Determination of airflow Requirements
• Check regulation concerning air volumes at work
places
• Sufficient air must be provided to maintain
oxygen concentration above TLV
AIRFLOW REQUIREMENTS • Sufficient air to keep air velocities in airways
within acceptable limits
• Airflow in working places must be adequate to
dilute the ff. contaminants to below TLVs:
– Gases (from the strata, workmen and I/C machines)
– Dust
– Heat/Humidity
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Airflow Required to Dilute Gases Airflow for Workmen and I/C engines
• Qi = q1 n1 + q2 n2 m3/min
• To determine airflow requirement ‘Q’ for a where:
work place the ff. general relationship may n1 = number of workmen
be used: n2 = number of I/C machines
Q = q x 100/c [m3/s] q1 = air quantity allocated to a workman
Where q: Gas emission rate[m3/s] q1 = 3 m3/min for metal mines
c: Maximum allowable concentration [%] q1 = 4 m3/min for gassy mines
q2 = air quantity allocated to an I/C machine
• Equations are also available for diluting q2 = 3 m3/min if exhaust fumes CO< 0.06%
gases from explosives and for specific
q2 = 4 m3/min if exhaust fumes 0.06%<CO< 0.08%
mining methods
q2 = 6 m3/min if exhaust fumes 0.08%<CO< 0.12%
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Airflow for Dilution of Dust Airflow for Dilution of Dust (cont.)
• Respirable dust concentration decreases
by dilution as airflow increases – (a) • Optimum velocity range is 1.5 – 3.5 m/s
• Large dust particle concentration increases •Velocity limits for airways:
as air velocity rises – due to enhanced
pick-up and delayed settling – (b) –Working places: 4m/s
–Conveyor roadways: 5m/s
Airborne Dust Conc.
a
b –Haulage airways: 6m/s
1.5 - 3.5
–Smooth lined airways: 8m/s
–Ventilation shafts: 20m/s
Air Velocity
2m/s 5 6
Airflow for Dilution of Dust (Cont.) Example: Respirable dust dilution
Data:
The equation used is similar to that for
gases: • Coal face output = 125t/h
E. A.1000 3
Qi m / min • Respirable dust produced = 1.3g/t
C.24.60
Where: E = dust emission rate. g/t • Allowable concentration = 2mg/m3
A = Daily production. t/day
C = increase in concentration of respirable dust. mg/m3 • Intake air dust concentration = 0.5mg/m3
Another way of expressing this is: Determine airflow required
Airflow required = Rate of Dust Production/ Dust removal Capacity of air
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Solution:
Removal of Heat
Rate of dust production:
125x1.3 x1000 • Ventilation is effective in removing heat up
45.14mg / s
60 x 60 to a depth of about 2000m
Dust removal capacity of air: • Below depths of about 2800m ventilation
(2 0.5) 1.5mg / m 3 should be reduced to minimum required
for dust and gas dilution (since heat from
Required airflow:
auto-compression will produce
45.14 mg m3 m3 temperatures close to TLV)
[ x ] 30.1
1.5 s mg s
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Airflow Requirements for Heat Removal Airflow Requirements for Heat Removal (Cont.)
1. Sum up all heat sources to obtain Heat
Load (autocompression, strata, machines
etc.)
• If HRC > Heat Load at an acceptable Q,
2. Determine initial heat content (S1) of then heat can be removed by airflow
intake air and maximum allowable heat
content (S2) of the air in kJ/kg • If HRC < Heat Load then refrigeration is
3. Calculate ‘Heat Removal Capacity’ for an required:
acceptable range of airflows Q: Refrigeration Duty = Heat Load - HRC
HRC= Qρ (S2 – S1) in kW [kg/s x kJ/kg]
Where: Qρ is the mass flow of air (‘ρ’
is density)
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END
Thanks for your attention
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