Airflow Monitoring for Mining Operations
Safe, efficient mining operations depend on reliable ventilation that delivers the right amount of air to every working area underground and on the surface. Air Monitor provides precise airflow and pressure measurement solutions that help mines protect workers, control contaminants, and reduce the cost of running large ventilation systems.
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Air Monitor Solutions Can Help
Reliable Airflow Measurement in Harsh, Dirty Environments
Air Monitor’s flow stations and differential pressure transmitters are suitable for dusty, moisture-laden, and variable-temperature air streams common in mine ventilation ducts and shafts.Support for Safety and Regulatory Compliance
Continuous measurement of airflow and differential pressure provides documentation that minimum air quantities and pressure differentials are being maintained in accordance with MSHA and internal mine standards.Ventilation Optimization and Energy Savings
Accurate sensing enables “ventilation on demand” or fan speed control strategies that reduce power consumption while maintaining safe airflow, achieving ventilation cost savings of 20–50% when monitoring and control are deployed effectively.Mining Airflow Monitoring Products
VOLU-probe SS – Stainless Steel Traverse Probe
The VOLU-probe SS provides accurate, multi-point airflow measurement in large mine ventilation ducts and shafts, even in highly turbulent and dust-laden conditions.
Its self-averaging Pitot design captures true velocity pressure across the entire airway, delivering reliable data without the need for long straight duct runs or airflow conditioning.
Built from rugged stainless steel and designed for purgeable operation, it ensures long-term performance with minimal maintenance, helping mining operations maintain proper airflow, improve ventilation control, and reduce energy losses.
AUTO-purge III – Automated High-Pressure Air Purge System
The AUTO-purge III protects airflow measurement systems in mining environments by automatically clearing dust, moisture, and particulate buildup from sensing ports using short bursts of high-pressure air.
This prevents clogging that can lead to inaccurate readings or system failure, ensuring reliable airflow data in harsh, dirty airways.
By reducing manual cleaning and maintaining measurement integrity, the AUTO-purge III helps minimize maintenance downtime, extend equipment life, and support continuous, accurate ventilation monitoring.
S.A.P - Static Air Pressure Sensor
The S.A.P. provides stable, highly accurate static pressure measurement in mine ventilation systems, even in areas with turbulent airflow, dust, and changing conditions.
Its shielded sensing design suppresses pulsations and airflow interference, delivering reliable pressure data for shafts, ducts, and fan systems where consistent readings are critical.
By helping operators maintain proper pressure differentials and airflow direction, the S.A.P. supports safe ventilation control, improves contaminant containment, and enhances overall system performance.
VELTRON DPT-plus - Differential and Multivariable Transmitter
The VELTRON DPT-plus delivers highly accurate differential pressure and airflow measurement in mining ventilation systems, even at very low flow conditions where precision is critical.
Its automatic zeroing function continuously corrects for drift caused by temperature, dust, and mechanical effects, ensuring long-term stability and reducing the need for manual recalibration.
By converting pressure signals into reliable airflow and mass flow data, it enables operators to maintain proper ventilation, optimize fan performance, and ensure consistent, data-driven control in demanding underground and surface environments.
MASS-tron II - Differential and Multivariable Transmitter
The MASS-tron II provides highly accurate, direct mass airflow measurement in mining ventilation systems by incorporating differential pressure, temperature, and pressure compensation into a single transmitter.
This allows it to maintain precision even as air density and environmental conditions change throughout underground and surface operations.
With automatic zeroing and advanced signal filtering, it delivers stable, drift-free performance in dusty, turbulent airways, helping operators optimize ventilation control, improve energy efficiency, and ensure consistent compliance with airflow requirements.
Why Ventilation Airflow Matters in Mining
Underground and surface mines rely on controlled airflow to dilute and remove dust, diesel particulate, gases, heat, and fumes generated by equipment and blasting. When airflow is insufficient or poorly distributed, concentrations of hazardous contaminants can rise, visibility can drop, and temperature and humidity can drift out of acceptable ranges. Consistently measuring and managing airflow across shafts, drifts, and production areas helps ensure that miners have safe breathing conditions while supporting continuous production.
Ventilation systems are also one of the largest energy consumers on a mine site, often accounting for a significant portion of total electrical load. Accurate airflow data allows ventilation engineers to match fan output to actual demand rather than running equipment at fixed, conservative settings
Key Airflow Challenges in Mining Operations
Mines present unique ventilation challenges that make airflow monitoring both difficult and essential:
- Large ducts with branching airways, changing cross-sections, and friction losses make airflow behavior hard to predict.
- Continuous introduction of dust, moisture, and corrosive elements can foul instrumentation and reduce visibility in the airway.
- Shifting production zones, new headings, and changing ground conditions constantly alter airflow paths and resistance.
- The need to dilute diesel emissions, blast fumes, and naturally occurring gases while keeping temperatures within safe and workable limits.
- Pressure imbalances and potential airflow reversals in large openings, intersections, and emergency egress routes.
Without reliable instrumentation, operators must rely on conservative fan settings and frequent manual surveys, which can be costly and will miss dynamic changes between measurements.
Airflow Monitoring in Mining Operations FAQs
How does accurate airflow measurement improve safety in underground mining?
Precise airflow measurement ensures that sufficient fresh air is delivered to active headings and haulage routes, helping dilute and remove dust, diesel particulates, and hazardous gases before they reach dangerous concentrations. This supports compliance with mine ventilation regulations and reduces the risk of explosive atmospheres and worker exposure incidents.
What airflow measurement technologies does Air Monitor recommend for harsh mining environments?
For main intake and exhaust shafts, bulk airways, and large tunnels, Air Monitor typically applies pitot-averaging flow meters and differential pressure-based solutions designed for high dust loading and wide flow ranges. These systems are paired with rugged static pressure sensors and appropriate filtration to maintain reliability and accuracy despite contaminants and moisture.
News & Innovation
Product Brochures & Catalog Sheets
Download product brochures and catalog sheets for all of Air Monitor’s products for pressure management, including our range of static pressure sensors and transmitters.Application Guide Series: Industrial Airflow Solutions
Read about the accurate airflow for clean, combustion, and dirty airflow streams.Installation Documents
Here you can download guides for installing the Air Monitor VOLU-probe/FI-SS, the ACCU-flo High Accuracy Stainless Steel Station, and the LO-flo/SS Stainless Steel Pitot Traverse Probe.-
AUTO-purge III
Automated Air Purge System
Electro-pneumatic system automates sensing port debris purging for low maintenance dirty airflow measurement.
Companion System
- Add to flow and transmitter pairings
- Automated pneumatic purging
- Field-selectable purging intervals
- Maintains flow system performance
- Trouble-free operation
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MASS-tron II
Multivariable Transmitter
Measures differential pressure, absolute pressure, and process temperature providing output of calculated mass flow.
Flow, Temperature, ABS Pressure
- Accuracy: 0.1%
- URL down to 0.05” w.c.
- NEMA 1, optional NEMA 4 and 4X
- 24VAC, 24VDC
- Turndown: 100:1
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S.A.P.
Static Air Pressure Sensor
Area or critical space pressure sensors engineered for challenging industrial environments.
Area and Space Pressure
- Accuracy: 1% of actual static pressure
- Temperature: ≤200°F
- Stainless steel
- Variety of mounting options
- Unaffected by air currents
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VOLU-probe/SS
Insertion Airflow Measuring Probes
Stainless steel airflow traverse probe ideal for dirty applications with corrosive, abrasive, and extreme temperatures.
400 to 10,000 FPM
- Accuracy: 2% of Actual Flow
- Temperature: ≤900°F
- Stainless steel, Hastelloy, Inconel, Kynar
- External or Internal mounting
- Easy installation/removal for maintenance
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VELTRON DPT-Plus
Multivariable Transmitter
Measures differential pressure and process temperature providing output of calculated mass flow.
Flow, Temperature, or Differential Pressure
- Accuracy: 0.1%
- URL down to 0.05” w.c.
- NEMA 4X
- Class I Div 1, Class II Div 1
- 24VAC, 24VDC
