Evaluation of natural ventilation system in underground mines with artificial neural networks

Ventilation in underground mining operations is a vital component used to create proper atmospheric conditions for workers. Ventilation can be mechanical, natural, or a combination of both. In underground mines without methane emissions, only natural ventilation can be used according to our regulations. Factors affecting the strength and effectiveness of natural ventilation include the elevation difference between the mine's entrance and exit points, air temperature, pressure, relative humidity, and wind speed. Since the strength of natural air flow is directly influenced by external atmospheric conditions, it varies with the seasons. This leads to significant differences in airflow rates within the mine. When these differences fall below the speed limits set by regulations, mechanical support is provided to ensure proper ventilation. In this study, airflow rate values were obtained from four measurement stations at a metal mine operating in Çanakkale, with 1080 measurements taken at each station. The relationship between these airflow rate values and meteorological data was investigated using the Matlab artificial neural networks (ANN) module. The research revealed that the highest correlation (R=0.8999) was achieved using meteorological data, months, airway cross-sectional area, and season as parameters. The influence of the parameters with the highest correlation on natural airflow rate was also analyzed using the ANN module in the SPSS program. As a result of the research, the significance levels of the parameters affecting natural air flow at each station point were determined. It was concluded that months and temperature parameters are the most important variables. It can be concluded that in fully naturally ventilated underground mines, natural airflow varies monthly, the airway cross-sectional area significantly affects airflow rate and temperature from meteorological data has a distinct impact on the speed of natural airflow.