Numerical Investigation of Air Curtain Dimension Effects on the ventilation and flow behavior of Mine Dead End

Air curtains are ventilation control devices for temporary or permanent use in underground mining. They can be used to deflect air into the unventilated areas such as dead end regions. Their design and installation are fundamental issues for maintaining a sufficient supply of fresh air and achieving effective air circulation and contaminant removal. At the same time, they should have little impact on the mine ventilation system. This paper presents the results of a two-dimensional CFD model, which examines the effects of air curtain dimension on fluid flow behavior in the mine dead end regions. By using CFD code Fluent, which uses model for fluid flow turbulence modeling, a 2D model of dead end was constructed. The result showed that with no brattice that streamlines proved weak compared to when a brattice was used. Depending on air curtain dimension, the use of an air curtain increases the airflow into the dead end region. Higher air curtain length and width showed a higher velocity near the right wall of the dead end, a minimum air re-circulation and, therefore, a better ventilation mechanism