Ventilation friction factor determination and comparison: two case studies of potash mining

Friction factor is a crucial parameter in assessing and modelling ventilation systems in underground mining. However, the development of a mine along its life-cycle can complicate the airflow supply required at the working faces, creating setbacks in terms of productivity and production. Hence, it i...

Descripción completa

Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Bascompta Massanes, Marc|||0000-0003-1519-6133, Sanmiquel Pera, Lluís|||0000-0001-5612-4713, Anticoi Sudzuki, Hernán Francisco|||0000-0003-4316-5203, Oliva Moncunill, Josep|||0000-0001-6214-5713
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2019
País:España
Institución:Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC)
Repositorio:UPCommons. Portal del coneixement obert de la UPC
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:upcommons.upc.edu:2117/173145
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/2117/173145
https://dx.doi.org/10.17159/2411-9717/707/2019
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Mine ventilation
Potash mines and mining
Friction
Friction factor
Potash mining
Roughness
Mines -- Ventilació
Mines de potassa
Fricció
Àrees temàtiques de la UPC::Enginyeria civil::Enginyeria de mines
Descripción
Sumario:Friction factor is a crucial parameter in assessing and modelling ventilation systems in underground mining. However, the development of a mine along its life-cycle can complicate the airflow supply required at the working faces, creating setbacks in terms of productivity and production. Hence, it is very important to determine all the ventilation parameters, including roughness and the friction factor. In this paper we examine the data from several surveys that were carried out in two potash mines (both using the room-and-pillar method) with the aim of determining the friction factors through the Von Kármán equation, which connects the Atkinson friction factor with airway roughness. Comparison of the two mines provided consistent results, despite some differences in the mining methods, and we were able to establish standard values for this type of mining. Furthermore, a roughness variation over a year in this type of evaporitic mining has been determined, indicating that the specific climate characteristics of the zone affect the walls and roofs of the tunnels and therefore their roughness. Friction factor values have also been validated by means of several ventilation simulations and contrasted with values in the literature.