Friction factors determination and comparison in potash mines

Abstract

Friction factor is a crucial parameter for assessing and modelling the ventilation system in underground mining. However, the development of a mine along its life can complicate the airflow supply required to the working faces, creating setbacks in terms of productivity and production. For this reason, it is very important to determine all the ventilation parameters. This paper examines data collected from different surveys carried out in two potash mines –both using a room and pillar exploitation method– with the idea of determining the friction factors through the Von Kármán equation, which connects the Atkinson friction factor with roughness of the airways. Standard values of such type of mining have been obtained, determining the roughness variation along the year due to surface climatic, which influences the shape and geometry of the tunnels in evaporitic exploitations.