Mining Institute of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Perm, Russia

M. A. Semin, Academic Secretary, Head of Mathematical Modeling of Geotechnical Processes Laboratory, Doctor of Engineering Sciences, seminma@inbox.ru
S. A. Bublik, Junior Researcher
A. V. Zaitsev, Head of Mining Production Development Laboratory, Doctor of Engineering Sciences
S. V. Maltsev, Head of Mine Ventilation Sector, Candidate of Engineering Sciences

In the conditions of intensified activities and spatial extension in mineral mining, effective ventilation of all workplaces in a mine requires increasingly more air. As a consequence, the air flow velocities reach their peak values in main access roadways. At the same time, mine shaft cages, which become larger and have higher capacity, occupy the bulk of the shaft cross-section when move there. This study analyzes the piston effect exerted by movement of a heavy-duty mine cage in a shaft on the working conditions of the main fan. The accomplished multi-parametric numerical modeling of air distribution in the shaft section with the cage in the course of its movement has determined the parametric dependences of the pressure difference of air flow through the cage on the air and cage velocities, and on the cage dimensions. The calculated added resistances agree well with the measured fluctuations in the main fan depression at the real-life test facility. A general technique is proposed for taking into account the added resistance induced by the piston effect of the mine cage movement. It is shown that it is necessary to include the additional aerodynamic resistance in engineering designs of fans and in development of compensatory measures.
The study was supported by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation under State Contract No. 122030100425-6.

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