Transport of Compressed Air for Underground Mine

Installation Oof Pexgol Pipes through a Chimney for Compressed Air.

Case Study Nº

101 Customer

HMC Gold

Chile

2021

Working Conditions

Pressure: 16 bar

Pexgol Pipes

Pexgol 160 mm (6”) Class 19

Application

Compressed air transport

Lenght

283 m / 928 ft

The Challenge

HMC Gold, in its Tambo de Oro mining unit, required to install a line of compressed air from the surface to the interior of the mine, through a chimney of approximately 2.5 meters, made with a raise boring drilling equipment.

Pexgol Solution

Having seen Pexgol’s experience at the Meridian mining company, where compressed air was also transported, HMC Gold decided to install a 283 meter Pexgol 160 mm, class 19 pipe.

Using Pexgol pipe allowed to eliminate the compressed air equipment inside the mine and to enable a main equipment on the surface. The system was enabled in less than 48 hours. They needed a pipe that resists a vertical 220 meters of chimney. Pexgol made work easier thanks to its long length, mechanical resistance to dragging and its good creep behavior.

For the installation, the pipe was de-coiled on the surface, then the sagging was started with the help of a weight at the tip and an upper containment with a support equipment. A concrete support was made at the top and connected to the compressor equipment via a 995 style stub end and flange coupling. A 995 style coupling to another line was installed at the bottom.