Howden installing vent optimisation at Gold Fields South 

Howden has inked a contract with the Gold Fields South deep gold mine near Johannesburg, South Africa, for the implementation of its Ventsim CONTROL ventilation optimisation system.

South Deep, the company said, has invested in key infrastructure to ensure safe, low-cost, bulk and mechanised gold mining, and is collaborating with Howden to implement a state-of-the-art ventilation optimisation system. The mine is seeking to work in a safer environment and also reduce its energy consumption.

“Ventsim CONTROL combines ventilation modelling of the mine with a flexible control system and advanced control strategies for monitoring, control and optimisation of underground mine ventilation,” the supplier said.

“The remote and autonomous control of ventilation devices allows operators to view underground mine conditions in real time as well as the ability to act quickly to suit their conditions.”

Howden’s ventilation optimisation solution offers varying levels of control to suit the needs of the mine. Level 1 and 2 allows for manual remote control and scheduling of ventilation devices, while the Level 4, Ventilation on Demand (VOD), solution employed by South Deep will allow ventilation devices to react based on feedback from environmental sensors underground.

“It will furthermore adjust mine airflow in real time based on vehicle and personnel position,” Howden officials added. “Ventsim CONTROL…also offers a 3D modelling capability within the software, which helps users to better predict and control air flows based on what is evidenced in the simulation.”

The Gold Fields South Deep gold mine is a bulk mechanised mining operation in the Witwatersrand Basin that reaches depths between 2,800 meters and 3,300 m below surface.

Source: Howden 

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