129 / 2021-10-04 14:17:09

Regulation and control of ventilation in underground workings with the use of VentSim software

underground mine ventilation,air distribution,climate forecast,flow modeling,environmental simulation

With the development of the mining industry, underground mine ventilation networks are becoming more and more complex. Furthermore, the requirements for them are increasing. Therefore, for designing, regulating airflow, selecting ventilation devices, and conducting rescue operations, IT tools are necessary. This approach allows for digital modeling of airflow, determining air condition and the parameters of the ventilation network components. A proper design of the preparation and extraction of the deposit should consider the selection of ventilation and air-conditioning methods at each stage of the mining operation. Design errors or inaccurate estimation of the threats' impact (mainly: climate, fire, and methane threats) may lead to safety risk, increase the costs of extraction by limiting the scope of works, or ultimately stop the mining work.

The current state of knowledge does not allow for accurate calculation of air distribution or climate forecast in the ventilation network in a non-steady state in real-time. Therefore, the development of appropriate procedures describing a practical way to build a digital model of a mine cooperating with telemetry sensors currently used in mines is an important issue. In real-time, they can visualize the results of the ventilation status (air volume, temperature, atmosphere composition, etc.) at each point of the ventilation network.

The article presents a procedure to develop a model of a hard coal mine ventilation network with the use of VentSim software. The methods of determining the coefficients of aerodynamic resistance of ventilation network elements and the methods of determining the thermodynamic parameters of air are determined. It allows for a more accurate representation of the designed mining works. Forecasting airflow for future states is critical to human safety and the continuity of the operation. The implementation of VentSim software in underground mines allows for the improvement of safety in underground workings. It also allows for planning mining works, ad hoc regulation of the ventilation network, or making decisions on eliminating the risk during a fire action. The article compares the results of airflow simulation using the VentSim program with actual measurements in underground mining excavations for various security and rescue operations.