MINE VENTILATION
Howden ’ s Hugo Dello Sbarba says Howden ’ s Ventsim CONTROL integration with several Maestro products is about “ two best-in-class products coming together for a best-in-class ventilation solution ”
Up in the air
The integration of hardware , software and communication networks will provide the big wins at underground mines when it comes to mine ventilation , Dan Gleeson discovers
The ability to align air supply with production requirements is one of the main – if not ‘ the ’ – challenge for operators in the mining space , according to Australia-based MINETEK .
Yet , the task of matching the two is becoming even more difficult .
The entrance of battery-electric vehicles , a proliferation of autonomous and teleremote operated vehicles , the move to increasing depths underground and incoming regulations related to emissions and air flow means the optimal ventilation solution is harder to come by .
However , what is becoming increasingly apparent is today ’ s ventilation challenges will not be solved by hardware alone . It will be a combination of ‘ connected ’ hardware , communication infrastructure and software that ensures underground mines are adequately and efficiently ventilated now and in the future .
Maestro driving out complexity
Maestro Digital Mine is used to ‘ upsetting the apple cart ’ in the underground mine ventilation space , with a company tag line of “ real-time data means more time at the face ” exemplifying how it is upending the status quo .
By providing smart IIoT devices that can be integrated with any third-party platform , it has made the difficult task of optimally ventilating underground mines that much easier .
Air quality stations , digital communication network solutions , automated air regulators and the like have made the Sudbury-based company a household name in mining circles in recent years , yet its solutions have been making an impact underground for more than a decade .
Prior to the introduction of the company ’ s MaestroFlex™ automated regulators that have been used since 2007 , the industry was constrained by a lack of “ infrastructure ”, according to Michael Gribbons , President , CEO & Co-founder of Maestro .
“ This means several things , starting with a solid network for communication ,” he told IM . “ The majority of the ventilation control hardware is at the far extremities of the mine – past all the headings and at the return air raise . That is a location that is serviced last and difficult to get either the network installed or repaired due to the proximity of the working faces .”
Without an effective communication network , ventilation technicians would need to travel underground to evaluate and make manual changes .
MaestroFlex automated regulators replace drop board manual regulators that cannot be adjusted from surface , while allowing surfacebased control room operators the ability to control ventilation through manual , event-based , time-based or full ventilation on demand ( VoD ) functions , according to Maestro . They , like all of Maestro ’ s products , have been designed to withstand the realities of underground mining .
The opposing blade design of these regulators provide optimal flow control over large ranges , allowing its use in real-time VoD applications , Maestro says .
When equipped with ModuDrive™ digital IIoT actuators , the regulators can also provide realtime diagnostics that allow troubleshooting from surface through Maestro ’ s networked-based software platform , MaestroLink™ Server .
The introduction of this regulator design
drives out significant capital expenditure underground by eliminating expensive PLCs , transformers , engineering services and panel fabricators , according to the company . The IIoT actuators require less current and , as a result , eliminate the requirement of a transformer . The ModuDrive connects to any network switch allowing complete control , monitoring and realtime diagnostics over Modbus TCP / IP or EtherNet / IP™ communication protocols . These elements lead to capital expenditure savings of some 40-70 % over the incumbent technology , according to Gribbons .
The combination of the regulators and actuators also have a role to play in the mining sector ’ s evolving ESG needs .
“ If you take a look at institutional investor demands when it comes to ESG , greenhouse gas ( GHG ) emissions are front and centre ,” Gribbons said . “ Investors and consumers are demanding that mining must be sustainable . Controlling ventilation optimally means GHG reductions and a smaller carbon footprint . The main concern from the mining industry revolves around carbon reduction .”
He added : “ Blockchain methods , a type of distributed ledger , can provide safe tracking of carbon content throughout the entire value chain , thereby tracking total GHG emissions . At some point , carbon will be assigned a value and a miner that has reduced their GHG emissions will have a competitive commercial advantage . For example , dirty nickel with a high carbon content will sell for less than clean nickel with a lower carbon content . Clean is green , and green will translate to higher commodity prices and profits .”
This increased investor scrutiny has led many mining companies to test , buy or factor in the use of battery-electric equipment underground . This is especially the case in Canada , which is recognised as a leader in the application of this technology .
Yet , the use of this technology will not completely eradicate mine ventilation needs . Higher strata temperatures that come with operating at increased depths will mean cooled air needs to circulate in areas of high activity . Blast gases will continue to require removal with effective ventilation fans before personnel can re-enter production areas .
Gribbons said miners would do well to evaluate their actual ventilation requirements underground and then gain control of the ventilation process to effectively reduce their GHG emissions as part of a sustainability drive .
10 International Mining | JULY 2021