ENERGY SAVINGS IN AUXILIARY VENTILATION SYSTEMS OF UNDERGROUND MINES

Energy is a basic need for industries around the world. In recent years, electrical power costs have risen considerably and this rise is likely to continue in the future. Meanwhile, the increasing cost of ventilating mines safely and efficiently is of vital importance. Ventilation on demand has the potential to optimize electrical consumption while maintaining the safety of mines. This paper investigates the energy efficiency enhancement through ventilation on demand in underground mines by installing variable speed drives on the auxiliary mine ventilation fans to provide variable airflow control. Variable speed drives are cost effective and manageable and require low maintenance. It has been estimated that a total electrical energy saving of 324,300 kW, or 53%, can be achieved in 1 year by using variable speed drives. Therefore, it is possible to reduce CO2 emissions by 155.6 tons per year with a simple payback period of 5 months 220 days.