The continuous demand for rich minerals have driven mines to become steeper and more equipped with machinery. As a result, the environmental conditions of underground mines have become harsher as temperature and humidity levels continue to rise.
The increasing depth of mines has also in a way contributed to rising heat levels which is transferred to ventilation air from auto-compression, strata, and other heat sources.
The mining industry is constantly looking into more productive ways that can be used to ventilate and cool deep underground terrains where miners operate.
Ventilation has been used traditionally to get rid of heat in mines in order to promote safe and healthy working conditions of miners who are mostly stationed beneath the earth.
Ventilation systems in mines often go beyond the removal of excess heat from the ground, however, it also facilitates the continuous provision of air needed to dilute air contaminants that cannot be removed by any other means significantly.
Additionally, the ventilation systems in the mines provides fresher, cooler air for mine workers, as well as clearing toxic fumes from blasting and exhaust fumes from diesel equipment.
Gaseous composition of atmospheric air includes nitrogen, oxygen, argon, carbon dioxide and water vapour. Water vapour concentration in atmospheric air reduces significantly when it flows through underground mines.
This could result in inhalation of dry air that can cause sore throat, cough, and asphyxia. Dry air in underground mines is usually very hot and can subject workers to heatstroke, shock, and burns. For this reason, some mining companies have adopted the usage of mechanical refrigeration systems to supplement the beneficial effects of ventilation.
Cooling Cars are usually used for cooling ventilation air in mines. For Cooling Cars to be highly efficient in cooling ventilation air, networks of ventilation air and chilled water must be established. Both networks must be integrated with each other through the heat exchange route found on Bulk Air Coolers and Cooling Cars.
When chilled water is moved to the air cooler on the working surface of the downhole by an insulated pipeline, existing insulated air is transported to the air cooler by a blower that allows heat exchange for sufficient reduction in temperature and humidity of atmospheric air in the working area.
HPE Products for Cooling Car Transport
Cooling Car Valve
The HPE Cooling Car Valve is specially designed to promote constant transport of materials through cooling cars for efficient cooling of ventilation air in underground mines. Obviously, flow demands from downstream operations fluctuate the Cooling Car Valve and also ensures that no changes occur to the flow rate in the Cooling Car.
The valve helps to reduce budget spending on operations, as it promotes water and energy savings by disposing of off water to drain when the demand from working activities is less than the cooling car transport required.
In any event that the demand from working activities exceeds the cooling car flow requirement, HPE Cooling Car Valve can redirect water back into the service water line.
The valve ensures mining operations are controlled in order not to draw volumes of water that exceeds what the cooling car can carry. It also ensures that the same volume of water is transported to the pipeline for a smooth and continuous mining operation. In this regard, the valve prevents excessive abuse of water just for cooling ventilation air.