Ventilation, air conditioning, and dust control are now required by OSHA and other regulatory agencies for the vessel, refractory, underground mining, and tunneling operations. In ultra-deep mines, ambient temperatures often reach 60°C-70°C (140°F-158° F). Both surface cooling towers and underground refrigeration equipment may be used to cool downcast ventilation air. Rental opportunities exist both for short-duration projects and as a backup for existing permanent temperature control systems.

Rental equipment typically used in the vessel, underground mining, tunneling, and other confined space operations includes the following:

• Air conditioners from 12 to 80 tons

• Chiller modules with air handlers

• Ducting, piping, and fittings

• Engineering and supervision services

• Installation and maintenance services

• On-site operation and training

Typical Customers:

• Mining companies

• Tunneling contractors

• Chemical plants

• Refineries

• Manufacturers

• Pharmaceutical companies

Discovery Questions:

• What are OSHA requirements for your confined space operations?
  What type of cooling and ventilation systems do you currently use?

• What are the expected ambient temperatures in your underground operations?

• What are the expected ambient temperatures in your underground operations?

• What are the heat loads for tunnels, shafts, stations, and other areas in the mine?

• Are your current cooling and ventilation systems scheduled for maintenance, repair, retrofit, or replacement?

• Are your operations ever affected during periods of high ambient temperature due to capacity limitations of your current systems?

Configuration and Installation Issues:

• Be sure to identify the total required ducting runs. Supplemental fans may be required to compensate for pressure drops in the long run.

• Ambient temperatures can be more critical in these applications since they typically do not use return air.