A modular controlling system for controlling and/or interfacing sophisticated power, communication, monitoring, lighting, ventilation and/or other services systems in complex environments such as underground mines, pharmaceutical laboratories and production facilities and nuclear plants comprises a main processing unit, several communication interface units, several equipment interface units, and a user interface unit. The modular controlling system is configured to be installed in a complex environment such as an underground mine and connected to various mining equipment, including ventilation equipment and environmental sensors. The modular controlling system is generally preprogrammed and preconfigured with all the necessary operating programs, control algorithms and equipment drivers such as to required minimal customization upon installation.

A system for the treatment of exhaust gases flowing in and/or flowing out from a tunnel (T) overlying a roadway (R) through a ventilation duct (TV). The system comprises: filtering means (20) to filter the exhaust gases passing through the ventilation duct (TV); fan means (V) to force the evacuation of exhaust gases from the tunnel (T) towards the outer environment or the inflow of the exhaust gases from the outer environment into the tunnel (T) through the ventilation duct (TV); detecting means (10) of at least one parameter of the exhaust gases; control means (30) to activate the filtering means (20) in response to the detection by the first (10) of the exceeding of a predetermined threshold value of the at least one parameter. The filtering means (20) comprise at least one filtering unit (20, 20, 20) that includes: at least one water reservoir (21); pumping means which include at least one high pressure pump (22); a plurality of high pressure nozzles (24) to spray atomized water into drops having an average diameter lower than 500 m, preferably lower than 250 m, and at a minimum working pressure of 150 bar, preferably at a minimum working pressure of 200 bar; a line of fluid connection (25) of said at least one water reservoir (21) with said high pressure nozzles (24) passing through said pumping means (22).

A mine cooling and dehumidifying system includes a compressor, a gas-liquid separator, an evaporator, a condenser and an expansion valve. The evaporator is in an air supply well, and the condenser is in a return air well; the compressor, the gas-liquid separator and the expansion valve are all between the air supply well and the return air well; an inlet of the compressor is connected to a refrigerant outlet of the evaporator through the gas-liquid separator, and a refrigerant inlet of the evaporator is connected with an outlet of the expansion valve; an inlet of the expansion valve is connected with a refrigerant outlet of the condenser, and a refrigerant inlet of the condenser is connected with an outlet of the compressor. In the present disclosure, by vapor compression type refrigeration cycle, the downhole air heat is transferred to the return air and then discharged to the ground.

A mine cooling and dehumidifying system includes a compressor, a gas-liquid separator, an evaporator, a condenser and an expansion valve. The evaporator is in an air supply well, and the condenser is in a return air well; the compressor, the gas-liquid separator and the expansion valve are all between the air supply well and the return air well; an inlet of the compressor is connected to a refrigerant outlet of the evaporator through the gas-liquid separator, and a refrigerant inlet of the evaporator is connected with an outlet of the expansion valve; an inlet of the expansion valve is connected with a refrigerant outlet of the condenser, and a refrigerant inlet of the condenser is connected with an outlet of the compressor. In the present disclosure, by vapor compression type refrigeration cycle, the downhole air heat is transferred to the return air and then discharged to the ground.

A longitudinally yieldable support for underground roof support includes an elongate outer shell filled with a solid compressible filler material. At least one air ventilation tube extends between opposite sides of the support to allow a flow of air through the support as the support yields.

The optimized mine ventilation system of this invention supplements mine ventilation basic control systems composed of PLCs (Programmable Logic Controllers with human machine interfaces from vendors such as Allen-Bradley, Modicon and others) or DCSs (Distributed Control System from vendors such as ABB and others) with supervisory control establishing a dynamic ventilation demand as a function of real-time tracking of machinery and/or personnel location and where this demand is optimally distributed in the work zones via the mine ventilation network and where the energy required to ventilate is minimized while totally satisfying the demand for each work zones. The optimized mine ventilation system operates on the basis of a predictive dynamic simulation model of the mine ventilation network along with emulated control equipment such as fans and air flow regulators. The model always reaches an air mass flow balance where the pressure and density is preferably compensated for depth and accounts for the natural ventilation pressure flows due to temperature differences. Model setpoints are checked for safety bounds and sent to real physical control equipment via the basic control system.

The optimized mine ventilation system of this invention supplements mine ventilation basic control systems composed of PLCs (Programmable Logic Controllers with human machine interfaces from vendors such as Allen-Bradley, Modicon and others) or DCSs (Distributed Control System from vendors such as ABB and others) with supervisory control establishing a dynamic ventilation demand as a function of real-time tracking of machinery and/or personnel location and where this demand is optimally distributed in the work zones via the mine ventilation network and where the energy required to ventilate is minimized while totally satisfying the demand for each work zones. The optimized mine ventilation system operates on the basis of a predictive dynamic simulation model of the mine ventilation network along with emulated control equipment such as fans and air flow regulators. The model always reaches an air mass flow balance where the pressure and density is preferably compensated for depth and accounts for the natural ventilation pressure flows due to temperature differences. Model setpoints are checked for safety bounds and sent to real physical control equipment via the basic control system.

A method of transporting liquefied breathing gases in underground mines includes providing a conduit system that extends within a mine shaft to a work space below ground where the conduit system includes an outlet positioned in the work space, delivering liquefied breathing gases through the conduit system, and vaporizing the liquefied breathing gases at the outlet of the conduit system.

A method of transporting liquefied breathing gases in underground mines includes providing a conduit system that extends within a mine shaft to a work space below ground where the conduit system includes an outlet positioned in the work space, delivering liquefied breathing gases through the conduit system, and vaporizing the liquefied breathing gases at the outlet of the conduit system.

A roadway conduit system includes a roadway conduit section that includes a floor portion with roadway surface configured to receive traveling vehicles, a ceiling portion, and at least one sidewall portion coupled to the floor portion and the ceiling portion such that the floor, ceiling, and at least one sidewall portions define a roadway conduit volume through which the traveling vehicles traverse the roadway conduit section. The roadway conduit section includes at least two fixedly connected preformed segments. The roadway conduit system also includes a roadway conduit ingress coupled to a first location of the roadway conduit section; a roadway conduit egress coupled to a second location of the roadway conduit section; and at least one air mover configured to circulate an airflow in the roadway conduit volume in a direction of at least one of the traveling vehicles.