Compressed Air Management System (CAMS)

One of the major operational expenses for any mine is the electrical cost of running mine air and air compressors. MineARC Systems identified that by optimising the flow of air required to maintain an operational refuge chamber, we could give our clients considerable savings.

Previously, refuge chambers were set to run at 50% flow rate to maintain operational standard. The new CAMS has an air pressure sensor and shut off valve, allowing it to regulate air flow into the chamber, automatically emitting periodic ‘bursts’ of compressed air when the internal pressure drops below 200Pa. This maintains a positive pressure ‘seal’, ensuring contaminants cannot enter the refuge chamber from the outside.

In the case of a mine fire there is a risk that Carbon Monoxide can be drawn through the mine airline, due to a few factors:
• If the compressor is near a fire, it can draw CO and CO2 directly into the mine air
• If the airline is compromised, smoke can be drawn into the airflow due to the Venturi effect

CO is a by-product of incomplete combustion, whether that be compression of smoke at the compressor or the burning of plastic lines before rupture. The gas toxicity monitor automatically diverts mine air if Oxygen levels in the airline fall below a set level (19% oxygen in free air), signifying air contamination. This system detects compressed smoke bursts, where Oxygen is displaced dramatically, rather than sampling low pressure air for slow release contaminants. MineARC’s independent gas monitoring within the chamber will determine slow contaminant build up.