilation Dr. Muhammad Usman Khan CEP

1.2 General Mine Ventilation Problems

As the mining depth increases, the temperature of the rock increases, and the heat damage caused
by the ground temperatures and other factors is amplified. The world’s deepest underground mine
is South Africa’s Carletonville gold deposit: the mining depth is 4000 m and the ground
temperatures is 70°C. The high-temperature, high-humidity, and low-velocity work environment
on the working surface in deep mines will cause the central nervous system to be inhibited by
workers working underground for a long period of time.

2 Literature review

2.1 General Principle of underground ventilation

Figure 2 depicts the essential elements of a ventilation system in an underground mine or other
subsurface facility.

Figure 2 The ventilation system and its control

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Mine Ventilation Dr. Muhammad Usman Khan CEP

Fresh air enters the system through one or more downcast shafts, or other connections to surface.
The air flows along intake airways to the working area or places where the majority of pollutants
are added to the air. Contaminated air passes back through the system along return airways. The
return air eventually passes back to the surface via one or more upcast shafts, or through inclined
or level drifts.

2.1.1 Booster or Auxiliary fans

A booster fan may be used to enhance the airflow through a part of the mine. When they are used,
they should be designed into the system in order to help control the leakage, without causing
undesirable recirculation in either normal or emergency situations. In the U.S. booster fans are
prohibited in underground coal mines.

Figure 3 A typical boster fan setup

2.1.2 Stoppings or seals

Stoppings are simply air walls made of masonry, concrete blocks, pre-fabricated steel, gob walls,
fire-proofed timber blocks, or any other material used to channel airflow for effective air
distribution. Depending on the size of mining entries, stopping sizes range from as small as 4-ft
by 20-ft in low coal to as large as 30-ft by 40-ft in limestone mines.

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Mine Ventilation Dr. Muhammad Usman Khan CEP

2.1.3 Doors and air locks

These doors are generally steel access doors, mounted in stoppings between intake and return
airways. When access doors between intake and return airways are necessary and their pressure
differential is high, man-doors generally are built as a set of two or more to form an air-lock. This
prevents short-circuiting when one door is opened for passage of vehicles or personnel. The
distance between doors should be capable of accommodating the longest train of vehicles required
to pass through the air-lock.

Figure 4 Kennedy steel stoppings as installed

Figure 5 A typical ventilation door
in the mine

2.1.4 Regulators
Regulators are commonly used to reduce the airflow to a desired value in a given airway or section
of the mine. Depending on its permanency and the pressure differential to be experienced across
the regulator, materials used in the construction of regulators range from a simple brattice sheet
blocking the airway to a sliding shutter in a stopping.

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Mine Ventilation Dr. Muhammad Usman Khan CEP

2.1.5 Air crossings

A bridge where a return airway passes over (overcast) or under (undercast) an intake airway. It is
generally constructed with concrete blocks, structural steel, and/or sheet metal, and is made airtight
to prevent intermixing of the two air currents. The mining law requires an air crossing to be so
constructed as not to be liable to be damaged in the event of an explosion.

Figure 6 An air crossing schematic diagram

3 Causes of deterioration and leakage

3.1 Specific causes of leakage and deterioration of airways

Booster fans affect the behavior of leakage and recirculation. The locations of the booster fan and
the blade angle setting have the most effect on leakage and recirculation. To limit the potential for
system leakage and recirculation, the location and size of a booster fan in a ventilation system
should be thoroughly evaluated. According to the United States Federal Register (1992), booster
fans are permitted in metal and non-metal mining, as well as in anthracite coal mines.

The leakage of air does not serve an advantage to the mine ventilation system as leaked airflow
does not ventilate the working areas. Fugitive air losses as a result of poorly maintained stoppings
and overcasts will cause shortage of fresh air at working sections where workers need more fresh
air and where the major job of diluting and carrying away gases and dusts is conducted.

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Mine Ventilation Dr. Muhammad Usman Khan CEP

3.2 General causes of leakage and deterioration of airways

Hartman et al. (1997) points out that leakage through stoppings, doors, and regulators depend not
only on the pressure across the control device but also on the condition of the device itself. All
control devices are subject to natural deterioration over time. This may be due to the convergence
of strata, blasting underground or by vehicles running into stoppings and overcasts. Hartman et al.
(1997) continues to make an observation that the majority of air leakages in underground coal
mines are happening at or near the bottom of the slope where the pressure differential is the highest
and the control devices are the oldest.

4 Solutions

4.1 Specific Primary Solution

As mining continues to expand and go deeper, the need for improved and efficient ventilation
increases. To limit the potential for system leakage and recirculation,

• The location of a booster fan in a ventilation system should be thoroughly evaluated.

• Maintain stoppings, regulators and doors

4.2 Specific Secondary Solution

• Use of Line brattices can be used to direct airflow to the face area.

Figure 7 Room and pillar development with line brattices to regulate airflow in conveyor
belt entry: (a) bi-directional system; (b) uni-directional system.

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Mine Ventilation Dr. Muhammad Usman Khan CEP

• Hang a continuous brattice line along the pillars, it will stops most of the leakage around
the peripherals.

Figure 8 A continuous brattice line will reduce leakage around peripherals.

4.3 General solution

By applying aforementioned, general principle of underground ventilation, which includes

stoppings, check curtains, air-crossings, door, and regulators; the leakage and deterioration could
be avoided. This principle is little bit costly but not more precious than human life. Just to assure
safety of miners, these basic principles should must be adopted. It will not only reduce the hazards
ratio, but also significantly results in increased production.

5 Ventilation Planning and Design Parameters at Homestake – A Case Study

The goal of a ventilation system is to provide a work environment that contains minimal safety
and health risks and is conducive to hard work. Since ventilation is a cost function, this goal should
be met as inexpensively as possible. Homestake is the largest underground gold mine in the U.S.,
currently operating at the 8,000- foot level. The mine is ventilated by 1,069,000 cfm (504 m3 /sec)
of air measured at mid-exhaust circuit density. Its air conditioning system includes a 2,300 ton (8.1
MWR) controlled recirculation plant, a 580 ton (2.0 MWR) chilled water plant, a 290 ton (1.0
MWR) drite exploration plant, 28 spot-coolers totaling 960 tons (3.4 MWR), and 35 spray coolers
totaling 420 tons (1.5 MWR).

The mine employs 117 diesel units with a total nameplate rating of 10,672 hp (7,961 kW), plus

other mining equipment (Marks and Shaffner, 1993). Faced with these challenges, the mine
management formulated a ventilation planning method called Requirements and Resources
Analysis (Marks and Justus, 1993).

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Mine Ventilation Dr. Muhammad Usman Khan CEP

A requirement is defined as the air quantity or the amount of refrigeration necessary to meet the
goal stated above. A resource is a tangible thing: a fan, cooler, or an airway. A properly designed
system has the resources to meet the requirements. If not, work areas will be excessively warm or
cold, or will suffer from high contaminant concentrations. Requirements and Resources Analysis
has four basic components:

➢ Establishing and justifying design parameters

➢ Ascertaining present ventilation system status
➢ Projecting ventilation requirements
➢ Analyzing ventilation resources alternatives

The 85° to 91°F wet-bulb increment is considered the safety-factor range where only temporary
work is permitted. Above 91°F wet-bulb, ingress is for short duration only. For dust, toxic and
dangerous gases, the guidelines set forth by Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) and
the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) are followed.

For diesel equipment, a minimum 110 cfm per rated horsepower (0.07 m3/sec per kW) is specified
for ramp systems and general work areas. Dead and auxiliary fans can get by with less air if diesel
vehicles are only in the heading part-time. Scrams under 100 ft in length usually are well enough
ventilated by convection currents and the reciprocating action of the loader.

6 Summary

Problem was to maintain an auxiliary ventilation in a Room and Pillar Copper mine located at Red
mountain(California) U.S. In which leakage and deterioration was the significant problem. The
high-temperature, high-humidity, and low-velocity are the general problems which a mine faces.
General principle of underground mine ventilation was discussed. General cause of leakage and
deterioration, was the convergence of strata, underground-blasting or by vehicles running into
stoppings and overcasts. Solution includes the adaptation of general principle and specifically line
brattice should be installed in mine to direct the air to face area and to avoid leakage along
periphery, line brattice should be installed along walls.

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Mine Ventilation Dr. Muhammad Usman Khan CEP

7 Conclusion
After this brief discussion and documentation it is concluded that underground mine Auxiliary
ventilation plays a vital role in production and safety of workers. As booster fans are not allowed
in U.S. so, its use and regulation should be monitored regularly. For all sort of mines Ventilation
can be ensured by adaptation of general principle of underground mine ventilation and specifically
for our Copper Mine, line brattice should be installed in mine to direct the air to face area and to
avoid leakage along periphery, line brattice should be installed along walls.

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Mine Ventilation Dr. Muhammad Usman Khan CEP

References
• https://www.britannica.com/technology/mining/Ventilation-and-lighting#ref622467
• https://www.mindat.org/glossary/auxiliary_ventilation
• https://www.hindawi.com/journals/ace/2018/1529490/
• http://web.mst.edu/~tien/218/lab8-systems.pdf
• https://scholarsmine.mst.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=8326&context=masters_theses
• https://www.eolss.net/Sample-Chapters/C05/E6-37-06-02.pdf
• http://web.mst.edu/~tien/218/218-LabSystem.pdf
• https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/mining/userfiles/works/pdfs/mtimv.pdf
• https://books.google.com.pk/books?hl=en&lr=&id=mpQHCAAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PP
11&dq=Subsurface+Ventilation+and+Environmental+Engineering&ots=G1xjRvOakq&s
ig=ekc7OESLKeomwUbTxXH46qOb5QA#v=onepage&q&f=true
[Retrieval Date: 1st-December-2019]

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