Development of a scaled down laboratory test bed system for use in the optimisation of centrifugal fan driven air ventilation systems.

Abstract

This thesis describes work that has been carried out to develop a scaled down laboratory test bed

for use in the optimisation of fan driven air ventilation systems found at the various Anglo Coal

South African mines. The present system involved in the movement of air underground

comprises a fixed speed centrifugal fan driven damper controlled system. National Power

Contractors (NPC) together with the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) proposed a variable

speed automated controlled system, but the costs of installing Variable Speed Drives (VSD) and

their impact on the energy consumption of a system prior to being installed are important. In

addition deliverables required by the industrial partner NPC was to develop a calibrated

simulation model where any fan system could be simulated showing potential energy savings.

A test bed was therefore constructed to evaluate the power usage of a VSD while driving a

simulated fan. The test bed comprised of two Field Oriented Controlled induction machines. A

ventilation system at Anglo Coal’s Vlaklaagte colliery was proposed to be simulated by the test

bed to develop the Measurement and Verification (M&V) methodology required to represent a

business case, but since data from this fan system was not available two other fan systems were

studied. One fan system was built at the UKZN whilst the other industrial fan system was at

Anglo Coal’s Greenside colliery.