The Moss Vale-located company has been supplying fans into the underground coal mining industry for five years. The company’s auxiliary ventilation fans are based on Howden Sirocco design and technology. The new fan is an entirely new design and extends the company’s offerings into the sector.
Vale’s new low speed fan operates at roughly half the speed of comparable fans, at 1,480 rpm, compared to the current standard of 2,960 rpm. This has been achieved by designing the fan impellor with a larger diameter. It offers an operating capacity ranging from 9m3 to 25m3.
At noise levels of less than 85 db, the fan is quieter and, according to Vale, meets occupational health and safety guidelines for noise levels. A tube system which drags ventilation air up roadways provides extended length ventilation in either single heading roadways or in long roadways. The system reduces the number of moves required by the fan.
The fan, available as a rental unit or for purchase, comes either on a track-mounted MPV pod or on a wheel mounted skid base.
Other advantages include efficient inline air flow design with no guide vanes. Current model fans use guide vanes which turn air 90 degrees but reduce efficiency. Vale made its first sale of the new fan to the Southern longwall mine in Queensland in February.
Vale’s standard fan is an 18 cubic metre direct driven centrifugal type which operates at 3000 rpm and 110 kW. It incorporates a bi-ficated design which leaves the motor fully accessible.