Mine Main Fan and Auxiliary Ventilation Fan Systems

Overview

What it does

An underground mine needs a steady flow of fresh air to dilute dust and gases and to keep working areas safe. Main fans move air through the whole mine network, usually at the surface. Auxiliary fans push or draw air to a single heading or stope that the main flow does not reach. We build both types and design them to your mine, not from a fixed catalog size.

Fan types and range

We offer axial, centrifugal and mixed-flow fans. Axial fans are common where large airflow at moderate pressure is needed; centrifugal fans suit high pressure. The range runs from small local fans with motors around 7.5 kW and diameters from about 600 mm, up to very large main fans above 10 MW and above 5,000 mm. These are range limits for the product family and not the rating of one machine.

Why we need your data

A fan is selected from the required airflow and total pressure of the mine network. These depend on roadway length and cross-section, the number of working faces, gas and dust conditions, and the depth of the mine. We therefore do not quote a fixed airflow or pressure here. We work from your ventilation calculation, or help your engineers prepare one.

Choosing a configuration

• Required airflow and total pressure at the duty point
• Main fan or auxiliary fan, and the installation method
• Motor power, voltage and starting method
• Explosion protection requirements of the motor and electrical parts
• Control, monitoring and reversal arrangements

Safety and compliance

Mine ventilation is regulated. Gas and dust risk, safety rules and local certification need to be checked for every project, and the design is reviewed with your mine engineers.

Commissioning and training

We build and test fans in our factory and provide drawings for foundations, ducts and connections. Our engineers can support installation and commissioning.

Main fan or auxiliary fan

These are two different jobs, and most mines need both. A main fan sits at the surface and moves air through the whole mine, so it is sized for total airflow and the resistance of every roadway. An auxiliary fan sits underground and pushes fresh air through duct into a single heading, so it is sized for the duct length and the face. Axial fans are the usual choice for auxiliary use and for main fans at high flow and moderate pressure. Centrifugal and mixed-flow fans are chosen when the mine has high resistance or the pressure varies a lot as workings extend. If your mine is deepening, a fan with adjustable blades or variable speed lets you follow the changing duty without a new unit. For gassy or coal mines, the motor and starter must be explosion-protected.