New Prediction Models for Estimation of Aerodynamic Pressure Loss due to a Train of Mine Cars in an Underground Airway

• Published in: Minerals & metallurgical processing 2020-10, Vol.37 (5), p.1571-1582
• Main Authors: Sridharan, Srivatsan J., Sastry, Bhamidipati S.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aerodynamics; Boundary layers; Computational fluid dynamics; Computer simulation; Engineering; Fluid flow; Friction; Materials Engineering; Metallic Materials; Mine ventilation; Mineral Resources; Mines; Prediction models; Pressure loss; Railroad cars; Roads; Scale models; Turbulence models; Underground mines
• ISSN: 2524-3462; 2524-3470
• DOI: 10.1007/s42461-020-00260-3

Pressure losses in mine ventilation systems are estimated using friction factors and shock loss factors. The efficient planning and designing of mine ventilation systems depend on the accuracy of the friction factors as well as the shock loss factors that are taken into consideration. While there is a much more acceptable knowledge of what constitutes friction loss in mine roadways, the shock loss factors are in general readily not available for all possible contexts of flow separation phenomena in mines. One such special case of shock loss in mines is the train of mine cars in the airway. Mine cars are widely used for the transportation of material, and the information on shock loss factor for mine cars is limited. This paper examines the pressure loss occurring due to a train of mine cars in an airway using scale model studies and numerical investigations. Computational fluid dynamic (CFD) studies are conducted using four different turbulence models. The performance of different turbulence models is analyzed by comparing it with the experimental results. The study suggests that the boundary layer resolution method is significant in the simulation of shock loss. From the study, it is found that the shock loss factors from presently available model overestimate the pressure loss by 7 to 15 times. A better prediction model for the shock loss factor of a train of mine cars in the airway is proposed using the experimental results.