2013 Australian Mine Ventilation Conference Halim
2013 Australian Mine Ventilation Conference Halim
2013 Australian Mine Ventilation Conference Halim
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ABSTRACT
The electric power price in mining countries such as Australia and South Africa has increased
significantly in the past five years and is likely to continue to increase in the foreseeable future.
This can make a mine uneconomic to operate. Replacing diesel vehicles with electric ones can
reduce ventilation power consumption, which can comprise up to 40 per cent of total mine power
consumption. However, no such airflow requirement for electric vehicles is stated in any mining
regulations in the world.
In this paper, the authors investigate the ventilation requirement of an electric vehicle operating
in an underground hard rock mine. Quantification of atmospheric contaminant emitted by an
electric vehicle was done at Rio Tintos Northparkes mine, followed by thermodynamic and
ventilation network simulations using Ventsim Visual software.
INTRODUCTION
The electric power required for the ventilation system for that a minimum air velocity of 0.25 m/s is maintained in all
a mine is one of the major components of the total electric underground areas in the mine where vehicles or locomotives
power consumption, which can be up to 40 per cent (Mining powered by electricity is used. However, this means that the
Magazine, 2010). To reduce ventilation power consumption, airflow quantity will be different depending on the dimension
ventilation requirement must be reduced. One option to of the area where they work. For example, a 14 tonne load-
achieve this is to replace diesel vehicles with electric ones. haul-dump (LHD) unit with motor power of 178 kW will have
An electric motor produces zero emissions (ie no gases and airflow quantity of 4 m3/s in a 4 4 m heading and 6.25 m3/s
diesel particulate matter DPM) and only emits one-third the in a 5 5 m heading. This means that the smaller heading will
heat of an equivalent diesel engine. Airflow specification can have higher temperature than the larger one. This is not the
therefore be less (Marks, 2012; McPherson, 2009). right approach as the amount of heat produced by an electric
Currently ventilation requirement in underground hard vehicle depends on the output of all electric motors in that
rock mines is determined by multiplying the rated diesel vehicle, not on the dimension of the heading. The airflow
engine power of all vehicles with the regulatory airflow quantity should therefore be governed by the output of the
requirement. Some examples are: motors.
0.05 m3/s per kW rated engine power is the requirement in
Western Australia Mines Safety and Inspection Regulation METHODOLOGY
(WAMSIR) 1995, regulation 10.52 (6) (WA Government, The first step of this study was to quantify the contaminant
1995) produced by an electric heavy vehicle, which is heat.
0.06 m3/s per kW is the requirement in New South Wales The measurement to quantify heat produced by an electric
(NSW) Mining Design Guideline (MDG) 29 Guidelines heavy vehicle was done at Rio Tintos Northparkes copper-
for the management of diesel engine pollutants in gold mine in New South Wales. This mine was selected as it
underground environments (NSW Government, 2008) exclusively uses electric vehicles, which are electric LHD units,
0.063 m3/s per kW is the requirement in Ontario, Canada as its main production equipment. The LHD unit is Sandvik
(Kocsis, 2003) LH514E. Data collected were dry bulb (DB) temperature, wet
0.067 m3/s per kW is the requirement in Indonesian mines bulb (WB) temperature, Barometric pressure, airflow quantity
(Brake, 2010). (air velocity and airway dimension). By using psychometric
Currently, there is no such requirement for electric vehicles equations, the amount of heat produced by an electric LHD
in any mine regulations in the world. To the authors can be calculated. In addition to this, power consumed by
knowledge, the only regulation concerning ventilation for the unit was also determined by measuring current, voltage
electric vehicles is WAMSIR 1995 regulation 9.34 which states and power factor. This is to validate a popular assumption
1. MAusIMM, Lecturer, Department of Mining Engineering, Western Australian School of Mines, Curtin University, Locked Bag 30 Kalgoorlie WA 6433. Email: [email protected]
2. Graduate Mining Engineer, Barrick Australia Pacific. Formerly undergraduate student, Department of Mining Engineering, Western Australian School of Mines, Curtin University, Locked Bag 30
Kalgoorlie WA 6433.
THE AUSTRALIAN MINE VENTILATION CONFERENCE / ADELAIDE, SA, 1 - 3 JULY 2013 215
A HALIM AND M KERAI
that heat produced by an electric vehicle is equal to the power will be inputted as a point source of sensible heat. Although
consumed by it if the vehicle does not do any work against an electric vehicle can have fuel cell as its power source, fuel
gravity. The literature review found that this assumption had cell produces moisture and therefore emits sensible and latent
never been validated prior to this research. heat. The main reason for using this assumption is that the
Thermodynamic and ventilation network simulations were quantification of heat emitted by a mining electric heavy
done as the next step. The software Ventsim Visual was used. vehicle was done on a cable trailed LHD, which does not
The aim of these simulations was to determine the total airflow produces moisture and hence the heat emitted by this vehicle
quantity that is required in order to have WB temperature at should be equal to that emitted by a battery powered vehicle.
the deepest part of the mine less than or equal to 30C (design
reject temperature). Although the common design limit used QUANTIFYING HEAT EMITTED BY A MINING
is 28C, with the extensive utilisation of air conditioned cabin ELECTRIC HEAVY VEHICLE
vehicles in modern mines the design limit can be increased
to 30C. These vehicles assist heat stress management by As described before, the quantification of heat emitted
providing microclimate cooling, ie the vehicles operator by a mining electric heavy vehicle was done at Rio Tintos
spend most of his/her time in cool environment, personnel Northparkes Copper-Gold mine in New South Wales, which
working outside air conditioned cabin can take regular breaks exclusively uses Sandvik LH514E LHD units as its main
inside the vehicle. A similar limit is used in Callie underground production equipment. The unit operates on a delivered
gold mine in Northern Territory, which is 30.5C (Howes and voltage of about 1000 V. It is equipped with three electric
Clarke, 2007). motors, one drive motor (132 kW), one pump motor (45 kW),
and one fan motor (1.5 kW). The LH514E carries an arrow
Model of two currently operating hard rock underground
head design bucket with a capacity of 7 m3.
mines in Western Australia were used with their known fleet
of machinery. The first is a deep mine which extends to over To determine heat emitted by an LH514E, the following
a kilometre deep and the second is a shallow mine which parameters were measured upstream and downstream of the
extends to 600 m deep. The models were generated using LHD operating in a production drive (refer to Figure 1):
two distinct thermal conditions found in Australian mining DB temperature
regions, namely Kalgoorlie (cool strata) and Mount Isa (hot WB temperature
strata). Their thermal parameters can be altered in Ventsim Barometric pressure.
Visual. One input of a thermodynamic simulation using
In addition to these, airflow quantity that flows in the
Ventsim Visual is the heat emitted by an electric vehicle. For
production drive was measured by measuring air velocity
this purpose, it was essential to determine the ratio between
and drive cross sectional area. Using these measurement
the heat emitted and total electric motor output of the
results and psychometric equations, the amount of heat that
LH514E. The heat emitted was measured as 145 kW and the
was emitted by the unit could be calculated.
total motor output of this LHD is 178.7 kW. This results in a
ratio of 81 per cent. However, since this ratio varies in every The measurements were taken while the LHD unit had
electrical equipment, a conservative approach was taken in come to a halt. Unlike diesel vehicles, there is no difference
the simulation. Therefore, it was assumed that the amount of between idling and full throttle as the electric motor always
heat emitted from every conceptual electric vehicle is equal runs at constant speed. This is because when accelerator pedal
to its motor output. This approach also takes into account is pressed, the motor is engaged to the drive wheel and when
potential energy and braking heat dissipated by the vehicle the pedal is released, the motor is disengaged from the drive
when it travels downhill in decline. wheel.
It was then necessary to determine the motor output of
every conceptual electric vehicle. The only way to do this is to
compare the power output of an electric vehicle and a diesel
vehicle that have same workload. The only large vehicle that
is manufactured as a diesel and as an electric is Sandviks
LH514 LHD unit. The motor output of the LH514 electric is
70 per cent of its diesel equivalent (Sandvik Mining, 2012).
Therefore, it was assumed that every conceptual electric
vehicle in the fleet has motor power of 70 per cent of its
diesel equivalent. With this assumption, the existing mining
diesel fleet was converted into a conceptual electric fleet by
multiplying their engine power with 70 per cent.
The final step was running Ventsim Visual simulations.
After mine thermal parameters and heat emitted from
conceptual electric vehicles were set, the primary fan was
adjusted with various values of fixed quantity that is sufficient
enough to have the WB temperature less than or equal to
30C at the deepest part of the mine. This fixed quantity was
then subtracted with leakage and fixed facilities (fuel bay/
workshop and magazine) quantities, and then divided by the
total fleet output power to obtain unit requirement as m3/s
per kW output. Refrigeration plant was included in the
simulation if required.
It was assumed that these vehicles are battery powered,
which do not produce moisture. Therefore, all the machinery FIG 1 - Locations of LH514E heat quantification measurements.
216 THE AUSTRALIAN MINE VENTILATION CONFERENCE / ADELAIDE, SA, 1 - 3 JULY 2013
VENTILATION REQUIREMENT FOR ELECTRIC UNDERGROUND HARD ROCK MINES A CONCEPTUAL STUDY
Various instruments were required in order to complete the VENTSIM VISUAL SIMULATIONS
measurements. They were supplied by the Western Australian
School of Mines (WASM). The Kestrel 4000 pocket weather Simulation of the deep mine
meter was used to measure the DB and WB temperatures, the The mine fleet (existing diesel and conceptual electric) of the
Druck DPI 740 digital barometer was used to measure the deep mine is listed in Table 3. The mine employs parallel
barometric pressures, Alnor RVA501 digital anemometer was circuit except at the deepest block which employs series
circuit.
used to measure air velocity, and the Leica Disto was used to
measure dimension of the airway. TABLE 1
The main aim of the measurements is to have sufficient and Data collected at Northparkes Mine.
reliable data regarding the heat emitted by the LHD unit.
Therefore, the measurements were undertaken as close as Front of load-haul-dump End of load-haul-dump
possible to the LHD unit in order to prevent the data being Barometric Barometric
interfered from other heat sources present in an underground Trial DB WB pressure DB WB pressure
hard rock mine such as ground, the concrete pavement, the (C) (C) (Pa) (C) (C) (Pa)
caved ore in drawpoints, and water in the production drive. 1 21.00 16.20 106 197.00 18.90 13.40 106 205.00
2 21.50 16.30 106 189.00 18.90 13.60 106 201.00
However, it was also understood that there is a high safety
3 21.30 16.00 106 117.00 18.90 13.60 106 202.00
risk for personnel to get close to a running electric LHD unit.
Therefore, a risk assessment (RA) and a job safety analysis 4 21.20 16.20 106 181.00 19.00 14.00 106 211.00
(JSA) were conducted before the measurements were taken. 5 21.50 16.20 106 209.00 18.90 13.80 106 217.00
Average 21.30 16.18 106 178.60 18.92 13.68 106 207.20
There is a popular assumption that heat emitted by an
electric vehicle is equal to the power consumed by the vehicle.
In order to validate this assumption, the current, voltage and
TABLE 2
power factor were also measured.
Heat emitted by LH514E.
Power consumption by the unit was calculated using the Trial Heat (kW)
following equations:
1 161.8
THE AUSTRALIAN MINE VENTILATION CONFERENCE / ADELAIDE, SA, 1 - 3 JULY 2013 217
A HALIM AND M KERAI
Not all vehicles listed in Table 3 are present inside the mine block of the mine. This fleet was based on the actual diesel
at the same time. The simulation was run with the vehicles fleet used in this mining block. The electric motor output was
listed in Table 4 operating in the mine at the same time. This estimated based on the 70 per cent diesel power assumption
is the typical operational situation in this mine. Jumbos and described before. The fixed quantity of the booster fan was
longhole drills were not included as they run with their small adjusted along with that of the primary fan in order to find
electric motor while drilling. Their motor output is so small total quantity that will cause WB temperature less than or
and therefore can be negligible. equal to 30C in the deepest part of the mine.
TABLE 4 TABLE 7
Vehicles operating in the deep mine at the same time. Electric vehicle fleet in the deepest block of the deep mine.
Equipment Fleet size Unit Motor output Fleet size Total output
(kW) (kW)
IT 1
Light vehicle 68.6 5 343
Large truck 4
Charge up rig 72.8 1 72.8
Grader 1
IT 106.4 1 106.4
Water cart 1
Jumbo 77 1 77
Large LHD 3
Production drill 72.8 2 145.6
Small truck 3
Large LHD 224.7 2 449.4
Light vehicle 7
Small truck 339.5 1 339.5
Large truck 383.6 5 1918
As described before, two distinct thermal conditions were
Grader 106.4 1 106.4
included in this simulation, namely Kalgoorlie (cool strata)
and Mount Isa (hot strata). Tables 5 and 6 list the thermal Water cart 106.4 1 106.4
parameters for cool and hot strata respectively. These Shorcrete rig 57.4 1 57.4
values were obtained from measurements in mines around Concrete agitator 119 1 119
Kalgoorlie and Mount Isa (Derrington, 2009; Nixon, Gillies
and Howes, 1992; H W Wu, pers. comm., 16 August 2012). TOTAL 3840.9
The average airway age of this mine is nine years.
As with the fixed quantity in the primary fan, this fixed
TABLE 5 quantity was then adjusted to exclude leakage quantity and
Kalgoorlie (cool strata) thermal parameters. then divided by the total motor output shown in Table 7 to
obtain unit ventilation requirement in m3/s per kW. No fixed
Parameters Values facilities quantity was subtracted from this fixed quantity as
the fixed facilities are located above this block. This value was
Rock thermal conductivity 1.75 W/mC
then compared with that obtained from the fixed quantity
Rock thermal diffusivity 0.75 10-6 m2/s in the primary fan. Both fixed quantities were then varied in
Rock temperature at surface/portal 23C the model, until a WB temperature of 30C was reached in
the deepest part of the mine and both produced similar unit
Geothermal gradient 8.5C/km vertical metres
ventilation requirement.
Airway wetness factor 10%
It was found that if a refrigeration plant is not employed,
Average surface barometric pressure 98 kPa the mine located in cool strata requires a total quantity of
Average surface summer temperatures 23C WB, 35C DB 900 m3/s in its primary fans and 415 m3/s in its booster fan.
The fixed quantity in the primary fans takes into account the
TABLE 6 20 m3/s requirement for fixed facilities and the leakage factor
of 25 per cent. Therefore, the quantity required for the fleet
Mount Isa (hot strata) thermal parameters.
had to be adjusted accordingly as shown:
Parameters Values Total quantity = 900 m3/s
Rock thermal conductivity 3.67 W/mC Quantity without leakage = 900/1.25 = 720 m3/s
Rock thermal diffusivity 2.07 x 10-6 m2/s Quantity for vehicle fleet (less quantity for fixed facilities) =
720 - 20 = 700 m3/s.
Rock temperature at surface/portal 28C
The total output power of the conceptual electric vehicles
Geothermal gradient 19.92C/km vertical metres is noted to be 7809.2 kW. By simply dividing the required
Airway wetness factor 10% quantity of 700 m3/s with the total power output of 7809.2 kW,
Average surface barometric pressure 98.5 kPa the unit requirement was calculated as 0.09 m3/s per kW
electric motor output.
Average surface summer temperatures 25C WB, 35C DB
For the fleet used in the deepest block, the quantity that
was allocated for the fleet was calculated by excluding 20 per
In order to address the shortage of airflow in its deepest cent leakage factor from the booster fan fixed quantity. It was
block, this mine utilises a booster fan. Table 7 shows the found that the fleet quantity is 415/1.2 = 350 m3/s. The unit
conceptual electric vehicle fleet that is used in the deepest requirement was calculated by dividing this quantity by the
218 THE AUSTRALIAN MINE VENTILATION CONFERENCE / ADELAIDE, SA, 1 - 3 JULY 2013
VENTILATION REQUIREMENT FOR ELECTRIC UNDERGROUND HARD ROCK MINES A CONCEPTUAL STUDY
total output power of the conceptual electric vehicles used in 90 kW ore drive auxiliary fans were turned on in the model
this block (3840.9 kW). The requirement is 0.09 m3/s per kW, to simulate heat emitted by them. This reflects the typical
which is same with that calculated from the fixed quantity in condition in this mine where ten ore drives are active at a
the primary fan. time. The average airway age in this mine is three years. The
However, this requirement causes air velocity greater than mine has a magazine and a fuel bay.
5 m/s in many parts of decline, which causes visibility issues The shallow mine located in cool strata requires a
due to dust pick up. Therefore, another simulation was done total quantity of 90 m3/s at its primary fan without any
in which a refrigeration plant is employed in order to reduce refrigeration plant. This quantity includes 20 per cent leakage
airflow requirement and air velocity in decline. In order to factor. Therefore, the ventilation requirement was obtained
reduce air velocity to be less than 5 m/s, the total quantity by adjusted this quantity to exclude leakage and fixed
in the primary fans and booster fan have to be reduced to facilities, and then dividing the adjusted quantity by the
420 m3/s and 185 m3/s. A 1.5 MW of refrigeration capacity total output power of 2160.2 kW. This resulted in required
(R) surface refrigeration plant has to be employed. These quantity of 0.025 m3/s per kW electric motor output, which is
correspond to a unit requirement of 0.04 m3/s per kW electric less than the current world regulatory requirements of 0.05 to
motor output, which is less than the current world regulatory 0.067 m3/s per rated kW diesel engine power.
requirements for the diesel fleet which are 0.05 to 0.067 m3/s The shallow mine located in hot strata requires a total quantity
per rated kW diesel engine power. of 200 m3/s at its primary fan without any refrigeration plant.
For the mine that is located in hot strata, it was found that The higher requirement reflects the additional heat load from
to achieve same requirement, a 5 MW(R) surface refrigeration warmer strata. The ventilation requirement was calculated
plant has to be employed. as 0.068 m3/s per kW. This requirement causes air velocity
greater than 5 m/s in many parts of decline. Therefore,
Simulation of the shallow mine another simulation was done in which a refrigeration plant
The mine fleet at this mine is listed below in Table 8 with the is employed in order to reduce airflow requirement and air
vehicles operating in a mine at the same time listed in Table 9. velocity in decline. With a 1 MW(R) surface plant installed,
the primary fan quantity is reduced to 120 m3/s, which
The shallow mine is a series ventilation circuit in which each
corresponds to unit requirement of 0.037 m3/s per kW. This
level (ore drive) is ventilated by auxiliary fan and lay flat duct.
is less than the current world regulatory requirements for the
In addition to heat from the vehicles listed on Table 9, ten
diesel fleet which are 0.05 to 0.067 m3/s per rated kW diesel
engine power.
TABLE 8
Shallow mine fleet.
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Unit Diesel Electric Fleet size Total Table 10 summarises the estimated unit ventilation
engine motor electric requirement for electric vehicles with the size of refrigeration
power output output plant installed if required.
(kW) (kW) (kW)
Light vehicle 98 68.6 5 343 TABLE 10
Charge up rig 66 46.2 2 92.4 Summary of estimated unit ventilation requirement for electric vehicles.
Small LHD type 1 123 86.1 2 172.2
Mine Thermal Airflow Note
Small LHD type 2 142 99.4 2 198.8 condition requirement
Large LHD 298 208.6 2 417.2 (m3/s /kW)
Large truck 600 420 1 420 Deep mine Cool 0.04 A 1.5 MW(R) surface refrigeration
Medium truck 392 274.4 1 274.4 plant is required
IT 82 57.4 2 114.8 Deep mine Hot 0.04 A 5 MW(R) surface refrigeration
plant is required
Shotcrete rig 82 57.4 1 57.4
Shallow Cool 0.025 No refrigeration plant is required
Concrete agitator 100 70 1 70
mine
TOTAL 2160.2 Shallow Hot 0.037 A 1 MW(R) surface refrigeration
mine plant is required
TABLE 9
Vehicles operating in the shallow mine at the same time.
It can be seen from Table 10 that for shallow mine located in
cool strata, there is an indication that utilising electric vehicles
Unit Fleet size
will require less ventilation than utilising diesel vehicles,
Large truck 1 and therefore will save primary fan power cost. In deep
Medium truck 1 mines located in cool strata and mines located in hot strata,
IT 1 a refrigeration plant is required to achieve this condition.
Increasing refrigeration plant size will reduce ventilation
Light vehicle 3 requirement. However, the caveat is that the mine will incur
Small LHD type 1 1 additional cost to install, operate and maintain the plant. An
Small LHD type 2 1 optimisation study to gain an understanding of the balance
between ventilation requirement and refrigeration plant size
Large LHD 1 should be carried out in the future.
THE AUSTRALIAN MINE VENTILATION CONFERENCE / ADELAIDE, SA, 1 - 3 JULY 2013 219
A HALIM AND M KERAI
The popular assumption that heat emitted by electric vehicle Howes, M J and Clarke, B, 2007. The Granites Callie Mine
equals to its power consumption was validated in this study. Justification and design of a mine cooling plant suitable for wet
or dry condensing, in Proceedings Fourth International Seminar
The simulations done in this study were only based on two on Deep and High Stress Mining (Deep Mining 07) (ed: Y Potvin)
mines. As each mine is unique and has its specific ventilation pp 451-461 (Australian Centre for Geomechanics, University of
circuit, vehicle fleet, and geothermal parameters, a similar Western Australia: Perth).
simulation of other mines might produce different results. It
Kocsis, C, 2003. Ventilation benefit analysis for Canadian mines
is recommended that similar simulation is done in different Fuelcell loader project, Report 03-040, CANMET-MMSL.
mines in order to support the indication found in this study.
Marks, J R, 2012. Airflow specification for metal and non-metal mines,
This study was done with an assumption that all electric in Proceedings 14th US/North American Mine Ventilation Symposium,
vehicles are powered by battery due to the inability to (eds: F Calizaya and M Nelson) pp 191-195 (University of Utah:
quantifying heat emitted by a fuel cell powered mining vehicle Salt Lake City).
since such a vehicle is yet to be commercially available. It is McPherson, M J, 2009. Subsurface Ventilation Engineering, p 505 (Mine
recommended that when fuel cell powered mining vehicles Ventilation Services, Inc: Fresno).
are available, the heat emitted by these vehicles is quantified
Mining Magazine, 2010. Plugging The Gap Underground [online],
and therefore a similar study could be carried out on fuel cell
Available from: <http://www.miningmagazine.com/
powered vehicles. equipment/plugging-the-gap-underground> [Accessed: 10
December 2012].
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS New South Wales (NSW) Government, 2008. Mining Design
This study required visiting Rio Tintos Northparkes Mines, Guideline (MDG) 29 Guidelines for the management of diesel
which was made possible through the funding from Mining engine pollutants in underground environments [online],
Education Australia (MEA). The authors would like to thank Available from: <http://www.resources.nsw.gov.au/safety/
Professor Peter Knight, Executive Director of MEA, and publications/mdg/1-999> [Accessed: 10 December 2012].
Paulette Schmidt, Finance Officer and Executive Assistant Nixon, C A, Gillies, A D S and Howes, M J, 1992. Analysis of heat
of MEA for arranging the visit to Northparkes Mines, Eddy sources in a large mechanized development end at Mount Isa
Samosir, Claudia Vejrazka, and Mat Allan from Northparkes Mine, in Proceedings 5th International Mine Ventilation Congress,
Mines for their assistance during the visit. Johannesburg (ed: R. Hemp) pp 109-117 (Mine Ventilation Society
of South Africa: Johannesburg).
220 THE AUSTRALIAN MINE VENTILATION CONFERENCE / ADELAIDE, SA, 1 - 3 JULY 2013