The three-day course on sources of heat and heat management in underground coal mines was offered to mine site personnel who will be analysing heat survey results and making recommendations based on their findings. The fact that the course was well attended by mine operators underlines its immediate relevance to industry, said course presenter associate professor Roy Moreby, director national centre for mine ventilation, within the UNSW School of Mining Engineering.
The course registration form makes the point that the issue of heat management in underground coal mines, located in central Queensland, is becoming increasingly problematic with higher production rates, depth of workings and extension of block lengths.
While all mines are subject to similar surface climatic conditions, the recent trend in increasing plan production rates to above 4Mtpa in blocks over 3km in length is imposing significantly higher heat loads on the ventilation systems employed. The management of heat is becoming problematic in terms of reduced productivity, industrial relations issues and implementation of management plans during hotter periods of the year.
The course dealt with four major subjects: psychrometry, (techniques used to calculate the properties of moist air as temperatures change due to heat and moisture transfer within a mine), heat transfer and sources of heat in mines, heat stress management, and, refrigeration (cooling an underground mine by introducing large volumes of cool air).
Refrigeration is used widely in the Australian metalliferous industry but, apart from limited trials, is not used in the underground coal industry. Refrigeration does provide a solution to heat management issues but at significant capital and operational cost.
This section of the course described refrigeration methods and equipment available. It also described the data required to estimate plant capacity together with capital and operating costs.
Both the Moranbah North and Central longwall mines (Anglo Coal) in central Queensland are in the process of introducing refrigeration to cool the mines. Moranbah North is believed to be examining the installation of three or four modular units of 1 megawatt each, which are being supplied by a Victorian-based hire company.
In other news the national centre for mine ventilation is developing a modular undergraduate course in environmental engineering in underground mines, with sponsorship from Minerals Education Australia.
This course will cover both underground metalliferous and coal mines and is intended to be delivered as a face-to-face or distance learning format.
The course can be delivered either on a purely educational basis through universities or as a competency based training for industry participants through the statutory ventilation officers course. In this context it also covers requirements for managers and undermanagers. To date engineering undergraduates in the UNSW School of Mining Engineering have received Fluid flow and Heat modules during the last semester this year.
The heat and other modules of the course are available as short courses. For further information please contact Roy Moreby at roy.moreby@btinternet.com.
The coal mine ventilation officers teaching module will be available on a distant learning format by March 2002. In addition the course will be available as a diploma in mine ventilation for coal or metalliferous mine participants.
