NEW PRODUCTS AND INNOVATIONS Monitoring for safety refuge chambers
04 Jun 2013
Trolex News Release
- As refuge chambers become more commonplace as safe havens for tunnellers and underground workers in the event of a crisis, the need for intrinsically safe monitoring systems for these chambers has been the focus of development for gas monitoring specialist manufacturer Trolex.
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Safe haven refuge chamber
- Refuge chamber monitoring allows miners sheltering within to check conditions both inside and outside the chamber while awaiting rescue, providing vital information about whether it is safer to stay put or begin their escape.
- Trolex offers both portable and fixed monitoring systems capable of monitoring a range of environmental conditions from the presence of various gases to temperature, humidity and pressure inside the main chamber.
- In the fixed refuge chamber system, Trolex employs its intrinsically safe Sentro 8 and Sentro 1 integrated monitoring station with intelligent, inter-changeable sensing modules. A master Sentro 8 system is located in the main safety chamber to monitor five gases plus temperature, humidity and pressure, and the secondary Sentro 8 system is located outside the chamber to measure four to seven gases plus relative pressure. Within the air lock or transition space before entering the main chamber there are two Sentro 1 gas detectors to measure the levels of oxygen and carbon monoxide. All equipment uses universal data communications with standard Modbus protocol. There are large LCD read-out displays and programmable visual and audible alarms and the entire system is capable of 106 hours of operation from a UPS power supply.
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Refuge chamber monitor
- Trolex has also produced a transportable refuge chamber monitoring system, the SentryTM. This stand-alone unit, also available with a frame for sturdy mounting on uneven terrain, is based on the proven Sentro 8 integrated monitoring station and features eight monitoring modules for five gases. This self-contained unit has an integral carrying handle and a stainless steel skid panel base plate for protection and is immensely rugged.
- Measuring 290mm high x 250mm wide x 190mm deep, this portable monitoring system weighs just 15kg, is an intrinsically safe design with a protected power supply switch that provides up to 170 hours or one week of operation from a sealed removable lead acid battery pack.
- In both the transportable and fixed systems, the data collected by the environmental monitoring system is displayed in the refuge chamber in real time, so miners know when it is safe to leave their temporary sanctuary.
- Specialising in gas detection and gas monitoring systems, machine condition monitoring, environmental control and gas recovery monitoring systems, Trolex offers a wide range of control and display equipment to provide a complete monitoring system of the underground environment.
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