Conjugated Heat Transfer Analysis in a Host Rock–Drift System at Deep Underground Mines

Abstract

On behalf of the European Commission, a ‘critical raw materials’ list has been created, including rare materials susceptible of special location and exploitation thereby their importance in the stability of global economy development and current life quality. This fact, confers primary importance to Geophysics and new ore bodies operation as using of existing reserves in order to be able to supply current requirements of global production. One of the most important effects at underground environment is higher host-rock temperature triggered by geothermal gradient. In addition of this thermal loads, diesel fluxes are also important, as well as air humidity and drift ventilation. Thermal loads analysis for dimensioning cooling systems is strongly influenced by the high thermal inertia of host-rock in underground mines, which involves the appearance of long-term transient processes during the setting up.