Calibration of a Ventsim Network Model for Mine Ventilation Planning: A Case Study

Abstract

Effective ventilation planning plays a critical role in maintaining safety, op-erational efficiency, and compliance with statutory regulations in under-ground coal mining. While ventilation simulation software such as Ventsim is extensively utilized, its effectiveness largely depends on accurate model calibration, which is essential for developing reliable ventilation strategies. In this study, a detailed field investigation was conducted in an operational coal mine to perform a Pressure–Quantity (P–Q) survey. Airflow rates and pressure losses were measured across all ventilation branches within the mine network. Based on these field measurements, an initial ventilation net-work model was developed in Ventsim and subsequently calibrated to ensure that the simulated results closely matched the actual site data. The calibrated model was then used to analyse and compare various ventilation scenarios designed to meet statutory airflow requirements in the proposed future work-ing district. Through these simulations, the most practical and regulation-compliant ventilation arrangements were identified for future mine devel-opment. Overall, this work highlights that combining P–Q survey data with a properly calibrated Ventsim network model provides a dependable, practical, and standards-compliant framework for ventilation design and planning in both existing and future underground coal mine operations.