Development of a heat strain estimator algorithm control for personal cooling in ultra-deep mining

一种具有持续高热应力水平的职业是超深采矿，其岩石表面温度接近60°C，室内温度通常为40°C，湿度高。因此，即使是适度的体力劳动也会导致矿工迅速超过现有的职业热暴露指南，并增加中暑的风险。一个额外的风险是运送到地面医疗设施的时间过长。除了健康和安全问题，效率低下的工作-休息制度也降低了生产率。此外，可达到的矿石深度受到谨慎的热应力管理的限制。**目前，在超深采矿中减少热应力的主要策略是通过冷却和通风**矿室，代价是非常高的能源需求和成本。一个潜在的替代职业冷却是个人冷却系统，冷却是定制的个人。除了改善工人健康之外，这种方法还具有节省大量能源的经济效益，因为它减少了大型采矿室的大规模冷却需求。总部位于安大略省萨德伯里的Jannatec技术公司正在开发一种便携式主动冷却背心，以降低矿工在超深深度工作时的热应激风险，并根据环境条件、活动水平和生理反馈进行个性化冷却强度。本提案**通过开发一种热应变估计算法（HSEA）来调节**这种主动冷却背心的冷却，从而支持这一目标。这将通过以下方式实现：1)开发一个从心率和皮肤温度预测核心温度的模型；2)开发HSEA以预测不同采矿任务期间的总体产热；3)整合并测试HSEA作为健康预警系统和控制个人冷却系统的能力，以减少实验室和实际采矿过程中的热应变。总体目标是**大大减少热应变，提高超深采矿的生产率。

One occupation featuring continuous high levels of heat stress is ultra-deep mining, with the rock face at**temperatures approaching 60°C and chamber temperatures commonly at 40°C with high humidity. Thus, even**moderate physical work can cause miners to quickly exceed existing occupational heat exposure guidelines and**increase risk of heat illness. An extra risk is the prolonged transport to surface medical facilities. Beyond health**and safety concerns, productivity is reduced due to an inefficient work-rest regime. Further, the achievable ore**depths are limited by cautious heat stress management.**Currently, the primary strategy for reducing thermal stress in ultra-deep mining is by cooling and ventilating**mine chambers, with the penalty of very high energy requirements and costs. A potential alternative for**occupational cooling are individual personal cooling systems, where cooling is customized to the individual.**Beyond improving worker health, this approach has the economic benefit of large energy savings through**reducing the need for wholesale cooling of large mining chambers.**Jannatec Technologies, based in Sudbury ON, is developing a portable Active Cooling Vest to decrease the risk**of heat stress for miners working at ultra-deep depths, with cooling intensity individualized based on a**combination of environmental conditions, activity levels, and physiological feedback. The present proposal**supports this target through developing a Heat Strain Estimator Algorithm (HSEA) to regulate the cooling of**this Active Cooling Vest. This will be accomplished by: 1) developing a model to predict core temperature**from heart rate and skin temperature; 2) developing the HSEA to predict overall heat production during**different mining tasks; 3) Incorporate and test the HSEA's ability to serve as a health warning system and to**control a personal cooling system to reduce heat strain in the lab and during actual mining. The overall goal is**to greatly reduce heat strain and increase productivity in ultra-deep mining.