Jump to content
Ventilation & Flow Simulation Forums

Activity Tracks and Heat Simulation


Customer

Recommended Posts

Activity Tracks are a useful way to simulate heat along a path, rather than at discrete points. For example, you might have a number of trucks going up and down a decline; using the Activity Track, you can distribute the Heat and the DPM from these trucks along their path, rather than at discrete points.

In the example here I am going to replace the three trucks in the decline with three trucks on an Activity Track. The trucks are set in the Heat, Moisture, Diesel Presets; they can also be used in the Activity Tracks. The first thing I’ll do is remove the existing trucks from the decline. Then I’ll go to Tools | Activity Tracks.

image.png.1ba5620d9b95ce9b1c218d8fedd8b5b9.png

After opening the Track Editor, I’ve renamed the Track as “Decline”. Then, using the Shortest Horizontal Tool, I’ve selected the entirety of the decline. Once I’ve selected the airways I want as part of the track, I’ve clicked on Add selection. Now, a transparent green strip is visible above the airways that are part of the track. I can also change this colour on the Track Editor. (Clicking with the Edit Tool, or double-clicking with the Zoom tool, on the transparent strip will open the Track Editor for that Activity Track)

Now I want to add the trucks. My existing AD55 truck preset is available under Heat type. I’ve then added 3 units.

image.thumb.png.5489e1f561737971c35ebea7a224a064.png

If I click OK and run a Heat Simulation (or a Diesel Simulation) the effect of these trucks is now distributed along the length of the track.

There are several more advanced options to the Activity Tracks. If you want to include an amount of time that the trucks are outside of the mine, or parked, then you can use the ‘Delay restart’ option. This will reduce the amount of Heat released by the trucks corresponding to the amount of time specified. However, to use this option, Ventsim will need to know how fast the trucks go and how long it takes to traverse the track. You will need to specify a Vehicle type to get the right velocity. Also you will need to specify if the track is ‘Bi-directional’, that is, are the trucks going up and down, or only in one direction. Finally, if Ventsim needs to know this information, then if there are parts of the track that are disconnected from other parts of the track, then the simulation won’t work and you’ll get a warning telling you which track is causing the problem.

On the Track Editor, you can select ‘Highlight in 3D view’, which will show you in the viewer which airways belong to the track.

If you have any questions about Activity Tracks, experiences to share or feedback, then please reply to this thread; or, contact us at Howden Ventsim.

COMING IN VENTSIM 5.4: the Track Editor will have a button to generate a graph showing the variation of properties along the track.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I tried to do diesel and heat simulation of trucks in two declines that are connected to each other, as shown in the attached Word doc. The number of trucks in each decline is different. One decline (the main decline) has seven trucks whilst another (a decline that branches from the main one) has one. It seems that I can only create activity track in one decline. First, I created the activity in the main decline. Then, when I was creating the activity in the branch decline, the activity in the main decline disappeared after I clicked "Add Selection", and there is no activity created in the branch decline. Is it true that the activity track can only be created in one decline?

Ventsim activity track problem AHalim.docx

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Adrian, it could be a few different things happening. If you want to add a second track, you'll need to first click the green plus button at the bottom left of the Track Editor. 

If you send us (either here, by email or through the forum direct message) a screenshot of the Editor and what version of the software you're using (Help | About)  it might help to work out the problem. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 years later...

Hi Ivan, 

The order you select the airways on the track has no effect on the track's direction (or rather if it has an effect, it is a random effect). 

If you want to specify the direction of the track, add all the airways. Then move your view so that you can see the airway at which you want to begin the track. Then click the button "Set start" on the Activity Track form. Then click on the airway at the track start. The track will now begin from this airway and the direction is set. Vehicles will enter the track here. 

If you have selected "Bi-directional" option, then the vehicles will run the length of the track and then come back again along the same length. If you leave "Bi-directional" unchecked then the vehicles will exit the other end of the track and reenter at the start.

If you want to check where your track begins, then click on "Go to start" and the viewer will zoom to the beginning of the track.  

image.png.aad475cc7b55e08f88023d3882b4beb4.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 years later...

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...