MineSAFE Essential Design Refuge Chamber

The MineSAFE Essential Design Refuge Chamber provides the most cost effective alternative to MineARC’s flagship Standard Design. The Essential Design chamber offers all of the critical features required to sustain life during an underground mine emergency whilst maintaining the quality of a MineARC engineered chamber that complies with internationally recognised refuge chamber guidelines.

The Essential Design (ED) is designed specifically to accommodate tight mining confines such as shaft mines, while still providing ample internal space for a range of occupancies.

MineSAFE Essential Design Refuge Chamber

Overview

The Essential Design is designed specifically to accommodate tight mining confines such as shaft mines, while still providing ample internal space for a range of occupancies - from 8 to 30 people. It's dimensions and rated occupancy can be custom-engineered to site specifications, without compromising on safety or performance.

Specifications

Model Occupancy Height (m/inch) Width (m/inch) Length (m/inch) Weight (kg)
MS-ED1-08-ELV-36 8-Person 2.10 / 82" 1.90 / 74" 4.20 / 165" 3710
MS-ED2-12-ELV-36 12-Person 2.10 / 82" 1.90 / 74" 4.80 / 188" 3937
MS-ED3-16-ELV-36 16-Person 2.10 / 82" 1.90 / 74" 6.02 / 237" 4844
MS-ED4-20-ELV-36 20-Person 2.10 / 82" 1.90 / 74" 7.24 / 285" 3937
MS-ED5-26-ELV-36 26-Person 2.10 / 82" 1.90 / 74" 8.44 / 332" 6658
MS-ED6-30-ELV-36 30-Person 2.10 / 82" 1.90 / 74" 9.75 / 384" 7350
  • Aura-FX Fixed Gas Monitor
  • 6mm Steel Plate Construction
  • Narrow Shell for Tight Confines
  • Blast Rating: 5psi
  • CO & CO2 Scrubbing
  • Breathable Air (O2) Supply
  • Air Conditioning
  • 36hrs UPS Battery with Option to Upgrade
  • Viewing Porthole
  • Pre-packaged Chemical Cartridges
  • ELV (Extra-Low-Voltage) Controller
  • Ergonomically Designed Seating
  • Receptacle Plug
  • Satellite UPS System
  • First Aid Kit
  • Carbon Monoxide Safety-Off-System
  • Positive Pressure Maintenance System
  • Automated Oxygen Delivery System
  • MineSAFE Essential Design 8-Person Refuge Chamber
    MS-ED1-08-ELV-36
  • MineSAFE Essential Design 12-Person Refuge Chamber
    MS-ED2-12-ELV-36
  • MineSAFE Essential Design 16-Person Refuge Chamber
    MS-ED3-16-ELV-36
  • MineSAFE Essential Design 20-Person Refuge Chamber
    MS-ED4-20-ELV-36
  • MineSAFE Essential Design 26-Person Refuge Chamber
    MS-ED5-26-ELV-36
  • MineSAFE Essential Design 30-Person Refuge Chamber
    MS-ED6-30-ELV-36

Chamber Exterior – Front

The ‘face’ of the refuge chamber is designed primarily for easy identification and quick access during an emergency.

The strobe lighting, warning siren and reflective signage alert passers-by to the chamber’s location, whilst the rotating door handles provide simple, straight forward access to the safety of the interior.

Chamber Interior

Inside a MineSAFE Essential Design Refuge Chamber, a number of vital life-support systems combine to create a safe, ongoing environment for occupants. Systems include; primary and secondary air (oxygen) supplies, air conditioning systems, positive pressure systems, electrical systems, gas detection and a chemical scrubbing system.

The MineSAFE Essential Design uses active chemicals and MineARC's ELV (extra-low-voltage) Scrubbing System to ‘scrub’ the build up of harmful CO2 (carbon dioxide) and CO (carbon monoxide) from the air inside the refuge chamber.

Chamber Exterior – Rear

A secure cabinet at the rear of the MineSAFE Essential Design houses the refuge chamber’s UPS battery back up (Uninterruptible Power Supply). The UPS is a fail-safe system that can power the refuge chamber’s internal life support systems for a minimum of 36hrs, should mine power become cut-off.

Also at the rear of the chamber is the Compressed Air Management System (CAMS), which allows regulated compressed air into the refuge chamber when the pressure inside drops below 200Pa. This process optimises mine air usage and guarantees against over-pressurisation of the refuge chamber. CAMS' gas toxicity monitor automatically diverts compressed air if oxygen levels in the airline fall below a set level (18% oxygen in free air), signifying air contamination. Additionally, the incorporated flood protection valve automatically shuts down compressed air to avoid catastrophic and costly chamber damage in the event of water ingress.

Comparison Table

Capacity Every refuge chamber is built with a certain rated occupancy in mind. The life support systems are designed to safely house this number of people for the designated duration.
Advanced Digital Control System All refuge chambers with a Series IV Scrubbing System feature MineARC's unique Advanced Digital Control System.
iVAN iVAN is an on-board navigation assistant that guides occupants through operational procedures.
 Aura-FX Gas monitoring Modular construction
Powerless Portable System MineARC's Powerless Portable System means it can sit stand-alone for extended periods without requiring connection to mains (mine) power
 Air-conditioning 36hrs Battery Backup
5psi Blast Rating MineARC offers blast rating upgrades to all refuge chambers.
8-30
4-8
8-30
8-26
12-32
30-500

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