Monitor Conditions Inside/ Outside Refuge Chambers
U.K.-based Trolex Ltd. has developed an
intrinsically safe monitoring system designed specifically for underground miner
refuge chambers. According to the company, these systems allow miners to check
conditions both inside and outside the
chamber while awaiting rescue, providing
the capability to decide whether it is safer to
stay put or begin their escape. In a fixed
refuge chamber system, Trolex employs its
Sentro 8 and Sentro 1 integrated monitoring station with intelligent, interchangeable
sensing modules. A master Sentro 8 system
is located in the main safety chamber to
monitor five gases plus temperature,
humidity and pressure, and the secondary
Sentro 8 system is located outside the
chamber to measure four to seven gases
plus relative pressure. Within the air lock or
transition space before entering the main
chamber, two gas detectors measure the
levels of oxygen and carbon monoxide. All
equipment uses universal data communications with standard Modbus protocol. There
are large LCD read-out displays and programmable visual and audible alarms and
the entire system is capable of 106 hours
operation from a UPS power supply. Trolex
also offers the Sentry transportable chamber monitoring system. This stand-alone
unit is based on the Sentro 8 integrated
monitoring station and features eight monitoring modules for five gases. The self-contained unit has an integral carrying handle
and a stainless steel skid-panel base plate.
www.trolex.com
As featured in Womp 2013 Vol 07 - www.womp-int.com
