MINE VENTILATION CIRCUITS AND NETWORKS

7.1 RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HEAD AND QUANTITY

In a given ventilation system or portion thereof, a fixed proportionality exists between
the head applied and the quantity of airflow. This means that once the heads have
been determined in a system for a given flow, the heads at any other flow can be
determined easily. This relationship is of immense value in mine ventilation work,
because varying the airflow in given system and in portions of a system occurs
frequently.
From the Atkinson equation for the calculation of head loss in an airway (Eq. 5.25), it
will be recalled that parameters K, O, L, Le, and A are constants for a given airway or
duct; therefore,

2 (7.1)
that is, the head loss varies as the square of the quantity for a given airway, Since the
static head of a system is the sum of the series head losses of the system, again
2 (7.2)

Recalling the relationship for velocity head (Eq. 5.13), and that Q=VA (Eq. 3.10), then
2 (7.3)

Finally, since the total head of a system is the sum of the static and velocity heads,
then
2 (7.4)
Therefore, any mine head or head loss varies as the square of the quantity,
Representing difference in head by the symbol H,
Characteristic curve

The static head of a system can be plotted against the quantity on graph paper. The Word
system can be interpreted as a portion of a mine, or it can refer to the entire mine of only a
single fan is being used. For an entire mine, this graphic representation is called the mine
characteristic curve, or simply the mine characteristic. It also often helpful to plot the mine
total head as a function of the mine quantity.

One point on the curve is determined by measuring or calculating the system head for an
actual or assumed airflow. Then additional points are determined from the basic head-quantity
relation (Eq. 7.5), which can also be expressed as follows:

1
= ( 1 )2
2 2

2 = 1 ( 1 )2 (7.6)
2

Example 7.1 Given a mine with a single fan whose static head is 2 in. Water (497.7 Pa) and
total head 3 in. Water (746.5) at quantity of 400,000 cfm (188.8 3 /), determine and plot the
mine characteristic curve.

Solution: assume quantities and calculate the corresponding heads by Eq. 7.6