Aerodynamic control in open pit gold mining

The study is aimed at the aerodynamic analysis of ventilation implemented in an open pit gold mine using underground mine excavations. The current method and means of deep open pit mine ventilation are reviewed. The natural airing efficiency decreases with an increasing depth of an open pit mine. Air recirculation zones arise within the pit space, and pollutants accumulate in these zones. The conclusion is drawn on the advisability of integrated natural/artificial ventilation using specially driven underground openings. The research task is set to validate an efficient ventilation method for deep open pit gold mines in the North. The methodology is proposed for selecting the integrated ventilation design for deep open pits. The computer models of geometry and aerodynamics of a representative open pit gold mine are constructed for studying air flow velocities. The Ansys-Fluent-based mathematical modeling of aerodynamic processes is performed for the cases of natural ventilation and integrated ventilation with forced air feed to the pit space from the system of underground openings. The artificial ventilation efficiency is assessed. When air is fed at the total flow rate of 60 m3 at the velocity of 2 m/s along five drifts aerodynamically connected with the pit space, configuration of the air recirculation zones is considerably changed, and the volumes of these zones are greatly decreased. The further research objectives are formulated.

Gendler S. G., Borisovsky I. A. Aerodynamic control in open pit gold mining. MIAB. Mining Inf. Anal. Bull. 2021;(2):99-107. [In Russ]. DOI: 10.25018/0236-1493-20212-0-99-107.

S.G. Gendler¹, Dr. Sci. (Eng.), Professor, e-mail: sgendler@mail.ru,
I.A. Borisovsky¹, Graduate Student,
¹ Saint-Petersburg Mining University, 199106, Saint-Petersburg, Russia.

S.G. Gendler, e-mail: sgendler@mail.ru.

1. Fomin S. I. Justification of technological solutions in organization of ore deposit mining. Journal of Mining Institute. 2016, vol. 221, pp. 644—650. [In Russ]. DOI: 10.18454/ PMI.2016.5.644.

2. Kozyrev S. A., Amosov P. V. Ways to normalize the atmosphere of deep pits. Vestnik Murmanskogo Gosudarstvennogo Tekhnicheskogo Universiteta. 2014, vol. 17, no 2, pp. 231—237. [In Russ].

3. Straw M. P., Harwood R. The application of computational fluid dynamics to environmental health risk. Transactions on Biomedicine and Health. 2001. Vol. 5. Pр. 95—104.

4. Rogalyov V.A., Yastrebova K. N. Methodical features of intensification of natural ventilation of quarries. Journal of Mining Institute. 2014, vol. 207, pp. 131—133. [In Russ].

5. Shakhray S. G., Kurchin G. S., Sorokin A. G. New technical solutions for ventilation of deep pits. Journal of Mining Institute. 2019, vol. 240, pp. 654—659. [In Russ].

6. Gridina E. B., Petrov I. A. Experience of mathematical modeling of an airing process of the Olenegorskiy quarry in the Flow Vision program complex. MIAB. Mining Inf. Anal. Bull. 2017. Special edition 5-1, pp. 32—42. [In Russ].

7. Gridina E. B., Andreev R. E. Mathematical modeling based on CFD method of wind currents in combined working out of the Olenegorsky pit in the FlowVision software package. International Review on Modelling and Simulations. 2017. Vol. 10. No 1. DOI: 10.15866/iremos.v10i1.11101.

8. Kozyrev S. A., Amosov P. V. Modeling the removal of harmful impurities in ventilation of deep pits with the help of ventilation mine workings. MIAB. Mining Inf. Anal. Bull. 2015. Special edition 56, pp. 390—398. [In Russ].

9. Kozyrev S. A., Amosov P. V. Modeling of the air flows distribution in the deep open-cast mines. Gornyi Zhurnal. 2014, no 5, pp. 7—11. [In Russ].

10. Bartzis J. G. Turbulence modeling in the atmospheric boundary layer: a review and some recent developments. Transactions on Ecology and the Environment. 2006. Vol. 86. Pp. 3—12.

11. Bhowmick T., Bandopadhyay S., Ghosh T. Three-dimensional CFD modeling approach to approximate air pollution conditions in high-latitude open-pit mines. Transactions on The Built Environment. 2015. Vol. 168. Pp. 741—753.

12. Flores F., Garreaud R., Muñoz R. Open FOAM applied to the CFD simulation of turbulent buoyant atmospheric flows and pollutant dispersion inside large open pit mines under intense insolation. Computers & Fluids. 2014. Vol. 90. Pр. 72—87.

13. Morin A. S., Borisov F. I., Borisov D. F., Korzukhin I. V. About the thermal preparation of the supplied air and application of the two-channel ducts at the pipeline ventilation of the open pits. Russian Mining Industry. 2016, no 1 (125), pp. 40—46. [In Russ].

14. Konorev M. M., Nesterenko G. F. Ventilyatsiya i pylegazopodavlenie v atmosfere kar'erov [Ventilation and dust and gas suppression in the atmosphere of quarries], Ekaterinburg, 2000. 43 p.

15. Konorev M. M., Makarov V., Nesterenko G. F. To a question on research of dynamic schemes of artificial ventilation of open pits by fans on the basis of turboprop engines. Trudy VNIMI. 1975, no 1, pp. 126—132. [In Russ].

16. Zhang S. Experimental study on performance of contra-rotating axial flow fan. International Journal of Coal Science &Technology. 2015. Vol. 2. No. 3. Pp. 232—236. DOI: 10.1007/ s40789-015-0073-2.

17. Konorev M. M., Nesterenko G. F. Justification for choice of ventilation schemes and operation modes of ventilation systems in quarries. MIAB. Mining Inf. Anal. Bull. 2002, no 4, pp. 73—76. [In Russ].

18. Bitkolov N. Z., Medvedev I. I. Aerologiya kar'erov [Aerology of quarries], Nedra, 1992. 8 p.

19. Deryl O., Snyder A. Fluent. Tutorial. 2011. Pp. 37—45.