Mining Institute, Perm Federal Research Center, Ural Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Perm, Russia:

A. V. Zaitsev, Divisional Manager, Candidate of Engineering Sciences, aerolog.artem@gmail.com
L. Yu. Levin, Deputy Director of Scientific Work, Doctor of Engineering Sciences
B. P. Kazakov, Chief Researcher, Doctor of Engineering Sciences
Yu. A. Klyukin, Leading Engineer

Mines of Nornickel’s Polar Division are the deepest underground operations in our country to date. For instance, Taimyr Mine operates at a depth down to 1800 m under the temperature up to +45 °С. Glubokaya Mine currently under construction will have a depth more that 2000 m under enclosing rock mass temperature higher than +50 °С. Selection of efficient solutions on normalization of microclimate conditions with regard to minimized total capital and operating costs depends on the regional geography, mine field geology, geotechnology and equipment in use. Geotechnical methods to regulate thermal mode are simple and cheaper to be implemented but often fail to produce the required decrease in air temperature and and to tune to the time history of thermal environment under effect of mining and due to the ambient air temperature variation. Thermotechnical approaches are more workable and advanced, ensure wide range adjustment of parameters though need essential capital and operating input. The article describes the determined thermal behavior of deep mines and the procedure for integrated resource-saving systems for normalization of microclimate conditions in mines. For Taimyr Mine, in situ air conditioning plant KSHR-350 N has been designed and introduced into operation. The semi-commercial test data of the plant and the results of normalization of microclimate conditions in the mine are presented in the article. For Glubokaya Mine, the designed integrated system for heat mode normalization in working areas includes central cooling machine. Using the developed procedure and modeling software, the air conditioning process circuit is substantiated and the required parameters of the circuit elements are determined.
The study was supported by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research, Project No. 17-45-590973: Methods for prediction, prevention and elimination of ventilation accidents in mines.

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