Coal mine ice-cooling

IDE Technologie’s vacuum ice maker (VIM) technology produces portable ice slurry, which is easily transferrable and pumpable. Using ice instead of water cuts water consumption by 75% and reduces the environmental impact of the mine.
IDE Technologie’s vacuum ice maker (VIM) technology produces portable ice slurry, which is easily transferrable and pumpable. China National Coal Group (ChinaCoal) chose an IDE system to cool its coal mine in the Jiangsu province. The company’s narrow shaft cooling method reduces capital expenses as well as electricity, pumping and maintenance costs, and can be used coal and platinum mines, even though they are not as deep as gold mines.
The cooling method involves concentrating ice slurry into snow, which is then poured down a shaft to mining levels, and draws on the latent heat capacity of the snow.
Using ice instead of water cuts water consumption by 75% and reduces the environmental impact of the mine.
IDE Technologies has been using its ice cooling method in gold mines across the world for over 20 years. The company also uses its ice machines for snow making and has such installations in the Alps in Europe.