Heat flow assessment in an underground mine: An approach to improve the environmental conditions
- Marc Bascompta 1
- Ana María Castañón 2
- Lluís Sanmiquel 1
- Josep Oliva 1
- 1 Department of Mining and Natural Resources, Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC), Barcelona, Spain
- 2 Department of Mining, Topography and Structures, University of León (ESTIM), León, Spain
ISSN: 0012-7353
Año de publicación: 2016
Volumen: 83
Número: 197
Páginas: 174-179
Tipo: Artículo
Otras publicaciones en: DYNA: revista de la Facultad de Minas. Universidad Nacional de Colombia. Sede Medellín
Resumen
The generation of heat in underground spaces due to working activities is a factor that influences production and productivity rates. This paper analyses the heat generation in an underground mine and provides a number of approaches to enhance the ventilation conditions using electrical, instead of diesel machines. This assessment has been carried out using theoretical equations and modelling software. Investigations prove that sensible and latent heat would be reduced by around 50% and 84% respectively if the change were applied in the case study. This reduction on heat input to the ventilation system would improve the workplace environment because of lower effective temperatures and gas concentrations, which would result in better safety conditions and higher employee efficiency.