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Stewart Gillies
US Mine Ventilation Symposium
Salt Lake City 2012
Outline
Introduction
Conclusion
Introduction
Booster fan is a large underground fan which is
installed in series with main fan to boost the pressure.
Ventilation Infrastructure
Main fan
Wheeler Portal
Kennedy Portal
Ventilation Stations
#2
#1
#4
#4
#5
#6
#7
#9
#8
#10
Measured Quantity at
% Difference MQ vs
VQ
Mine
Results
19.0
17.8
6.9
18.2
17.8
2.1
0.3
0.3
0.0
18.3
17.3
5.7
16.7
17.4
4.3
16.1
15.8
2.0
12.2
12.9
4.0
12.2
12.9
0.0
15.4
15.8
2.5
10
11.9
10.5
13
4.1
Simulations Scenarios
Four Different Scenarios:
1. Main Fan
2. Main + East Booster Fan
3. Main + West Booster Fan
Q (m3/s)
Pa
Pa
m/s
3
Kg/m
Ns2/m8
Ns2/m4
Experiment Ventsim
0.01
10
15.86
3.5
1.194
0.03848
0.0662
20.2
18.8
7.4
98.51
0.02
20
24.71
3.8
1.200
0.23521
0.6212
20.3
18.7
8.6
-7.09
98.49
7.09
0.02
1.205
0.07606
1.3190
0.2
0.2
0.0
8.7
-14.17
98.49
0.02
20
5.83
2.2
1.204
0.01534
0.0299
19.2
17.8
7.6
10.1
6.4
12.92
98.47
0.02
20
32.92
3.1
1.197
0.07675
0.0729
19.9
20.0
0.5
10.4
6.7
4.67
98.45
4.67
3.2
1.191
0.01233
0.0065
21.5
20.0
7.4
8.3
4.3
1.17
98.45
0.02
20
21.17
1.191
0.06954
0.0278
17.3
19.5
11.2
8.1
4.1
-14.08
98.43
-0.01 -10
24.08
4.3
1.196
0.06216
0.0256
17.5
19.5
10.5
10.3
6.4
-41.26
98.44
41.26
3.4
1.202
0.13270
0.0549
21.8
20.0
9.2
10
8.0
4.0
3.4
1.203
0.00000
13.5
11.9
13.0
Area
RL Adj
Ps
2
m
Pa
kPa
kPa
9.7
5.8
5.86
98.52
9.3
5.3
4.71
15.5
12.8
11.9
98.44
7.5
Fan Duty
Stations Quantity (m3/s)
Quantity (m3/s)
Pressure (Pa)
Alternatives
East
West
Booster
Booster
East
West
Booster
Booster
246.9
19
161.5
112.7
18.8
212.9
81
148.9
91
76
Main
1
Main Fan
Power
Main
(kW)
10
17.7
12.9
10.5
6.7
19.2
18.5
15.8
11.7
8.0
18.2
19.7
18.8
19.5
11.9
7.5
19.1
19.5
19.8
19.8
21.3
10.7
9.9
Main + West
3
Booster
Main + Both
4
Boosters
Bulkheads Construction
Blasting during 2011 Summer Explosives camp
Anchoring the
Frame to The
Back of The Mine
Attach Frame Pieces
With Steel Plate
Cementitious Mixture
CFD Approach
As a mine gets older, leakage will increase as
ventilation pressure increases and ventilation structures
deteriorate.
Every stopping leaks after a while.
Booster Fan
Stopping
Kennedy
Raise
Leakage
Portal
Leakage
Main outlet
Experiment
20.8
20.8
20.8
0.2
0.3
0.3
19.7
CFD
20.8
20.7
20.4
0.12
0.2
0.2
20.5
0.5
66.7
50
50
3.9
Difference%
No Fan Velocity
Model
1
Stopping Kennedy
Raise
Main
Booster
Leakage
Portal
Leakage
outlet
fan
Experiment
21.3
20.8
20.8
0.4
0.2
0.9
19.2
21.9
CFD
20.77 20.52
20.72
0.34
0.15
0.6
20.9
21.4
0.4
17.6
33.3
50.0
8.1
2.3
Difference
2.6
1.4
Conclusions
A booster fan, when properly sized and sited, can be
used to assist surface fans to overcome high
resistances and to ventilate isolated working
districts.
Conclusions (cont.)
Legislative restrictions such as restricting use of
booster fans could force the closure of sub economic
operations.
Acknowledgments
Acknowledgement and thanks extended to:
Dr. Gillies, Dr. Tien, Dr. Homan.
Dr. Thiruvengadam (for CFD analysis).
Experimental Mine and Rock Mechanics and Explosives
Research Center personnel (for fan installation).
NIOSH (for funding the project).
Spendrup (fans donation and advice).
RL
RL
X-area
Area
Ps
Ps
Temp
Adj
m
2
m
2.1
2.8
9.7
5.8
10.5
5.86
98.64
0.01
10
15.86
2.1
2.5
9.3
5.3
23
4.71
98.63
110.77
9.71
9.4
301.5
302.0
150
adj
Pressure
Pa
kPa Gradient
kPa Pa
Pa
100
Wb
db
3
2
8
m/s Kg/m Ns /m
Ns2/m4
0.0786
124.62
123.23
14.2 3.4
1.202 0.11461
111.62
0.3027
302.4
2.4
5.3
15.5
12.8
5.27
-7.10
98.63
2.10
0.4259
301.8
2.650 3.4
11.9
8.7
20.1
-14.19
98.62
0.03
30
15.81
0.1014
300.6
2.4
2.6
10.1
6.4
29
12.94
98.59
0.01
10
22.94
0.0810
301.7
2.4
2.8
10.4
6.7
34
4.68
98.58
9.68
0.0234
302.1
2.1
2.1
8.3
4.3
22.5
1.17
0.01
6.17
0.0150
11.1 15.0
1.197 0.50255
0.2069
-85.18
-84.69
31.26 11.7 12.8 2.4 1.202 0.16824
0.0696
10
20
30
98.58
40
50
60
70
80
-50
8
302.2
301.0
10 297.5
2.2
2.1
-100
2.1
1.8-75.91
8.1-76.584.1-79.5138
-75.55
3.0
10.3
-78.39
6.4
-14.09
-80.69
-80.25
-81.08
-84.77
37
-41.26 98.46 0.01 10
8.0
4.0
98.45
11.7 12.2
1.203 0.00000
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