Polar Division of MMC «Norilsk Nickel» (Norilsk, Russia):

Gorbachev S. A., Executive Officer of Taimyr mine, phone: +7 (3919) 45-24-17
Marysyuk V. P., Chief Engineer of the Geodynamic Safety Center, Candidate of Engineering Sciences
Babkin E. A., Executive Officer of the Geodynamic Safety Center

Scientific and Research Institute of Mining Geomechanics and Mine Survey — Interindustry Scientific Center VNIMI (Saint-Petersburg, Russia):

Andreev A. A., Head of Norilsk Sector

«Gipronickel» Institute LLC (Saint Petersburg, Russia):

Vilchinskiy V. B., Head of Mining Laboratory, Candidate of Engineering Sciences

This scientific work was held with participation of the following specialists: Yu. B. Sidorenko, Chief Specialist of the Geodynamic Safety Center; M. E. Teterin, Deputy Chief Engineer of Taimyr mine; V. N. Zhitnyak, Chief Specialist of the Department of Mining and Geological Board.

The thermal conditions of mining permanent blind drifts are under the most significant influence of such factors as geothermy, heat emission of diesel load and haul machines, blind drifts extension and ventilation conditions. Since 2001, the researches of thermal conditions have been held at Taimyr mine. The maximal temperature of filling mass was determined: 55–60°C in the center of 8-meter pillars (during the first 10–20 days); and 34°C on the border with ore pillar.
According to the results of air temperature forecast, there was obtained the initial information, which is necessary for development of recommendations on the thermal conditions controlling in the mine drifts.
This article detaily describes the basic types of air cooling apparatuses for deep mines. All these apparatuses are divided into five basic types:
-mine air cooling apparatuses, installed on the surface of mine;
-apparatuses, which cool the mine air on the deep levels, with the refrigerating equipment, placed on the surface of mine;
-apparatuses with refrigerating equipment, placed on the deep levels with abstraction of condensation heat on the surface of mine;
-apparatuses with mine air cooling and heat abstraction on the deep levels;
-combined apparatuses.
Talnakh mines are situated in the region with severe climate (by -55°C) with long-term period of negative temperatures (by 8-9 months). During this period, an urgent problem is not the air cooling on the surface, but, on the contrary, its heating. According to this, increasing of 26°C temperature in the drifts of working levels of C-2 deposit is noticed currently and is forecasted to be in the future (deposits C-3, C-4) both in summer and in winter periods. This fact proves the irrationality of using of schemes with location of refrigerating equipment and cooling of air on the surface at Talnakh mines.

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