Category: Ventilation

As Australian mining companies dig deeper and venture into more remote locations, it is more important than ever that underground operations are adequately cooled and ventilated. Aggreko can engineer a bespoke solution to ensure this is achieved to the highest standards, even in the most searing temperatures. This not only ensures a safer and more productive environment for workers, but also allows optimization of underground equipment. The Australian Mining Review spoke to Aggreko’s sector manager of underground cooling, Mitch Bevan, about the services the company offers to the mining industry, and the benefits of its flexible solutions. Modular And Scalable Whether its chillers, cooling towers, industrial air conditions or complete turnkey solutions, all of Aggreko’s equipment is modular and containerised. This means it can be transported easily without risk of damage to the equipment.…

Efficient ventilation systems in underground mines are paramount for regulating airflow, the amount and quality of air, as well as returning contaminants (gases, dust and heat) to the surface. Without proper control, extraction or dilution of contaminants, poor ventilation conditions can jeopardise the occupational health and safety of underground mine workers, resulting in potential fatalities. Generally made up of two ventilation systems, the primary one controls the total air volume flow through an underground mine, drawn in from the surface, and is also the exhaust circuit for the mine’s ventilation, or return airways (RAW) The secondary ventilation system refers to the provision of ventilation to development ends, stopes and services facilities which constitute secondary circuits tapped off the primary circuit…

IT goes without saying that for safety reasons, solid ventilation systems need to be in place in mining environments, whether above or below the ground. Ventilation is the control of air movement, its amount, and direction, and although it contributes nothing directly to the production phase of an operation, the lack of proper flow can cause lower worker efficiency and decreased productivity, increased accident rates, and even absenteeism. Air is necessary not only for breathing, but also to disperse the chemical and physical contaminants such as gases, dusts, heat, and humidity. Underground mine ventilation provides a flow of air to the workings of a mine of sufficient volume to dilute and remove dust and noxious gases (typically nitrous oxide, sulphur…