| For underground mines with extended periods of surface temperatures below freezing, there are a range of potential impacts on the ventilation design, as well as the overall general mine design. The ventilation-related impacts vary depending on the type of surface intake (equipped or unequipped, travelway or not, shaft or ramp), the type of services in the shaft or ramp, implications of frost/ice build-up, whether there is permafrost (frozen ground) to protect for ground stability reasons, whether there are associated headframes to be heated, the need for surface attached buildings to be under positive pressure (so heat leaks out), the allowable pressures across headframe or building walls and the push-pull systems needed to keep this within design limits, the availability of energy sources/fuels for heating, the duration of the heating season and other factors. This paper describes from practical experience how these factors need to be assessed to develop a suitable integrated ventilation strategy and heating strategy for a modern mine. With respect to headframe design issues, most of the guidelines are equally relevant to mines needing to introduce chilled rather than heated air. Link to download. |
