MineARC Systems
Air Locks & Vestibules
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Petrochemical facilities handle an assortment of products that can be harmful to workers lives if released into the atmosphere. A MineARC Systems Safe Haven (SH) is purpose built for surface facilities and provides immediate refuge in the event of an accidental release or explosion.
The safe haven is designed to be portable and easy to move with fork lift slots, towing and lifting eyes, and skid base. The safe haven is designed to be located in close proximity to high risk work areas and will withstand an explosion up to 5psi (34kPa) as specified by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) “Design of Blast Resistant Buildings in Petrochemical Facilities”.
The positively pressurized safe haven provides a fully sealed barrier to eliminate entry of gases from the external atmosphere. The internal atmosphere is controlled by MineARC’s independently tested carbon dioxide scrubber and oxygen systems as well as a split-system air conditioning system. Fixed gas monitoring provides real time read-outs of both the internal and external gas levels as well as optional remote monitoring.
Stand-alone the safe haven will provide workers with a safe environment for a minimum of 12 hours. Units can be tailored to site requirements and include as optional extras; an airlock, positive pressure vestibule, and/or upsized explosion rating.
5MM (1/4") STEEL CONSTRUCTION
The Refuge's shell is built from 5mm (1/4") steel plate TO ALL SIDES, comprising pressed sections to minimise joints. The shell is then reinforced with 100mm (4") PFC steel for extra strength and protection. For additional protection, rubber bolsters can be added to all four corners.
The Refuge is fitted with a skid base, IT fork slots, lifting lugs and towing points for easy transportation.
AIR CONDITIONING
MineARC recognises that cooling the refuge chamber’s interior is essential to providing a safe ongoing environment. Aside from the effects of ambient (external) mine temperature effecting the flow of transient heat in and out of the refuge, occupants themselves will generate between 120-180W of metabolic heat every hour. Multiple independent tests have proven that without cooling, temperatures inside an occupied refuge can reach potentially fatal levels within just a few hours.
All MineARC electrically powered refuge chambers are therefore fitted with quality reverse cycle air conditioners. Under normal circumstances, the air conditioning and all other life support is designed to run off ‘mains’ power supply. However, in the result that mains connection has been lost during in an emergency, the refuge chambers’ battery back-UPS system will continue to power the air conditioning systems for a minimum of 36hrs, standalone.
Many industry Guidelines/Regulations around the world now state that the internal (apparent) temperature of a refuge must not rise above 30°C / 86°F, even at prolonged ambient (external) temperatures as high as 60°C / 140°F. MineARC HRM refuge chambers have been successfully tested to meet and exceed these standards.
AIR LOCK
Depending on the industry, the type of mine/operation and the country/region, the airlock is either a mandatory or an optional feature. MineARC representatives can assist you with information on the guidelines and legislation relevant to you.
MineARC's airlock system incorporates a double-door design and push-button flushing, with occupancy varying depending on the size of the refuge chamber and client specifications. The entry door opens externally due to positive pressure from the airlock flushing system. The airlock door opens inwards to the main refuge. Both doors have explosion proof portal windows for viewing into the airlock and main refuge.
Before entry of the airlock, the first flush is commenced by activating a push-button outside the refuge. The occupant then enters the airlock and activates the second push-button before entry into the main refuge.
The airlock compartment contains low pressure and high pressure cylinders which provide100% volume air exchange inside the airlock, with each flush. The standard airlock can operate for up to 60 flushes.
AIR SYSTEMS
A MineARC refuge chamber is fitted with three (3) separate air/oxygen supply systems. Should one supply fail or become exhausted, the next supply takes over:
1. Filtered and Silenced Compressed Air Supply ('Mine Air').
Under normal circumstances a MineARC refuge will be fitted to 'mains' air supply - providing a continuous supply of oxygen (O2) and automatically flushing the refuge of a build-up in CO/CO2 generated. The refuge is sealed air tight to achieve positive internal pressure, hence 'old' air continuously exits via the one-way vents at the front of the refuge.
The refuge is fitted for receiving mine air with the following components:
1" Pre Filter with Auto Drain; 1" Coalescing Filter with Auto Drain; 1" Absorption Filter with Auto Drain; Regulator and Silencer
2. Medical Grade Oxygen Cylinders
Should mine air fail, the CO/CO2 scrubbing system is activated and medical grade compressed oxygen (supplied in high pressure metal cylinders), are on hand to continue providing a steady supply of O2 to the refuge. Fitted with a standard regulator, the cylinder outputs can be adjusted to suit entrapment time and number of occupants
3. Oxygen Candle
Most MineARC refuge chambers are fitted with O2 candles as standard. Should all O2 cylinders become exhausted, each O2 candle will provide a minimum of 6 additional hours supply, based on a fully occupied 20 person refuge (the lower the occupancy, the greater supply and hence longer safe entrapment time). The candle is a solid block of chlorate chemical mixture, which upon ignition, produces high purity O2 in a controlled manner. They are commonly used in submarines, aerospace systems, personnel shelters and other safe havens. They have long shelf lives, occupy minimal space and require no maintenance. They are also safer in confined spaces than liquid or compressed O2.
CHEMICAL TOILET
A chemical toilet is installed in every refuge, situated in a separate compartment, complete with privacy screen. The chemical toilet has a capacity of 5 gallons (18 litres).
CO & CO2 SCRUBBING
MineARC's Electrically Powered carbon dioxide (CO2) and carbon monoxide (CO) Scrubbing System is a self-contained unit designed to remove the build up of these potentially harmful gases from the air inside the refuge. The build up in CO/CO2 is caused by the occupants themselves - as they exhaust oxygen and replace with CO/CO2. Without scrubbing, the atmosphere inside an occupied refuge can become fatal in a matter of hours.
MineARC developed its electrically powered Scrubbing System to provide occupants with ease of use, extended time periods between chemical change outs, and varying levels of scrubbing capacity. MARCISORB 1000 (CO) and MARCISORB 1500 (CO2) pre-filled chemical containers provide proven absorbing capabilities and are easy to handle and store for long periods.
The Scrubber's Digital Control System combines the latest in bidirectional inverter technology with state of the art micro-processers to offer the most advanced, reliable and cost effective control system in the world. The system incorporates comprehensive battery management and monitoring features, enhanced communications, one touch emergency operation and automatic programmable atmospheric testing.
DIGITAL GAS MONITORING
Every MineARC refuge chamber comes equipped with either a Digital Gas Monitoring system (DGM) or manual gas monitoring system. A DGM system continuously monitors and alerts occupants to the levels of CO, CO2 and O2 (oxygen) inside the chamber and includes external monitoring capability. Under a manual gas monitoring system, occupants use special chemical tubes and a pump to extract samples of the air inside the chamber. Manual gas monitoring must be performed at regular intervals (e.g. hourly).
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