Methods to Improve Mine Ventilation System Efficiency

Details

• Personal Author:
  Pritchard C
• Description:
  There are many things that can be done to improve airflow in the mine. What is needed is to look around, inquire, measure and understand. Actions to dilute contaminants and improve the working environment will result in a healthier, happier workforce and most likely improved production and lower turnover. This paper has discussed some ways to find extra usable air when there is no extra ventilation capacity. If there is adequate air, then the option is to implement some of these changes and reduce expenditures through lowering operating costs. Since airflow power is proportional to velocity cubed (Marx 2008) the first fan blade setting reduction is the biggest savings. Don't forget, each cfm saved doesn't have to be heated or cooled either (Hall, 1985). Remember to take the entire system into account. Develop and utilize a good computer model. All changes have consequences, so be sure to perform a risk analysis and determine the effects on emergency and evacuation planning. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Fires Mining Occupational Health Safety
• Keywords:
  Metal-mining Mining-industry Nonmetal-mining Underground-mining Ventilation Ventilation-equipment Ventilation-systems
• Series:
  Mining Publications
• Publisher:
  Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration, Inc.
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Proceedings
• Place as Subject:
  OSHA Region 10 ; Washington
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  SRL - Spokane Research Laboratory
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  1-5
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20035604
• Citation:
  2009 SME Annual Meeting and Exhibit, February 22-25, Denver, Colorado, Preprint 09-070. Littleton, CO: Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration, Inc., 2009 Feb; :1-5
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2009
• NORA Priority Area:
  Mining
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Source Full Name:
  2009 SME Annual Meeting and Exhibit, February 22-25, Denver, Colorado, Preprint 09-070
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:4309d086401decfc341f63bc5e192f3cf5c7ea1a84783aed4170ae66affb48242b3228009ad9b235d063dca366de6fa62abd77e8cf2d32c23f1ffeede318d816
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/227105/cdc_227105_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 414.57 KB ]