Underground ventilation

Our fans are relied upon to maintain safe and comfortable conditions for workers within underground mines. Our fans draw large volumes of air through the ventilation system as well as extract waste air and harmful gases from protected spaces.

With a wide range of fan technology, we provide fans for main air or auxiliary air supply. With longstanding experience in ventilation, we offer our expertise to mine operators through ventilation system consultancy and our leading Ventsim software aids designers to understand and develop the best systems attuned to the conditions of each mine.

We have a full project delivery capability which includes the ability to offer turnkey ventilation systems incorporating fans, auxiliary equipment, electrical systems with installation and commissioning.

We can help you optimize operation through Ventsim CONTROL, which adjusts fans and dampers based on gas or air flow sensors. This is an automated solution scalable to Ventilation-On-Demand giving increased safety and operation control and significant energy savings.

Aim: to maintain productive and safe working areas underground by delivering optimised air flows efficiently and reliably.

• Main air supply
• Auxiliary air supply

• Axial fans
• Centrifugal fans
• Mixed flow fans
• Auxiliary equipment – silencers, regulators and dampers
• Ventsim DESIGN and CONTROL
• Ventilation system consultancy

Mine air heating and cooling

With mines located in some of the world’s most extreme climates, temperature control is a vital part of successful operation. This is also impacted by the increasing depth underground mine are reaching, necessitating cooling for safe and productive working environments.

Howden’s cooling and heating technology integrates seamlessly with the whole ventilation system.

A wide range of heaters and cooling systems are available to condition the air for supply within the mine, meaning there is great flexibility in regard to required capacity and other factors such as potential fuel sources, emissions, site configurations and operational efficiencies.

Aim: to provide controlled levels temperature within the mine ventilation system and enable continuous productive and safe working areas.

• Mine air cooling
• Mine air heating

• Mine cooling systems – surface Bulk Air Coolers (BAC), hard ice plants, centralised underground refrigeration, spot coolers
• Mine heaters – direct and indirect-fired heaters, electric heaters, thermal heat recovery

Water Treatment

Responsible mining involves ensuring wastewater quality standards are maintained to protect the local environment and be compliant with regulations.

Chart has specialist water treatment and reuse technology that enables mines to remove a wide variety of contaminants from mine wastewater.

Aim: to treat wastewater to acceptable standards required for re-use or safe discharge.

• Mine wastewater treatment

• Chart water solutions – modular units to full scale plants

Fuel Systems

Increased environmental pressure is moving mine operators towards lower carbon energy solutions for off-grid sites.

Chart can provide design and supply of complete fuel storage and distribution systems. This includes insulated tanks for liquid storage (LNG/Hydrogen) and regasification systems for supply to gas based power generation units.

Using gas to fuel vehicles reduces greenhouse gas emissions by up to 30% versus conventional liquid fuels. Chart is the world's leading supplier of LNG vehicle fuel systems and our core technologies are applied also to hydrogen powered vehicles.

The fuel system is available for mine haul trucks as a retrofit for existing trucks – conversion for LNG/LH2 or dual fuel - or for integration into new haul trucks.

Aim: to lower mining operations carbon emissions by enabling gas based energy usage.

• Liquid gas storage and regasification
• Haul truck engine fuelling

• Chart liquid gas storage tanks
• Chart regasifiers/vaporizers
• On-board fuel systems

Fans

Our product range covers axial, centrifugal and mixed flow fans in a vast variety of configurations for both underground and surface fan applications. They provide versatility, economic advantages, low noise characteristics and outstanding aerodynamic performance.

• Cost-effective, low-maintenance solution in providing high efficiency over a wide operating range for applications
• Suitable for clean to moderately dirty air handling large air volumes
• Blade pitch control can be either manually adjustable at rest or auto-variable pitch
• Highest efficiencies possible

• Suitable for higher pressure, lower flow operation with a wide range of design flexibility
• Most common solution for primary ventilation applications
• Custom engineered fans to precisely meet the application requirements of the most demanding specifications
• Robust fan design and suitable for dirty and corrosive air in exhaust Return Air Raises (RAR)
• Lowest noise footprint

• Cost-effective alternative to an axial flow fan in situations where dust loads are of concern
• The mixed flow impeller is more robust and not susceptible to performance deterioration due to wear of the blades
• Combines the benefits of Axial & Centrifugal Fans, being very robust and at the same time able to handle large air volumes

• Designed to give the highest fan output at low power consumption, providing high efficiencies across a broad operating range
• Aerofoil blade design with efficiencies of over 85% possible
• Adjustable pitch blades maximise operational envelope
• Flexible and modular design - commonality of parts and flexibility on the arrangement, components and number of stages

• Improve or augment the ventilation in a segment of the mine
• May also be used to support flow requirements in particular locations of the mine where vertical raisers are not possible
• Operating Range 250m3/sec, 5kPa, 1500kW

Mine Heaters

With our vast range of mine heating solutions, Howden sets the standard for heating. Our heaters are capable of burning everything from natural gas and propane to waste oil.

Premium efficiency, serviceability, and low emissions are key to the design of a mine shaft heating system. We ensure every heater is designed to operate safely and effectively in the toughest environments.

• Capable of running on gas (natural/LNG/Propane) to Waste Oil
• Multiple configurations with flexible footprint for permanent and mine development requirements
• Ultra-low emission heaters for mine decarbonization
• Modular Integrated Design (MID) heaters for speed of installation

• Up to 85% efficiency with thermal heat recovery options
• Multiple fuel choices - gas/LNG/LPG or fuel oil/diesel
• Fully scalable with modular design
• Turnkey system with fuel storage and distribution systems, E-houses, electrical distribution, and integrated control systems

• The ideal option where power can be made available at a reasonable cost
• Designed and installed in banks for increased serviceability
• Easily combined with fuel-fired systems for operational and Opex flexibility
• Turnkey systems including control systems and all necessary electrical infrastructure

• Combined heat recovery systems result in operational flexibility, and reduced costs and emissions
• Consultancy from Howden experts to help mine operators identify and evaluate energy saving opportunities within their heating system
• Customizable solutions with Howden options typically including all infrastructure required from the heat transfer point to the fresh airstream

Cooling Solutions

Howden provides complete turnkey mine cooling solutions for surface and underground systems, incorporating in-house technology and equipment from industry-leading partners. A broad and quality portfolio is available from Surface Bulk Air Coolers to Hard Ice Plants, ensuring business continuity and the mine site’s productivity.

• Suited to shallower mines with shorter distances between the downcast shaft bottom and the mining zone
• Full plant supply - refrigeration plant, bulk air cooler, and cooling tower – with simple installation
• Highest overall efficiency and lowest capital cost ($700k-$1m per MWR)
• Removes moisture from the ventilation air before mine entry

• Our ice-making technology produces ice water or solid ice as required during a 24-hour period for circulation underground
• Enabling major electricity demand savings on mine cooling systems through off peak electrical use
• Suitable for mines typically ranging in depth between 1500-2000m (depending on conditions)
• Minimal additional pumping costs are required

• Supplement primary bulk air coolers or surface chilled water systems
• Expands capacity of existing chilled water reticulation with lower capital costs
• Implement in existing shaft infrastructure where additional reticulation cannot be fitted
• Components include refrigeration machines, a heat rejection system, underground air coolers, and chilled water reticulation systems

• Small underground refrigeration systems for localized cooling at isolated workplaces and development ends
• High levels of flexible and efficient cooling
• Cooling duties between 200kWR and 1300kWR
• Compact and skid-mounted to facilitate easy transportation to the site and relocation underground

Digital Solutions

Howden has a suite of software products available through Ventsim able to enhance ventilation system design, optimise controls to achieve safe and efficient operation and enable effective liquid flows onsite.

Ventsim software is the ultimate 3D mine ventilation design solution. It allows you to create a 3D model of your tunnels, shafts and raises using your existing 3D mine drawings.

• Accurately simulate the ventilation environment to design, evaluate, and optimize underground mine ventilation systems
• Real-time animated 3D graphics represent actual airway dimensions and shapes with animated airflows
• Useful in all stages of ventilation design, from assessing needs and selecting hardware in planning stages to ongoing optimization of everyday mine operations

Ventsim CONTROL allows you to operate on a fully automated and optimised mine ventilation solution, including Ventilation-On-Demand, based on vehicle and personnel presence.

• Better ventilation for improved production, blast-clearing times, energy savings, and, most importantly, increased safety for underground workers
• Includes scheduling and events, tagging and tracking technology and powerful data analytics tools

A 3-dimensional software package that simulates the pumping and transportation of liquids and slurries through piping systems and networks.

• Simulate the behaviour of fluids inside your network in your pipes over time
• Create a 3D representation of your system, or design your ideal one
• Intuitive and easy to use user interface means that you can quickly create your simulation and start getting results and actions to implement in your mine

Water Treatment

With increasing scrutiny over wastewater discharge to maintain ecological environments around mines, it's important to understand the mix of contaminants present in mine water and have a robust method of treatment.

ChartWater™ offers the most efficient, cost-effective solutions for contaminant removal, including PFAS and arsenic, aerobic biological processes, pH adjustment, ozonation, desalination, odor control and aeration.

A gold mine located in Nevada, USA, had arsenic and antimony levels in the raw water well above the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s (USEPA) maximum contaminant level of 0.01 mg/L and 0.006 mg/L respectively.

An AdEdge system was designed, manufactured, and commissioned an arsenic and antimony removal system rated for 1400 gallons per minute (gpm). Following a pilot, which validated the treatment approach and water quality, a full-scale system was commissioned including a coagulation/ filtration system and an adsorption system for the site.