An emerging trend of mines requiring short-term underground cooling solutions that can adapt to changing conditions and provide more targeted temperature control has motivated mine ventilation, cooling and refrigeration experts BBE to develop modular, skid-mounted air-cooling systems designed for rapid deployment and adaptable service in dynamic mines.

These cooling systems are designed to provide air cooling exactly where it is needed while integrating with existing ventilation infrastructure.

Deep mines operate under some of the most technically demanding environments, while increasing heat loads, combined with declining ventilation air volumes, limit the ability of mines to operate safely and profitably, states BBE.

“The challenge is not confined to depth – mines are optimised to target a specific orebody, given a fixed set of technical and economic assumptions, but shifting commodity cycles and a changing world have introduced a requirement for flexibility that many existing mines were not originally designed to accommodate,” says BBE Group MD Andrew Branch and BBE Group director and specialist engineer Ross Wilson.

In this new dynamic environment, underground cooling systems cannot remain static but must adapt to changing mining conditions and evolving production priorities.

Conventional bulk air-cooling systems have historically formed the backbone of mine ventilation strategies. While effective, Branch and Wilson say these fixed installations are inherently rigid, capital-intensive systems with long project lead times, and are generally optimised for predefined production schedules and mine lives.

However, in reality, conditions change constantly, and conventional cooling systems cannot respond with the required agility, leading either to under-cooled hotspots or energy inefficiencies from overcooling already cool areas.

“The ideal mine cooling system must be flexible and must not be a constraint to mining,” note Branch and Wilson.

Mobile Optionality

BBE’s skid-mounted air-cooling system is self-contained and transportable.

Instead of relying solely on bulk air cooling from a central refrigeration plant to cool an entire mine, the targeted cooling of individual, hot mine-ventilation districts can be provided, thereby delivering high positional efficiency by delivering cooling capacity only to the areas that require it.

“This technology is suited to new mine developments where a central cooling system is not yet in place, as well as in existing mines where central cooling plants can be less effective over long distances and additional air cooling is required,” highlight Branch and Wilson.

While there is technically no strict depth limitation for deploying skid-mounted or mobile air-cooling systems, BBE has installations reaching as deep as 1 800 m underground, offering clients mobile and quickly attainable deep-level ventilation and cooling solutions.

Optimal performance of the skid-mounted or mobile air-cooling systems is achieved when all associated equipment is installed at the same operating depth.

“We have developed a skid-mounted system that provides about 750 kW of air cooling, representing the highest air-cooling capacity achievable within BBE’s skid-mounted design philosophy,” says Branch.

While smaller systems may not provide sufficient cooling to meet operational requirements of certain mines, systems with larger air-cooling duties require permanent, custom installations.

He says BBE Group is continuously developing its technology to be as “plug-and-play” as possible – an approach that is key to simplifying installation, reducing commissioning time and enabling mines to get the system operational faster, ultimately improving efficiency and accessibility for deep-level operations.

A Complex Environment

Underground mine environments are challenging, with heat rejection typically representing the most complex aspect of any air-cooling system, say Branch and Wilson.

BBE mitigates this challenge through a detailed understanding of a mine’s ventilation system, careful upfront planning and by designing solutions that require less on-site construction.

As mining production priorities change, BBE’s solution allows for cooling capacity to be moved without permanent mine infrastructure changes.

“This aligns with the dynamic nature of modern mining, where flexibility is essential to increase output during high-commodity-price cycles without committing capital that will not be required during a period of low commodity prices,” they note.