White Papers

The concepts and findings in the following white papers represent innovative work by organisations using Ventsim to improve their mine sites.

These white papers discuss the usage of Ventsim and are provided to improve your understanding of Ventsim in real-world applications and scenarios.

 

Agnew Gold Mine Expansion – Mine Ventilation Evaluation using Ventsim

E. Widzyk-Capehart, B. Watson

The Redeemer Gold Mine is a sub-level caving gold operation located in Western Australia. The underground mining commenced in 1989 and followed a slightly subvertical ore body to the depth of approximately…

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Fire Modelling in Underground Mines using Ventsim Visual VentFIRE Software

D J Brake

The risk from fire remains one of the most serious of underground mine disaster scenarios. The impacts of mine fires on the underground ventilation system and the production of toxic gases have been difficult to model…

Download PDF - 1.4mb

Life of Mine Ventilation Requirements for Bronzewing Mine using Ventsim

E. Widzyk-Capehart, C. Fawcett

Bronzewing Mine is located in the centre of the Yandal Belt, 360 km north of Kalgoorlie in Western Australia. Discovered in 1992 by Great Central Mines, the Bronzewing Mine is now owned and operated by…

Download PDF - 655kb

Practical prediction of blast fume clearance and workplace re-entry times in development headings

C.M. Stewart

Re-entry into blast fume affected underground areas is a safety and productivity concern for most mines. Lengthy re-entry times may improve clearance of noxious gases, but can result in production delays and decreased…

Download PDF - 247kb

Underground Fire Rollback Simulation in Large Scale Ventilation Models

Craig M. Stewart, Saiied M. Aminossadatia, Mehmet S. Kizila

Fire in an underground mine poses a serious threat to health and safety of personnel due to the spread of heat, smoke and noxious gases throughout the ventilation system. Predicting the behavior and likely spread of combustion…

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Quality Assurance Standards for Mine Ventilation Models and Ventilation Planning

D J Brake

Most mine ventilation engineers are involved in ventilation planning and design in some capacity. Ventilation modelling software used by a competent experienced ventilation engineer is extremely…

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Real-Time Airflow Monitoring and Control Within the Mine Production System

H W Wu, A D S Gillies

Computer software has been developed to link real-time information generated by underground mine ventilation airflow monitoring sensors into a network simulation program to undertake network simulations and allow interpretation of key system data…

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Diurnal Thermal Flywheel Influence on Ventilation Temperatures in Large Underground Mines

Craig Stewart, Saiied M. Aminossadati, Mehmet S. Kizil, Tim Andreatidis.

The daily temperature variance between daytime and night-time can have a significant influence on the ventilation conditions within a mine. Air temperature variations are reduced as air travels further into a mine due to the storage and release of heat in rock boundaries and variations in heat transfer between...

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Emergency Egree Pathway Prediction Using Ventilation Models

C M Stewart, S M Aminossadati and M S Kizi.

Mine ventilation models are now an accepted component of most mine management systems. However, modern ventilation models also represent a highly structured spatial data source, defining underground pathways and connections across a mine...

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Improving the Performance of the Hardy Cross Algorithim for Large Ventilation Models

C M Stewart, S M Aminossadati and M S Kizi.

The Hardy Cross algorithm offers a reliable method of solving network systems of fluid flow and has become widely used for solving water and ventilation flow networks. A limitation is that computational iterations and time to solve a network rises rapidly ...

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Predictive Network Modelling with Live Sensor Data

C M Stewart, S M Aminossadati and M S Kizi.

Advanced fibre-optic based sensing systems are fast growing and replacing conventional sensors in many industries due to their reliable measurements, fast response, and intrinsically safe operations. The deployment of any sensor system however remains a potentially expense and disruptive activity...

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Use of Live Sensor Data in Transient Simulations of Mine Ventilation Models

C M Stewart, S M Aminossadati and M S Kizi.

 The implementation of sensor systems to monitor mine ventilation atmospheres offers numerous safety and operational benefits to mines. Detection of dangerous gases, changes to airflows and temperature, and detection of clearance of fumes or contaminants are some of the obvious benefits of using atmospheric sensors in mines...

Download PDF - 432kb