Influence of Airflow Rate and Relative Humidity on the Thermal Efficiency and Energy Consumption of Underground Mine Ventilation Systems

Underground mine ventilation is simultaneously a safety-critical service and a major electrical load. This study evaluates the influence of airflow rate and relative humidity on the thermal and energetic performance of an underground ventilation system using a transparent simulation-based dataset of 90 operating scenarios. Airflow rate varied from 8 to 26 m³/s, relative humidity from 45% to 90%, inlet air temperature from 24°C to 34°C, and pressure drop from 650 to 1550 Pa. Fan electrical power was calculated from airflow, pressure drop and fan efficiency, while thermal effectiveness and a non-regulatory heat-stress proxy were represented through physically motivated response functions. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, multiple linear regression and one-way ANOVA were applied. The analysis illustrates the central energy–thermal trade-off: increasing airflow improves the simulated thermal response but increases fan power, while higher humidity degrades thermal conditions. The framework is intended for methodological screening and subsequent validation with measured mine data.