Mines Install New-Generation Ventilation Fans


GIA’s newest Swedvent fans for underground ventilation feature improved sound damping, along with
adjustable blade angle to improve performance in different underground applications.
GIA Industries’ latest generation of its Swedvent underground ventilation fans and ducting systems have recently been installed at several large underground mines in Russia and elsewhere, including the Apatit and Olcon mines in Murmansk; the Mayskoe mine in Eastern Russia; Alrosa mine in Udachnaya; and the Magadan Lunnoe and Ducat silver mines.

Swedvent fans also were delivered to Portugal’s Minas Da Panasquira tin-tungsten operation, and Norway’s Rana Gruber iron ore mine purchased 10 fan units.

Four 2AVH224 fan systems were installed at the Apatit mine, each delivering 145 m3/s of air flow. The fan station was installed inside a pre-heated building to blow air at a temperature of not less than 2°C into the mine. A similar fan house inside a pre-heated building also was constructed at Olcon, Olenogorsk in Murmansk housing four 2AVH224 fans.

Two AVH180 fan systems, each delivering 130 m3/s, were delivered in 2010 for Highland Gold’s Mayskoe mine, and two AVH160 fan systems have been ordered by the Magadan Lunoe underground mine in northeast Russia’s Omsukchan district.

Two AVH224s, each delivering 104 m3/s, also were purchased by Magadan’s Ducat silver mine. And, at the Alrosa Udachnaya mine, a 3AVH125 fan with 1,400-mm duct diameter was installed at the portal.

According to GIA, the latest Swedvent fans feature improved silencer design to provide noise reductions of at least 3 dB(A) for the full range of fan motors rated from 10–500 kW to meet 75–85 dB(A) at 7 m. The improved sound damping was achieved with a specially designed silencer filled with processed mineral wool to reduce high-frequency sounds.

The design also features advanced impeller design incorporating a large hub, short blades and precise spacing between the blades. The dynamically balanced impeller rotates in purposedesigned guide vanes to eliminate turbulence. Individually adjustable aluminum blades allow the same fan to be used for a number of different tunnel conditions by adjusting the blade angle. For example, a 1,250-mm-diameter fan can be set to deliver 16 m³/s to 44 m3/s.

Swedvent fans, according to GIA, are built to withstand harsh environments and are particularly suited to long tunnels requiring two or more fans to be installed in series to provide increased power to counteract backpressure in the tunnel ducting. Fans are available in sizes ranging from 630-mm to 2,240- mm diameters and from 1.5-m³/s to 200-m³/s capacities.

As featured in Womp 2011 Vol 02 - www.womp-int.com