Shaft 1

Shaft 2
(Anglo)
Surface

30m
Level 1

Level 2

30m
Level 3

Level 4

360m
30m C
Level 5

C
Level 6

30m
Level 7

Level 8

30m
Level 9

Level 10

30m
Level 11

Level 12
CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY
3.2 To improve the directions and quantities of air throughout the ventilation
infrastructure using doors and brattices.

To improve the directions and quantities of air, we did fan upgrade and redirecting airways.

3.2.1. Fan Upgrade.

Since production is done from level 7 to level 12 which are still on development level, more air
flow will be required in this area. Two J67 Airtec Davidson fans are installed at the southern
Orefield stope, which will be mined-out soon. The fan upgrade from level 7 to 12 includes
removing the existing exhaust fan at level 3, which supply 125 m3/s when operating in parallel,
and replacing it with the two J67 Airtec Davidson fans from the SOF.

3.2.2 Redirecting airways

Access, C-mine entrance, and C5 tunnel. This simulation was simply used to redirect the airflow
through the WOF decline by placing a curtain at the entrance to the level 1 to 6 intake tunnel,
since S no mining is taking place at this location. A permanent stopping was also placed close to
the Quick Access portals where the air moves towards the workshop and is returned to the Quick
Access through a stope. The workshops are dormant and therefore ventilation is not needed.
After the simulation, the airflow distribution was analysed. The location of the stopping along
the WOF decline is indicated in Figure 3.
This installation was done under the supervision of the mine manager and Natural Air Supplier
which provided the brattices using the following procedure:

i. Identification of areas to install , for example, those areas that are no longer
worked on

ii. Getting measurements of the length and width to be closed by using a measuring
tape.

iii. Installing the brattices in the identified areas by bolting them up to the roof and
floor but loosely hanging them in the cross cuts to allow passage for the workers
and machinery.

CHAPTER 4: RESULTS AND ANALYSIS

4.1. HISTORICAL DATA

Table 4.1.1: Velocity and quantity of intake air

Level Velocity(m/s) Area(m2) Q(m3/s)

1 0.330 5 1.650

2 0.294 5 1.470

3 0.256 5 1.280

4 0.255 5 1.275

5 0.252 5 1.260

6 0.233 5 1.165
 7 0.151 5 0.755

8 0.148 5 0.740

9 0.145 5 0.725

10 0.143 5 0.715

11.035

 Air quantity decrease from 1.650m3/s at level 1 to 0.715m3/s at level 10 and the velocity
also decreases due to air leakages, airway resistance.
 The velocities in the section from level 6 to 10 are lower than the velocity requirements in
the sections as per mine ventilation standard.(>0.25m/s)

Table 4.1.2: Gas concentrations

Level CO(ppm) NxOy (ppm) O2 CH4

Limit 100ppm Limit (5 ppm) (Limit≥19%) (Limit 1.25%)

1 0 0 20 0

2 0 0 22 0

3 2 1 23 0

4 4 2 20 0

5 45 4 19 0

6 95 6 17 0

7 105 7 15 0
 8 110 6 14 0

9 128 8 15 0

10 125 7 13 0

Gas concentration readings at the standard re-entry time of four hours in table 4.1.2 shows that;

 The concentration of CO in levels 7 to 10 is above the required quantity of ≤ 100 ppm of

air as per mine ventilation standards. CO levels are increasing as we go down to the
working areas because of machinery in the working areas and also low air circulation in
those areas leads to concentration of CO.
 Oxides of nitrogen are above the required limit of ≤ 5 ppm of air from levels 6 to 10. NO
levels increase also as we go down the mine in working areas because there is poor air
distribution in those areas since most air is lost in upper levels which would result in
higher concentration of NO in those lower levels. Also NO components are denser than
air so they accumulate in the lower levels.
 Oxygen percentage is below 19% which is the required percentage in the air in levels 6 to
10 because natural air is reaching lower levels in short supply as other levels above are
open.

Table 4.1.3: Wet bulb temperature, dry bulb temperature and relative humidity

Level Wet bulb temperature Dry bulb temperature Relative humidity (%)

(deg celsius) (Limit ≤ 33.0deg celcius) Limit ≤ 84.0

Limit ≤ 27.5

1 22.0 24.0 84

2 23.0 25.0 84

3 23.5 25.0 88
 4 24.5 26.0 88

5 25.0 27.0 85

6 27.0 28.5 89

7 28.0 34.0 69

8 28.0 34.0 63

9 29.0 35.5 62

10 30.0 36.5 62

 Relative Humidity is constant in levels 1 and 2 at 84%, increases to 88% on levels 3 and
4 then decreases to 85% on level 5,increases to 89% on level 6 and then decreases
reaching 62% on level 10 is caused by a decrease in the difference of the Dry bulb
temperature and the Wet bulb temperature.(Wet bulb depression)
 Wet bulb temperatures are above the required as per mine ventilation standard from level
7 to 10 which is ≤ 27.5 degrees Celsius.
 Dry bulb temperatures are above the required as per mine ventilation standard from level 7
to 10 which is ≤ 33 degrees Celsius.
 For table 4.1.3 shows that the fundamental cause of the high-temperature in levels 7,8, 9
and 10 and high humidity in levels 3,4,5 and 6 near the working face of the mine is the
concentration of the heat on the working surface because the heat cannot be discharged
from the mine in time. This results in an increase in the ambient temperature of the
working surface according to Nie et al(2018). Therefore, the main causes of high-
temperature and high humidity in underground mines is the heat release due to
underground heat sources and the poor air circulation.
4.2 DATA AFTER FAN UPGRADE.
Readings were taken from the problematic levels that is from level 6 to 10 and the brattices were
installed in level 1 up to 5 since these working levels are not used frequently than levels 6 to 10.

Table 4, 2,1 : Velocity and quantity of intake air

Level Velocity(m/s) Area(m2) Q(m3/s)

6 0.278 5 1.390

7 0.266 5 1.330

8 0.254 5 1.270

9 0.244 5 1.220

10 0.232 5 1.160
Table 4,2,2 : wet bulb temperature, dry bulb temperature and relative humidity

Level wet bulb temp dry bulb temp (Limit Relative humidity %
≤ 33.0deg celcius)
in degree celcius Limit ≤ 84.0

Limit ≤ 27.5

6 25.0 27.0 85

7 26.0 32.0 58

8 26.0 32.0 58

9 28.0 34.0 60

10 29.0 35.0 61

 Relative Humidity levels in the section are required as per mine standard which is ≤
84.0% except for level 6 only.
 Wet bulb temperatures are above the required as per mine ventilation standard only on
level 9 and 10 which is ≤ 27.5 degrees Celsius.
 Dry bulb temperatures are above the required as per mine ventilation standard only on
level 9 and 10 which is ≤ 33 degrees Celsius.
Table 4.2.3 : CO, NxOy , O2 and CH4 concentrations

Level CO(ppm) NxOy(ppm) O2 CH4

Limit-100ppm Limit-5ppm limit≥ 19% Limit 1.25%

6 80 2 22 0

7 88 4 21 0

8 95 5 19 0

9 100 6 17 0

10 110 8 14 0

Gas concentration readings at the standard re-entry time of four hours in table 4.2.2 shows that;

 The concentration of CO in levels 6 the to 9 is as the required quantity of ≤ 100 ppm of

air as per mine ventilation standards and only above required in level 10.
 Oxides of nitrogen are as the required limit of ≤ 5 ppm of air from levels 6 to 8 and the
only level with higher level of oxides of nitrogen are level 9 and 10.
 Oxygen percentage is above 19% which is the required percentage in the air in levels 6
to 10 and below the required in only level 9 and 10

4.3. Analysis of results

4.3.1 Air direction

Before the installation of brattices air was directed in all levels but after the installation of
brattices on levels 1 to 5 the air was directed to the levels below that is 6 to 10. Gas concentration
met the standard requirement and air quantity improvement from level 6 to 10 pointed out that
introduction of brattices was a necessity since gas concentration and air quantity in levels 6 to 10
were rather problematic as per mine ventilation standard.

4.3.2 Air distribution

Historical data determined air distribution using the velocity and area. Air distribution
historically was poor due to natural ventilation’s inefficiency in providing air to all levels of the
mine. The distribution of air decreased as the levels went down since the velocity also decreased
due to air leakages and airway resistance.

Determination of changes in the air distribution was determined by comparing the temperature
and humidity tables that is table 4.1.3 and table 4.2.1 and also the gas concentration tables that is
table 4.1.2 and 4.2.2

4.3.3 Temperature and humidity

Table 4.1.3 illustrates that the natural ventilation provided sufficient air to regulate temperature
in levels 1 to 5 since these levels where not been worked on frequently hence the heat from
machinery was not applicable. Level 6 also had temperature below the limit. However levels 7 to
10 have temperatures above the limit since the air distributed to these areas was insufficient.

However due to the installation of the brattices in levels 1 to 5, air has been redirected to the
levels beneath .The temperatures in levels 6 to 10 decreased and this is a sign showing that the
distribution of air in these working levels has improved. Levels 6 to 8 have temperatures below
the limit but levels 9 and 10 remained with temperatures above the required.

4.3.4 Gas concentrations

Table 4.1.2 shows that the concentration of CO is above required maximum from levels 7 to 10.
After the installation of brattices the concentration of carbon monoxide decreased to the required
quantity except for level 10.
The NxOy concentration is above the maximum from level 6 up to 10 in table 4.1.2 , however
after the installation of brattices the concentration reached the required amount in levels 6,7, 8
and not in level 9 and 10.

Before the installation of brattices and doors, levels 6 to 10 have oxygen percentage below the
minimum required. After the installation of brattices and doors, the oxygen percentage increased
to meet the required in levels 6,7 ,8 but not in levels 9 and 10

Table 4.2.4 Cost Benefit Analysis

Consumable Units Required Unit Cost ($) Total Cost of Units

Used ($)

Brattice 10 175.06 1750.60

Brattice Installation 1 700.24 700.24

Ventilation Doors 11 202.76 2230.36

Ventilation Door 1 892.14 892.14

Installation

Grand Total 5573.34

Production

24/day

4.4 DISCUSSION

The results obtained were expected since the mine is using natural ventilation which is not
sufficient. Although the temperatures, humidity and concentration of gases changed significantly
some of the lower levels remained above the limited quantities.
After the brattices and doors were installed in levels 1 to 5, air distribution was improved since
most of the air was now being chanelled to lower and active working areas. Brattices prevent
short circuiting of air as well as maximizing the airflow at working faces. This resulted in an
improved air distribution, air direction and the quantity of air improved in the working faces.
Temperatures changed and also the concentration of toxic gases therefore an improved re entry
time.