The design of spray chambers for bulk cooling of the air in mines

Recommendations are given for the design of multi-stage spray chambers in which air flows horizontally through water sprays. A detailed description is given of one such spray chamber at Hartebeestfontein gold mine that is used for bulk cooling of the incoming ventilation air, and that has been constructed according to these recommendations. A method for predicting the performance parameters of horizontal multi-stage spray chambers is given, and the method is illustrated with some examples. The method is equally applicable to spray chambers in which the water, rather than the air, is cooled.