Tag Archives: ventilation

ABB on extending mine production and asset life with ventilation on demand

Automation, Environmental, Mine ventilation, Mining services, Sustainable mining, , , , , , , ,

Ventilation on demand not only reduces energy usage and costs in underground mines, it can help extend production and the lifespan of existing infrastructure as part of a suite of electrification and automation solutions, say Marcos Hillal, Global Product Line Manager, Automation, ABB, and Jan Nyqvist, Global Product Manager, Automation Underground Mining, ABB.

By now, many readers will be familiar with ventilation on demand (VOD); what it is, what it does and the multiple benefits it offers mining companies in terms of efficiency, costs, safety and compliance.

Ventilation systems are the largest consumers of power in underground mines, accounting for 50% of energy use. VOD systems linked to the geolocation of people and vehicles intelligently adjust air flow to maximise air quality and minimise consumption. Supplying air into the mine (and expelling exhaust gases) only where and when it is needed can reduce overall energy usage by up to half. It also reduce cooling or heating needs of the circulated air.

Operators of subterranean mines must also comply with increasingly stringent safety regulations related to air quality, ensuring personnel are not exposed to excessive levels of CO, CO2, dust, humidity, toxic blasting and strata gases, and, chiefly, NO, nitrogen dioxide (NO2) emissions from diesel vehicles.

VOD not only supplies fresh air to underground mines, as well as removing spent or contaminated air, it automatically regulates air temperature to keep workers comfortable and safe, not to mention removing the need for them to enter potentially hazardous environments to manually operate fans.

Being smart about ventilation

So far, so good. However, what is not so well understood is how VOD can used to expand production and extend the life of ventilation infrastructure. With energy prices high and declining ore grades forcing operators into more remote, inhospitable locations in search of elusive reserves, technology solutions that can prolong the life of existing mine assets can offer an invaluable competitive edge.

So, how can VOD be applied to expand mine production? The answer is by delivering air even more smartly and efficiently based on actual operational parameters. ABB’s open platform, System 800xA, for example, utilises real-time data transmitted from sensors around the mine on key parameters such as the use of trucks, location of personnel, and gas, flow and temperature information.

ABB’s VOD solution, ABB Ability™ Ventilation Optimizer (VO), uses this data to operate the fans according to actual demands calculated from production schedules, as well as equipment status and location, reducing the amount of air that fans supply to certain sections of the mine by as much as 20-40%.

These savings can then be used to supply air to other sectors where they are needed more, whether that be new, hitherto unexplored places or existing areas where the operator wishes to maintain or increase production. What is more, VOD can do this by using existing infrastructure – ventilation shafts, for instance – which equates to significant savings on capex and manpower for customers.

Take automation to the next level

ABB Ability VO is designed to be integrated into each operation depending on that project’s specific characteristics and existing level of automation – how advanced the existing positioning system or communications backbone is, say – and comprises three separate levels.

Level one is the standard package whereby we connect ABB Ability VO to the ventilation equipment so that the customer can supervise and control the fans and air regulators remotely. They have the option to add further automation, meaning that the system can automatically adjust air flow based on the mine’s time and production schedule and, also, in the event of a fire or blasting in the mine.

In level two, positioning tools such as tracking on demand are integrated in the mine systems to pinpoint the exact location of vehicles, machines and people based on the production schedule, so the ventilation system throughout the mine can be automatically adjusted based on air flow levels.

Finally, level three is full automation or ‘closed loop’ ventilation. An algorithm computes the optimal operational set points on all the fans and regulators depending on demand and sensors continuously feedback data, allowing the system to optimise air flows and air quality, and minimise energy usage.

By introducing three implementation stages, VO system also gives customers time to adapt their processes and people so that the system can be fully integrated for maximum results.

A suite of scalable solutions

VO should not be viewed as an isolated solution, however; instead, it forms part of a portfolio of scalable, interconnected digital and automation technologies that together give operators complete control of a multitude of functions, from dewatering the mine to material tracking.

Future innovations include online monitoring to ensure the ventilation system is working in the most optimal way. In terms of scalability, since VO is based on our market leader 800xA platform, other advanced solutions can be integrated, such as ABB’s asset management and power monitoring systems, so mines can benefit from the company’s full range of ABB’s dedicated solutions for underground mine operations, all under one single integrated platform.

In this way, VOD forms part of a package of digital, automation and electrification technologies that, when deployed together, can transform underground mines into safer, more efficient environments.

Rockwell Automation and Energy Drive provide energy, emission savings at Sibanye-Stillwater mine

Environmental, Mine operation news, Mining equipment, Precious metals, Sustainable mining, , , , , , , , ,

Rockwell Automation Inc has, as part of an energy-savings-as-a-service partnership, helped reduce emissions and deliver substantial annual energy savings at the Sibanye-Stillwater Driefontein gold mine in South Africa, it says.

Rockwell Automation and Energy Drive, an energy-efficiency specialist with headquarters in Durban, South Africa, recently signed a memorandum of understanding in which they will collaborate on projects designed so that the resulting energy savings offset any investment in technology and systems required to drive the sustainability solutions.

Designed by Energy Drive, the system at the Sibanye-Stillwater mine is central to the new optimised control solution for the mine’s ventilation architecture. The new efficiencies – which have delivered annual energy savings of more than 55 GWh – will help Sibanye-Stillwater address some core goals of its ESG activities.

The ventilation system’s operational parameters have been remodelled to leverage the capabilities of Rockwell Automation’s PowerFlex® 6000T variable frequency drives. Through optimised control of fan speed and air circulation, this new approach has resulted in an average energy saving of 62% in one shaft and 48% in the other, with another shaft soon to be commissioned, according to Rockwell.

Engineers anticipate that the three upgrades will eventually deliver a total energy saving of about 360 GWh over the term of the contract – equivalent to removing 5,000 South African homes from the grid every month. Notably, it will save 379,000 t of carbon over the period, while significantly reducing water and coal consumption.

“We share a common vision to provide the most efficient and sustainable solutions for customers and the environment,” Tom O’Reilly, Global Vice President, Sustainability, at Rockwell Automation, said. “We are excited to address the rapidly growing needs of our customers with this energy-saving-as-a-service partnership, to help them on their journey to greater sustainability and achieving net zero.”

James Hynd, CEO of Energy Drive, added: “Collaboration is at the core of our business, and actualising sustainability is what drives us.”

Describing ‘actualising sustainability’, Hynd explained that a direct result of the energy savings it delivers is the reduction of CO2, which contributes to clients’ sustainability targets, specifically carbon-reduction targets.

Thomas Malomane, Power Control Business manager, Africa, at Rockwell Automation, explained: “A large proportion of global energy is consumed by electric motors, with HVAC applications accounting for a significant part of this. Many motor-based solutions are either running without any form of motor control or are using outdated technology and practices that do not offer contemporary efficiency capabilities. Our PowerFlex range of variable speed drives undergoes continual development to address modern demands and is a core solution for reducing energy consumption across a huge variety of applications globally.”

Sustainable mining solutions to meet net-zero targets

Automation, Environmental, Explosives and blasting, Mine ventilation, Mining industry recognition, Mining services, Mining software, Power supply for mines, Sustainable mining, , , , , , , , , , ,

Mining is an essential process that has become even more critical as the world moves towards a greater energy transition. Minerals are a crucial component in clean energy technologies such as electric vehicles, solar panels and batteries, and the demand for these minerals is increasing, Howden’s Livio Salvestro says.*

According to the International Energy Agency, the demand for certain minerals to support the transition is projected to increase more than twentyfold by 2040. Meeting global carbon reduction targets is essential to mitigating the effects of climate change and the mining industry will play a key role in this effort. Mining practices must adapt and evolve to be more environmentally friendly and help decarbonise operations. In line with global efforts to meet the Paris Agreement objective, mining companies are setting targets to reduce their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

A PwC survey of CEOs in 2021 showed 76% of global mining and metals executives were concerned about climate change and environmental damage, up from 57% a year earlier. And 70% of global mining executives said they planned to increase their long-term investments in sustainability and environmental, social and governance (ESG) initiatives.

Challenges in decarbonising the industry

There are several ways mines can reduce their carbon footprint, but moving to a 100% electric mine would represent a transformational shift for underground mine operations where diesel engines have dominated for over 100 years. Underground diesel equipment represents one of the biggest environmental challenges a mine faces. Switching to an electric energy source can significantly impact mines, reducing their ventilation shaft and tunnel sizes; the size of their fans and heating and cooling systems; their carbon footprint; and their capital investment.

Diesel equipment can also represent a significant financial burden within a mine’s ventilation cost footprint, so moving to electric sources while updating ventilation solutions can be highly effective for improving overall environmental credentials. While progress has been made, which will result in future benefits, there are opportunities for the mining industry to reduce energy consumption and emissions through a combination of advanced sustainable technologies, actionable insight into mine operations and automation – solutions that exist today.

Energy efficiency in mining

Digital advancements are enabling the industry to become more efficient, safe and productive by collecting, analysing and implementing data to optimise mine conditions, processes and maintenance decisions. Digital technologies and automation can also be applied to ventilation.

Ventilation is a vital process in a mine’s operation. It is necessary for providing fresher air and, in some instances, cooling the working environment, clearing blast fumes and diluting exhaust fumes and gases generated by mining.

This means it needs to run consistently and reliably, often accounting for substantial operating costs and up to 40-50% of a mine’s total energy consumption. Advanced technology and more efficient ventilation systems can reduce costs and significantly contribute to a mine’s carbon reduction objectives.

Livio Salvestro is Global Mining Team Leader at Howden

The primary goals of ongoing mine ventilation developments are to mitigate environmental impact, as already outlined, by reducing GHG emissions and improving underground air quality. They are also necessary to create efficiency that is sustainable and reliable, so a mine continues to produce energy savings throughout its lifecycle. Optimising overall health and safety models is crucial, which rely on automation for unprecedented operational capabilities.

There are several solutions to support these goals, including electric mine air heating, which provides a simple and safe solution with zero emissions. Through a modular design approach, these systems use industrial grade, Incoloy tubular elements selected for optimal functionality and maintenance.

Optimised ventilation systems are also available to drive energy savings and contribute to net zero commitments. Products like Ventsim™ CONTROL utilise intelligent software that communicates with hardware devices to remotely monitor, control and automate airflow and heating and cooling systems.

Thermal heat recovery can result in operational flexibility and reduced emissions. By employing a system of heat transfer coils, liquid pumping stations and control and automation technology, the mine can generate heat recovery using potential sources like waste heat from mine exhaust air, central boilers, power generators, and compressors or green sources such as geothermal energy.

Ammonia refrigeration systems offer a sustainable solution with no harmful CO2 or HFC emissions. Ammonia is considered the “green refrigerant” and has been used for many years, however, it is now coming into its own with the demands for reducing the footprint of hydrocarbon and HCFC refrigerants that can affect the atmosphere.

Demonstrable ventilation success

Companies like Howden have been successfully supplying these green mine ventilation solutions for years, and the results are clear.

The Oyu Tolgoi mine in Mongolia required a new indirect air heating, ventilation and filtration solution. Howden developed a unique thermal heat recovery solution that included airlock access, pipe work engineering, main and bypass damper, and fan outlet. Howden’s solution can be used as a reference for the remainder of the mine’s development. Each heater house was designed to capture 22 MW of waste heat from the hot water system.

An electric heating system was supplied to a high-grade underground mine in northern British Columbia, Canada. The system included two direct-fired, hybrid M.I.D mine air heaters and enabled the mine’s electric mine air heating system to take advantage of low electricity prices.

Ventilation automation has been a part of several large-scale mine operations for decades and some mines have experienced reductions of more than 50-60% in energy consumption and 11,500 t of CO2 emissions.

The Newmont Éléonore mine in Quebec, Canada, brought in a Ventsim CONTROL system, which included ventilation monitoring stations and the automation of all ventilation equipment. To date, there has been a 43% reduction in mine heating costs, a 56% drop in underground ventilation electricity costs and a 73% decrease in the cost of surface ventilation electricity.

Recognising the proven benefits of Howden’s Ventilation on Demand system, Newmont – Éléonore won the Eureka Prize from Écotech Québec.

As a pioneer, Howden engineered ammonia refrigeration systems in mines during the 1970s. More recently, the company supplied ammonia screw chillers at the Prominent Hill mine in South Australia for OZ Minerals. In partnership with the customer, Howden created solutions that had the highest functionality while supporting their net-zero targets.

As environmental pressure builds, especially on mining companies, now is the time to implement proven solutions to support a cleaner energy future.

*Livio Salvestro is Global Mining Team Leader at Howden

KGHM’s natural-gas backed ventilation system starting up

Base metals, Environmental, Mine operation news, Mine ventilation, , , , ,

KGHM is tapping natural gas to provide a ventilation and cooling/heating solution at its circa-1,300-m-deep GG-1 shaft in Poland.

The copper miner says technical acceptance of this surface air conditioning station is underway.

The investment is of key importance to the company, enabling personnel to work at a depth of around 1,300 m where the average primary temperature of the rock mass is approximately 50°C.

The system, being built by KGHM Group company Przedsiębiorstwo Budowy Kopalń PeBeKa S.A., allows the combined production of heat and electricity from natural gas. It also ensures the continuity and reliability of the cooled air supplied to the mine headings and allows elimination of the need to purchase electricity for the plant. This, in turn, helps improve the company’s energy efficiency.

The investment is environmentally friendly and is to bring savings thanks to the use of a tri-generation system: the electricity produced will power the air conditioning station equipment, the recovered heat energy will be used for cooling by absorption units and, in winter, to heat the air flowing into the shaft and the buildings at the GG-1 shaft yard.

The construction of the station began in 2019.

The project involves the implementation of three stages, allowing the production of cooling capacity of 22 MWt, 33 MWt and 40 MWt, respectively, KGHM said.

Ventilation on demand solutions continue to find favour, Howden says

Automation, Environmental, IoT, Mine ventilation, Mining services, Mining software, Power supply for mines, Sustainable mining, , , , , , , , , ,

Ventilation solutions provider, Howden, says it is continuing to register strong demand for ventilation on demand (VoD) solutions from the mining sector, on continual cost control measures, improved safety requirements and the evolving need to chart emissions underground.

The company recently added Cooling on Demand (CoD) functionality to its Ventsim CONTROL software, which reflects this market demand.

Ventsim CONTROL uses intelligent software connected to Howden or third-party hardware devices to remotely monitor, control and automate airflow heating and cooling to deliver safer, more productive, and lower cost ventilation for mines, the company says. The Ventsim CONTROL solution also offers a 3D modelling capability within the software, which helps users to better predict and control air flows based on what is evidenced in the simulation.

In the case of CoD, this means users can monitor temperatures at deeper levels and push back cooled air more efficiently.

Upon release of the solution last year, Howden said the CoD update aligned with trends it was seeing in the industry towards deeper mines requiring cooled air to achieve higher standards of health and safety for workers.

“Currently, many mines put a cooling plant at surface level and cool air regardless of its destination or where it’s needed as there aren’t intelligent controls to pinpoint the localised need, which is often at deeper levels,” Howden said. “These new controls ensure the cool air goes where it is required, saving operating and energy costs.”

The company is currently in the process of lining up a trial of this new functionality with an existing Ventsim CONTROL customer.

Howden has also won several Ventsim CONTROL contracts across the globe, including in South America, Asia Pacific and Europe, of late.

Jose Pinedo, Ventsim Sales Manager, said most of these contracts reflected the mining sector’s ongoing focus on cost control, as well as those ‘net-zero’ commitments.

“All the different sites had a payback target in mind, but some of the sites also wanted to know what the implementation of the system would do for their CO2 emissions,” he told IM.

Within Ventsim CONTROL, there is an in-built energy reporting tool to show clients their ongoing energy consumption. Following customer requests and in-house development work, Howden has been able to adapt this to generate a rolling CO2 emission indicator that clients can monitor.

“The reduction in energy correlates directly to a reduction in tonnes of CO2 emissions,” Pinedo said of the reporting tool. “This means, in addition to what the system will provide in operational terms and operating costs, it can also outline to clients how it will assist them in meeting environmental goals.”

Leo Botha, Ventsim General Manager, said the ability for Ventsim CONTROL to reduce the energy consumption associated with ventilation and the direct correlation between these savings and CO2 emission reductions is allowing Howden to assist miners in hitting their environmental goals.

“Up front, when you are having the discussion and talking to mines about energy savings, you are also directly talking about CO2 emission reductions and how this can be used in ESG reporting,” he said.

This increased carbon emission visibility, plus expectations of stricter regulations in key mining jurisdictions, is likely to lead more clients towards the use of VoD solutions, according to Pinedo.

“For instance, with Australia adopting stricter diesel particulate emissions, the industry is facing two options in terms of keeping up with legislation: either you retrofit your fleet so you’re running more efficient and ‘cleaner’ diesel engines (US Tier 4 F/EU Stage V) or electric equipment, or you increase your ventilation flow to meet the new emission requirements,” he said.

Even if a mine chose Option A – retrofitting their fleet – the ventilation flow requirements may still need to increase, Pinedo explained.

“Without a VoD system, you must have a ventilation system set up based on the required air for x number of vehicles and personnel, regardless of if they are operating at all times,” he said.

A VoD system, however, allows mines to push air only to where it is needed based on the vehicles, personnel and infrastructure in place and operating at that given time.

With more mixed fleets of mobile mining equipment expected in the future made up of battery-electric, hybrids and diesel-powered equipment, the benefits of a VoD system able to tap into existing infrastructure for telematics and positioning will be highlighted further, enabling mines to ventilate based on the type of engine/battery the machine is powered by and if there is an operator in the cab.

“What we’re offering through Ventsim CONTROL is to use all these existing tools and optimise everything to comply with where legislation is heading and the evolution of ‘net zero’ mining,” Pinedo said.

Agnico Eagle’s Fosterville mine is looking to do exactly this in what Howden says is an Australian mining first.

The operation, having already installed Ventsim CONTROL Level 3 (scheduling and flow control), is progressing to an installation that will see the mine’s tracking system integrated to Ventsim CONTROL Level 4. This will provide real-time feedback on the vehicle locations in Ventsim CONTROL to adjust the ventilation automatically based on demand.

Ventsim CONTROL software also continues to gain appreciation from customers for its safety capabilities.

“One of the features we have in Ventsim CONTROL is related to fire simulation,” Pinedo said. “We also have this in our Ventsim DESIGN software with scenario-based simulations, but the facility on Ventsim CONTROL connects to all your communication infrastructure underground to take an instant snapshot of the status as a fire is happening.

“From a planning point of view, this allows operations to have a much quicker response time based on an accurate, real-time picture of what is going on underground. This provides another tool to allow them to take the right decisions when and if needed.”

Certarus to help lower mine air heating emissions at McEwen’s Fox Complex

Environmental, Mine operation news, Mine ventilation, Mining services, Power supply for mines, Precious metals, , , , , , , ,

Certarus Ltd says it has entered into a long-term agreement with McEwen Mining to convert and supply the Fox Complex in Ontario, Canada, with compressed natural gas (CNG) for mine air heating in the underground ventilation system.

CNG will be used to replace propane as the primary fuel for heating at both the Froome and Black Fox Mines, Certarus said.

CNG is a high-performance, lower carbon fuel alternative that offers cost savings and emission reduction benefits, according to the company. In addition to helping to lower the mine’s carbon footprint, the flexibility of Certarus’ mobile decompression and storage equipment also allows for the CNG fuelling system to be removed in the summer months when it is no longer required for mine air heating.

Curtis Philippon, President and CEO of Certarus, said: “Certarus specialises in delivering lower carbon fuel options to customers in isolated areas – and it doesn’t get more remote than the bottom of an open-pit mine. While the site poses a few logistical challenges, we can safely deliver clean CNG to help McEwen maintain operations, reduce emissions and improve environmental performance at the Fox Complex. This is our first time mobilising in a pit mine, and it serves as another great example that Certarus can deliver low carbon energy solutions to our customers, anywhere they operate.”

Rory Greyvensteyn, Director of Operations, McEwen Mining Canada, said: “At McEwen Mining, we are constantly looking for new ways to improve the environmental performance of our operations. With Certarus’ mobile CNG delivery, we have a better option to heat our mines, without having to install and store permanent fuel tanks. We can lower costs, simplify fuel logistics, and reduce our carbon footprint. That’s a big win for our business.”

At current gold resources of 2.96 Moz (measured and indicated) and 1.15 Moz (inferred), the Fox Complex represents a large gold resource base in the Timmins district. McEwen Mining is preparing a Fox Complex Expansion Preliminary Economic Assessment with the objectives to extend mine life to 10 years and to increase gold production at Fox to 100,000-150,000 oz/y at all-in sustaining costs of $1,050/oz of gold.

Mastermyne to take on ‘Whole of Mine Operations’ at Sojitz’s Gregory Crinum

Coal technology, Mine operation news, Mineral project development, Mining equipment, Mining services, Steel and iron ore, , , , , , , , ,

Mastermyne Group says it has been awarded the Mining Services Contract to operate the Gregory Crinum underground mine in Queensland, Australia, owned by Sojitz Blue Pty Ltd.

The contract term is seven years, including re-establishment, with the value coming in at A$600-660 million ($464-510 million), the company reported.

During 2020, Sojitz appointed Mastermyne to undertake a feasibility study focusing on the development of a high productivity bord and pillar mining operation. In parallel, Mastermyne was also engaged as the Mine Operator to undertake the re-entry process. The underground mining area was successfully re-entered in late October 2020, with no issues encountered, according to the contractor. Mastermyne continued as the Mine Operator while Sojitz finalised internal approvals.

The re-establishment project scope includes the re-establishment of the underground infrastructure including conveyor systems, ventilation, associated mine services, remediation works and surface infrastructure, all of which is expected to take around six months. Following these works, the mine will immediately transition into production with a staged ramp up to three bord and pillar mining units.

The underground mine is expected to produce around 11 Mt run of mine over the life of the project, with mining production planned to commence later this year.

At full production, the underground mine is expected to employ 180 full-time personnel. Mastermyne will provide underground mining equipment from its current fleet, including three bord & pillar miners, multi bolters and shuttle cars along with a range of ancillary production equipment to support the operation. The contract is expected to deliver on average A$80-100 million of revenue per year once in full production, Mastermyne says.

“Initial funding for the project establishment will be a combination of Sojitz capital and Mastermyne capital with the company drawing on its strong cash position and available funding lines to finance the project,” Mastermyne said. “The company’s capital contribution will primarily fund the overhaul of the mining fleet and ancillary mining equipment, which will be recovered over the term of the contract.”

Mastermyne intends to retain ownership of its mining equipment throughout the project.

Mastermyne CEO, Tony Caruso, said: “The execution of our first Whole of Mine Operations contract is a major milestone for Mastermyne and is significant in transitioning the business into a commercial model that is not only complimentary to the existing contracting model, but will provide an even greater level of earnings certainty over the long term.”

Sojitz CEO, Cameron Vorias, said: “We are delighted to have Mastermyne as our highly regarded partner for this development and it will support our strategic plans for the growth of high quality hard coking coal from the area.”

Howden causes a fanfare with launch of Jetsteam AX

Environmental, IoT, Mine ventilation, Mining equipment, Mining services, Power supply for mines, , , , , , , , , ,

Howden is looking to re-enter the Australian secondary ventilation market with a bang, coming out with a new product that offers the energy efficiency, durability and smarts to help ‘future proof’ underground mines.

Its Jetstream AX secondary fans were launched across the globe this month, with service centres on the east and west coast of Australia having already received units.

Phil Durham, Global Mining Applications Engineer, said the Jetstream AX secondary fan is the missing piece to complete the full Howden ventilation puzzle.

“Howden, in the past, was heavily involved in the secondary market in Australia, but some years after exiting this space, the new Jetstream AX is filling the gap in our lineup, helping complete our total mine ventilation solution approach,” he told IM. “Howden has the Ventsim™ DESIGN software, the Ventsim CONTROL ventilation on demand software, plus all the required equipment including a comprehensive primary fan offering, mine cooling options and mine heating options.

“A global secondary fan was needed to complete the set, meaning we can now be considered a one-stop shop for miners wanting to go down the full Howden route for ventilation.”

While the Jetsteam AX will be available in all markets – bar USA where Howden already has a secondary fan offering – Howden sees it being particularly relevant for the Australian market where evolving diesel particulate emission regulations are making effective ventilation operations a must.

“These regulations will definitely affect how those mines manage, monitor and control their ventilation network,” Durham said. “The smart move would be to use their secondary fans more efficiently in terms of how and where they are locating them, which ones are operating and tightening up on where the working areas, vehicles and personnel are.

“In this respect, the Australia region is a key one in terms of the secondary fan product rollout.”

Just some of the attributes the region’s miners could benefit from, according to Howden, include:

  • The highest fan output at low power consumption, providing high efficiencies across a broad operating range;
  • A range of fans from 762-1,600 mm in diameter, with flow rates from 6.5-108 cu.m/sec;
  • Single-stage or twin-stage configuration;
  • A flexible modular design providing commonality of parts;
  • Adjustable pitch aerofoil blades to maximise operational envelope and provide reliable high-efficiency aerodynamic performance across a wide range;
  • An anti-stall chamber for continued safe operation during transient high-pressure events, offering a “risk-free process” in parallel fan arrangements; and
  • Downstream guide vanes with full inner fairing tube and tail cone in each fan to ensure maximum static pressure regain.

Durham expanded on some of these.

“That main inner fairing tube serves a couple of purposes, with one of the main ones being a reduction in shock losses,” he said. “That same design helps from a maintenance perspective, too, providing protection for the motor. In other ventilation fan designs, the motors are exposed to the dusty mine air. The inner tube provides a good level of protection, without being a totally sealed environment. Some air gets through for motor cooling purposes, but it is much less than your typical exposed fan.”

The option of a dual-speed fan could also be important for gaining sales in Australia given there are limited variable speed drive options in this market than others, according to Durham.

“In Australia, specifically, variable speed control is not a very common option due to the required 1,000 V supply,” he said. “Currently there are no proven reliable variable speed drives at such voltages.”

This dual-speed fan offering provides the mines with high and low speed settings – with high typically employed to, for example, clear blasting gases and low employed when a vehicle leaves the airway, and the ventilation demand reduces.

To get the best out of dual-speed fans, mines will most likely require remote access to easily switch from one setting to the next, according to Durham.

Miners that understand the benefits of using dual-speed fans – reducing energy consumption and costs – will also, most likely, be potential customers for Howden’s ventilation on demand and smart ventilation solutions, namely Ventsim CONTROL.

“We are definitely seeing an increase with the number of mines looking to adopt these new technologies and smarter ventilation control methods,” Durham said. “As they are moving towards digitalisation and automation of mining methods, ventilation is also coming into that equation. This is especially so when you consider that the energy cost coming from ventilation and cooling can be around 50% of the mine’s total expense.”

The use of effective secondary fans is part of that exercise, according to Durham, who said efficiencies of over 85% are possible with these units when used optimally.

“Although the primary fans are generally a much higher kilowatt rating, these mines usually have quite a number of secondary fans in operation,” he said. “Being able to use them in a smarter way on a day-to-day basis means they will be able to make some large savings there.”

Minetek breathes new life into Saracen’s Thunderbox gold mine

Environmental, Mine operation news, Mine ventilation, Mineral project development, Mining services, Precious metals, , , , , , , , ,

Minetek has been chosen to install an interim primary ventilation solution at Saracen Mineral Holdings’ Thunderbox operations in the northern Goldfields region of Western Australia.

Saracen was looking for an innovative ventilation solution to replace the traditional axial fans that were not supplying the required ventilation to increase production at the site, Minetek said.

The METS company said it was able to cater to the client’s needs and offer a custom solution that was installed with minimal disruption.

“We were able to customise a solution that was the same size in diameter to their existing fans but delivered a substantial increase to performance at the same time,” Minetek General Manager for Ventilation, Jeremy Sutherland, said.

Minetek’s POD (Pressure On Demand) technology allows the client to incrementally increase ventilation levels underground when required and give the client control over their energy consumption, the company said.

Saracen Thunderbox Underground Manager, Des Koh, said Minetek fans were selected to upgrade the site’s primary ventilation network, in preparation for a production ramp up, due to their ability to produce almost double the ventilation flow of the previous setup while only taking up slightly more room.

“The relatively small fans allowed us to utilise our existing bulkhead, where we were severely limited by space, which allowed us to use our existing infrastructure and dramatically reduce downtime in the mine during the change out,” Koh said.

“The installation was completed safely by our own personnel with technical support from Minetek and allows us to scale our ventilation flow with their pressure on demand system to suit our production profile.”

MCE sets new underground mining rules with Event Automation platform

Automation, Communications in mining, Environmental, IoT, Mine ventilation, Mining equipment, Mining services, Mining software, , , , , , ,

Mobilaris Mining & Civil Engineering (MCE) is putting the power back in mining engineers’ hands with its new Event Automation platform, according to Hans Wahlquist, VP Business Development & Strategic Product Management for Mobilaris MCE.

Having previously provided advanced software that optimises underground operations through its Mobilaris Mining Intelligence product family, the company is now going one step further with its new automation platform.

Wahlquist describes Mobilaris Event Automation as a tool to enable mine engineers to make full use of the information that comes from: location data of machines, equipment, materials and personnel; the status of work tasks in the shift plan; sensory data from various monitoring systems; machine data from a mixed fleet; and much more.

IM put some questions to Wahlquist to find out more.

IM: In a recently published piece, you mentioned your new solution will “unlock the next level of control room capabilities in its innovative Mobilaris Event Automation platform”. Can you expand on this? What capabilities are being addressed with this update? Why are you addressing these now?

HW: For a long time, Mobilaris has made underground mines transparent with cutting-edge situational awareness, including 3D visualisation and technology-agnostic tracking using a large spectrum of positioning technologies from various vendors. With the new Event Automation platform, we take this further, allowing mining engineers to create advance automation features themselves.

Earlier on with the product development, we made mining personnel aware of vehicles, people, etc. Now, we allow them to create automatic actions based on rules involving the location of assets, the status of assets and sensors, etc.

This has, until now, pretty much only been possible with the help of quite costly integrations with external automation frameworks and using experts. Now, this can be done by the miners themselves in a cost-efficient way.

IM: Where will Mobilaris Event Automation provide the most value in underground mining? Will the value come in energy savings or mine site productivity?

HW: The possibilities are virtually endless. Energy saving functions like Ventilation on Demand (VoD) is, of course, a given example on functions that can be implemented using the Event Automation framework. Additionally, there are numerous productivity possibilities that are unveiled with the advent of Event Automation. One example is the opportunities to easily create valuable key performance indicators and tailored dashboards.

IM: How does the solution differ from, in ventilation applications, numerous VoD solutions already on the market? Is it the ability to tailor these actions that is the unique selling point?

HW: Traditional VoD solutions involve costly experts and costly integrations. As an underground mine is an ever-growing operation, these solutions need constant maintenance. With Event Automation, this can be made by mining engineers themselves which makes an Event Automation-based solution less costly, more tailored for the mine’s unique requirements, etc.

IM: Among the numerous systems Event Automation can integrate with, what is the most revolutionary for the mining sector?

HW: As Event Automation is based on the Node-Red framework from IBM with more than 2,500 existing integrations, the probability of the devices/sensors the mine already has already being integrated into Event Automation is high. Examples could be various gas sensors, smart rock bolts, etc.

Just imagine when you, as a mine engineer, can create an automation rule that involves the location of people or machines with the status of various sensors, which triggers actions such as sending a warning message or triggering an alarm.

IM: What mine site has Event Automation already been deployed at?

HW: Event Automation has so far been deployed in large mines in Canada.