Determination of air convective stability index in shafts at zero ventilation mode of a mine

Relevance. The need to predict air convective movement in mine shafts in emergency modes of mine ventilation associated with the cessation of their forced ventilation. The occurrence of extended convective vortices in the shafts intensifies heat and smoke transfer in the event of a fire, and reduce...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Andrey V. Shalimov, Denis S. Kormshchikov, Maxim D. Popov
Format: Article
Language:Russian
Published: Tomsk Polytechnic University 2025-04-01
Series:Известия Томского политехнического университета: Инжиниринг георесурсов
Subjects:
Online Access:https://izvestiya.tpu.ru/archive/article/view/4701
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849313559849205760
author Andrey V. Shalimov
Denis S. Kormshchikov
Maxim D. Popov
author_facet Andrey V. Shalimov
Denis S. Kormshchikov
Maxim D. Popov
author_sort Andrey V. Shalimov
collection DOAJ
description Relevance. The need to predict air convective movement in mine shafts in emergency modes of mine ventilation associated with the cessation of their forced ventilation. The occurrence of extended convective vortices in the shafts intensifies heat and smoke transfer in the event of a fire, and reduces as well the amount of natural draught, which poorly ventilates the mine after the fan is turned off. Knowledge of the conditions for the occurrence of thermal convection in shafts will allow for more accurate planning of measures to combat mine fires. Aim. To develop a methodology for assessing the convective stability of air in relation to the conditions of mine shafts. Objects. Mine shafts. Methods. Analytical and numerical modeling of convection occurrence and development in the mine shaft; comparative analysis of methods for estimating the convective stability of an unevenly heated medium in the gravitational field. Results. The authors have analyzed the methods for estimating air convective stability depending on the value of the vertical temperature gradient. It is shown that analytical methods of estimation in approximations of a compressible fluid in hydrodynamics, an ideal gas in meteorology, or by the sign of a vertical density gradient give results that differ significantly quantitatively. In order to identify the most adequate method of assessment in relation to mine conditions, the authors carried out numerical simulation of the convective air movement in the shaft at different values of its vertical temperature gradient. By calculation, it was established that the still air in the shaft when heated from below turns out to be even more stable than follows from the most optimistic estimate – the critical temperature gradient of the air is almost 5 times higher than the adiabatic one. The obvious reason for the result obtained is the stabilizing effect of viscosity forces, which increases many times over in the cramped conditions of mine shafts, preventing the development of convection, which occurs in a free atmosphere with much lower convective forces. Based on the results obtained, it is concluded that the meteorological criterion for assessing the convective stability of air in relation to the conditions of mine shafts is not suitable, since it is excessively rigid. Convection occurs at a vertical temperature gradient of ~ 46 °C/km, which is possible either when cold outside air enters the shaft or when there are heat sources in the shaft that heat the air more than the heat exchange with the surrounding rock mass.
format Article
id doaj-art-3168e6b68a6c4bd7b388d81d3836eb6b
institution Kabale University
issn 2500-1019
2413-1830
language Russian
publishDate 2025-04-01
publisher Tomsk Polytechnic University
record_format Article
series Известия Томского политехнического университета: Инжиниринг георесурсов
spelling doaj-art-3168e6b68a6c4bd7b388d81d3836eb6b2025-08-20T03:52:43ZrusTomsk Polytechnic UniversityИзвестия Томского политехнического университета: Инжиниринг георесурсов2500-10192413-18302025-04-01336410.18799/24131830/2025/4/4701Determination of air convective stability index in shafts at zero ventilation mode of a mineAndrey V. ShalimovDenis S. KormshchikovMaxim D. Popov Relevance. The need to predict air convective movement in mine shafts in emergency modes of mine ventilation associated with the cessation of their forced ventilation. The occurrence of extended convective vortices in the shafts intensifies heat and smoke transfer in the event of a fire, and reduces as well the amount of natural draught, which poorly ventilates the mine after the fan is turned off. Knowledge of the conditions for the occurrence of thermal convection in shafts will allow for more accurate planning of measures to combat mine fires. Aim. To develop a methodology for assessing the convective stability of air in relation to the conditions of mine shafts. Objects. Mine shafts. Methods. Analytical and numerical modeling of convection occurrence and development in the mine shaft; comparative analysis of methods for estimating the convective stability of an unevenly heated medium in the gravitational field. Results. The authors have analyzed the methods for estimating air convective stability depending on the value of the vertical temperature gradient. It is shown that analytical methods of estimation in approximations of a compressible fluid in hydrodynamics, an ideal gas in meteorology, or by the sign of a vertical density gradient give results that differ significantly quantitatively. In order to identify the most adequate method of assessment in relation to mine conditions, the authors carried out numerical simulation of the convective air movement in the shaft at different values of its vertical temperature gradient. By calculation, it was established that the still air in the shaft when heated from below turns out to be even more stable than follows from the most optimistic estimate – the critical temperature gradient of the air is almost 5 times higher than the adiabatic one. The obvious reason for the result obtained is the stabilizing effect of viscosity forces, which increases many times over in the cramped conditions of mine shafts, preventing the development of convection, which occurs in a free atmosphere with much lower convective forces. Based on the results obtained, it is concluded that the meteorological criterion for assessing the convective stability of air in relation to the conditions of mine shafts is not suitable, since it is excessively rigid. Convection occurs at a vertical temperature gradient of ~ 46 °C/km, which is possible either when cold outside air enters the shaft or when there are heat sources in the shaft that heat the air more than the heat exchange with the surrounding rock mass. https://izvestiya.tpu.ru/archive/article/view/4701convective resistanceturbulenceheat depressionadiabatic gradientthe Bussinesque approachRayleigh number
spellingShingle Andrey V. Shalimov
Denis S. Kormshchikov
Maxim D. Popov
Determination of air convective stability index in shafts at zero ventilation mode of a mine
Известия Томского политехнического университета: Инжиниринг георесурсов
convective resistance
turbulence
heat depression
adiabatic gradient
the Bussinesque approach
Rayleigh number
title Determination of air convective stability index in shafts at zero ventilation mode of a mine
title_full Determination of air convective stability index in shafts at zero ventilation mode of a mine
title_fullStr Determination of air convective stability index in shafts at zero ventilation mode of a mine
title_full_unstemmed Determination of air convective stability index in shafts at zero ventilation mode of a mine
title_short Determination of air convective stability index in shafts at zero ventilation mode of a mine
title_sort determination of air convective stability index in shafts at zero ventilation mode of a mine
topic convective resistance
turbulence
heat depression
adiabatic gradient
the Bussinesque approach
Rayleigh number
url https://izvestiya.tpu.ru/archive/article/view/4701
work_keys_str_mv AT andreyvshalimov determinationofairconvectivestabilityindexinshaftsatzeroventilationmodeofamine
AT denisskormshchikov determinationofairconvectivestabilityindexinshaftsatzeroventilationmodeofamine
AT maximdpopov determinationofairconvectivestabilityindexinshaftsatzeroventilationmodeofamine