Anemometric Field Measurements and Surface Mapping for Enhanced Ventilation Network Assessments

The foundational element of any ventilation system assessment is the precise definition of the primary airflow intake. In underground mine networks, even a marginal error in primary inputs triggers a series of inaccuracies, resulting in significant volumetric errors across the entire network. This study explores the sensitivity of the iterative Hardy Cross algorithm for ventilation network analysis towards the main intake, and demonstrates that the intake overestimation error reaches 77%, creating a false sense of security. Furthermore, when utilizing the Hardy Cross approach, evaluating a model based solely on its mathematical tendency to balance is misleading; analysis of relative error evolution demonstrates that a converged network can achieve mathematical balance while remaining fundamentally uncoupled from the mine’s physical reality due to flawed input data. While technical fields currently diverge into two primary paths for airflow definition, overly simplistic approximations or specialist-dependent numerical CFD models, this study proposes a middle ground alternative. The proposed methodology relies on direct anemometric field measurements synthesized through cartographic mapping integration techniques. The suggested technique offers a detailed graphical representation of air velocity across the excavation, derived from the isovel mapping. This visualization illustrates that airflow behaviour through rock excavations is fundamentally non-uniform and dictated by wall roughness and structural irregularities.