Rail Mounted Chamber – TunnelSAFE Rail Design

Rail Mounted Chamber – Front View

The ‘face’ of the TunnelSAFE Rail Design 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.

Rail Mounted Chamber – Interior View

Inside a TunnelSAFE Rail 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 TunnelSAFE Rail 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.

Rail Mounted Chamber – Rear View

A secure cabinet at the rear of the TunnelSAFE Rail 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.