Deep Mine Cooling

VIM for Deep Mine Cooling 

VIM is the most efficient ice maker on the market with very low power consumption per ton refrigeration – 0.39 kW/TonR.

The total system power consumption of the system depends on the type and efficiency of the supporting cooling water source. The total system power consumption is typically 0.9 kW/TonR.

The VIM produces concentrated ice water mixture (ice mass traction at 75% - 80%) transportable either pneumatically or by conveyors, which makes it ideal for mine cooling application where the ice is produced on the ground surface and then transported through a shaft to the different mine levels.
Using transportable ice for mine cooling enables utilizing the latent heat of the ice hence reducing significantly the required mass flow to be pumped up to surface.

By using transportable ice for mine cooling, a more than four times reduction of the required mass flow of the cooling system is achieved, which results in a significant reduction of the energy consumed for circulating the cooling water up to surface and of the related costs.

VIM can use any type of feed water (fresh or brackish) for ice making, as ice making process is performed in direct contact with no heat transfer surfaces.

In addition, the VIM can be used simultaneity for the desalination of the mine water by using an optional brine washing system, which reducing the PPM of the return water minerals content.

Reference Plants:

• Nine Ice Makers (850 Tons each) for mine cooling in South
  Africa for Anglo Gold, operating since 1995.
• The latest three units had been commissioned in 2009.
• One Ice Maker (100 Tons) for TES in Japan, operating
  since 2002.
• One Ice Maker (400 Tons) for TES in Japan, for NISSAN
  Car’s new building, operating since 2007.
• Two All Weather Snowmakers (400 Tons each) at the
  ski resorts of Pitztal Austria and Zermatt Switzerland,
  operating since 2009.