5 Factors to Consider for Mining Door Systems

Mining is one of the biggest operations in the world but it is also one of the most dangerous because whilst tunneling through earth, miners don’t know what to expect and the obstacles they are likely to encounter, which might compromise their health and safety to a large extent.

Health Hazards due to Poor Ventilation

One of the main hazards in underground mining is the lack of ventilation. Strip mining as compared to underground mining is slightly less fatal since the work done is on the surface of the earth where oxygen is available aplenty in spite of the air being dusty. Underground mining involves toxic elements and gases, possibly harmful particles from machinery being used, and less breathable air. Here are some of the hazards caused by ventilation issues:

• The temperature underground can vary from extreme cold to hot and vice versa. The ventilation system needs to be strong in order to withstand whatever weather lies underground. As resources become scarce, we are forced to literally dig deeper to search for more reserves. Added to that, we can’t ignore the problem of global warming and other factors that are significantly altering the environment. Needless to say, being exposed to varying temperatures in this way causes severe health problems for miners.
• Methane and other gases accumulating for years underground are definitely a cause for concern since they lead to explosions. This build-up can be avoided if proper ventilation systems are implemented along with regular checks of equipment and monitoring of present levels.
• Even though it might sound like designing and building a ventilation system to provide clean and breathable air for mining purposes doesn’t involve much complexity, is by no means a simple task. It is necessary for the correct pressure to be aligned with ventilation shafts and passages so the air flows evenly. A small detail gone wrong can adversely affect air quality below.
• The World Health Organization has declared Diesel Particulate Matter or DPM as carcinogenic as of 2012. As mentioned before, DPM filtering in via machines might cause respiratory problems

How Do Ventilation Door Systems Work?

Ventilation door systems or mining door systems lessen the quantity of harmful gases like methane and carbon dioxide that are released from underground mines. Ventilation shafts are excavated as well to get as much oxygen as possible from the surface. Shafts have to be designed after factoring in parameters such as size, shape, airflow and location of control devices. The main problem is that mining techniques are not same everywhere and door systems have to be built accordingly so that it complies with the requirements. If you consider drift mining where horizontal tunnels are explored, the systems designed for slope mining will prove to be useful and vice versa. Ventilation systems consist of two circuits to regulate proper flow of air and eliminate toxic gases. The main circuit is the flow-through ventilation while the air is distributed via the auxiliary circuits to different mine workings. Mining door systems use fans, brattices, overcasts and regulators is utilized for even distribution of air and controlling the volume.

Ventilation systems are all the more required in places that have bitter cold or very hot temperatures. For instance, consider the Arctic regions where the temperature is spine chilling – the harmful gases have to be filtered and clean air has to be distributed, but the shaft also needs to let in warm air to keep the temperature comfortable for the miners and the machinery and equipment. Sometimes, cold air is also let in as it prevents permafrost from melting, which can be fatal when liquefied.

5 Devices Utilized in Mining Door Systems

Mining Door Systems use various ventilation control devices to regulate the flow as and when required such as:

• Stoppings – These are walls that are used to turn the airflow in a certain direction. These structures can be both permanent and temporary. They are manufactured using fire retardant and resistant materials since the risk of fires is high in the case of underground mines.
• Man Doors & Air Locks – The former, as is evident from the name is mounted in stoppings for providing passage to miners. Air locks comprise a couple of doors for regulation air pressure while workers pass through man doors.
• Brattices – These partitions installed between columns of mines are made of wood or cloth, to control and direct the entry of breathable air and exiting of toxic gases.
• Overcasts – These are utilized for guiding air across intake and return passages if the air is needed to cross but without coming into contact with either intake or return air. Overcasts are usually made of prefabricated steel and concrete blocks.
• Booster Fans – These are responsible for adjusting airflow, which they can increase and direct to a particular section. A few countries have restrictions as these might lead to undesirable recirculation of air. Booster fans have to be incorporated in such a way that they don’t interfere with the airflow, which is why regulators are used to keep airflow to desired levels.

When it comes to mining door systems, only the best quality should be used as there shouldn’t be any risk taking taken with the health of your workers.

Mark Williamson is a guest writer for Direct Mining & Industrial – a leading supplier of premier mobile and stationary equipment products and services to the mining industry throughout the Asia Pacific region based in Perth, Western Australia.