In underground mining, ventilation systems are critical to safe and efficient operations but they are also highly exposed to abrasive wear.
In this recent project, Elastotec, in collaboration with Carters Engineering, addressed persistent wear issues on large ventilation fan impellers operating in harsh underground conditions. The result was a step-change improvement in reliability, safety and maintenance performance.
The Challenge: Severe Wear in High-Speed, Abrasive Conditions
Large underground ventilation fans operating in dusty, moisture-rich environments are particularly vulnerable to accelerated wear.
In this case, the operation was experiencing:
- Rapid leading-edge erosion on fan impellers
- Service life limited to just 3 months using traditional hard-facing
- High-frequency maintenance shutdowns
- Increased safety risks due to repeated impeller removal
- Significant labour and operational costs
With impellers exceeding 3 metres in diameter and weighing ~4 tonnes, each maintenance intervention carried both operational and safety implications.
The Approach: Engineered Ceramic Wear Protection
To address these challenges, Elastotec implemented a flexible ceramic wear protection system designed specifically for high-speed rotating equipment.
The solution focused on:
- Ceramic materials capable of handling high abrasion and impact
- Flexible tile design to conform to complex impeller geometries
- High-strength bonding technology engineered to withstand centrifugal forces up to 1200 rpm
- A layout optimised through engineering analysis and site collaboration
This approach ensured the wear protection system could perform reliably without compromising safety or structural integrity.
Why This Matters
In high-demand underground environments, wear performance directly impacts:
- Operational uptime
- Maintenance planning
- Safety exposure
- Cost efficiency
This case highlights how application-specific engineering and material selection can deliver meaningful, long-term improvements — not just incremental gains.
Want the full technical breakdown, installation details, and performance data? Download the complete case study to see how this solution was designed and implemented.
