Study on the Oxygen Enrichment Effect of Individual Oxygen-Supply Device in a Tunnel of Plateau Mine

Abstract

Complex characteristics of the plateau environment such as low oxygen content seriously restrict the exploitation of abundant mineral resources in plateau areas. To regulate the hypoxia environment and improve the comfort of workers engaged in intense physical labor like tunnel excavation operations in plateau mines, an individual oxygen-supply device for tunnel of plateau mine was proposed to create local oxygen enrichment in the area around the human nose. The Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) method was used to judge the application’s effect of the individual oxygen-supply device in plateau mine, revealing the oxygen diffusion law under the influence of different oxygen enrichment factors. The orthogonal design and range analysis were used to measure the degree of influence of major factors such as oxygen-supply velocity, oxygen-supply concentration, and tunnel airflow velocity. The results demonstrate that the oxygen mass fraction of the air inhaled by the human had a positive correlation exponential function, a positive correlation linear function, and a negative correlation exponential function, respectively, concerning oxygen-supply velocity, oxygen-supply concentration, and tunnel airflow velocity. The range analysis revealed that the major influencing factors of oxygen enrichment in the tunnel of the plateau mine were, in a descending sequence, as follows: oxygen-supply concentration, tunnel airflow velocity, and oxygen-supply velocity, and the corresponding ranges were 2.86, 2.63, and 1.83, respectively. The individual oxygen-supply device achieved the best oxygen enrichment effect when the oxygen-supply velocity was 5 m/s, the oxygen-supply concentration was 60%, and the tunnel airflow velocity was 0.2 m/s, which increased the oxygen mass fraction of air inhaled by the human to 30.42%. This study has a positive guiding significance for the improvement of the respiration environment in the tunnel of plateau mine.

Study on the Optimization and Oxygen-Enrichment Effect of Ventilation Scheme in a Blind Heading of Plateau Mine

“…The specific location of the mine is shown in Figure 1 . A number of scholars have investigated the environmental characteristics and production situation of the Pulang copper mine, and have taken it as an example to conduct research on roadway ventilation [ 17 , 18 , 31 ]. The setting of atmospheric pressure, air density, and temperature can be directly referenced by these studies.…”

“…The model adopted the steady-state calculation method. Atmospheric pressure, air density, and air temperature were set to the same parameters as the Pulang copper mine roadway model [ 18 ].…”

“…Li et al [ 15 ] designed an oxygen dispersal supply system that was a reliable approach to ensuring proper working conditions in high-altitude areas. Li et al analyzed the oxygen enrichment effect of a small-hole oxygen supply port [ 16 , 17 ] at the end of the oxygen supply duct, and developed a local oxygen supply nozzle [ 18 ] to form local oxygen enrichment at the human nose and mouth. Liu et al [ 19 ] proposed a novel point source local diffuse oxygen supply method in order to improve the oxygen environment for sleeping.…”

The effect of oxygen supply and oxygen distribution on single-head tunnel with different altitudes under mixed ventilation

“…Liu et al 29 –30 developed four oxygen supply patterns: heading face diffused oxygen supply, tunnel oxygen-bar car, carried oxygen cylinder and portable oxygen generator, where diffused oxygen supply is the main and commonly used one. 31,32 Li et al 33 proposed a kind of oxygen supply device for high-altitude mine tunnels, which provided local diffused oxygen supply in the area around the human nose and the effect was judged by CFD (computational fluid dynamics) simulation. Wang et al 34 systematically studied the effectiveness of individual oxygen supply and diffused oxygen supply and analysed it from both physical and psychological aspects.…”

Numerical Analysis on the Thermal Performance in an Excavating Roadway with Auxiliary Ventilation System

“…The heat hazard occurs frequently in the development zone of roadway owing to the high original rock temperature and poor ventilation [8]. The auxiliary ventilation is the major and common method for providing cooling energy and controlling heat hazards in the construction of roadway [9,10]. It is a challenge that designing an appropriate ventilation system and improving the cooling performance to control heat hazard in the high temperature roadway.…”