SP Overcasts
Spray Panel Overcasts (SP Overcasts) are designed to block a passageway or to prevent the mixture of ventilation air at the intersection of two passageways. Constructed of lightweight PMR prefabricated panels, SP Overcasts install quickly and form an air tight seal.
How SP Overcasts Work
Underground mines consist of grids with intersecting passageways. The passageways are separated by columns of un-mined materials. Intake ventilation air and return air are ducted through selected passageways and function as air shafts. SP Overcasts form an airtight system to prevent mixture of ventilation air where passageways intersect.
The materials to construct a conventional Overcast (i.e. concrete blocks, iron beams and steel plates) are heavy and cumbersome to move, and can halt production for days. Conventional Overcasts are often not airtight, permitting the leakage of air and drop in ventilation air pressure.
Construction of SP Overcasts
- Constructed of lightweight, prefabricated panels
- Panels are formed of spaced apart wire grids with insulated cores
- Installed side-by-side across the mine passageway & fastened together with wire
- Wire grids interconnect with strut wires which pass through the insulation core & form a truss system
- A deck of similar panels is placed across the top, spanning the full distance between the passageway sidewalls
- All panels are fully coated with Gunite/shotcrete creating a structure impervious to air
- The layer of concrete extends beyond the edges onto the sidewalls & ceiling to form a monolithic, airtight structure
SP Overcasts Benefits
- Consist of lightweight panels of wire & insulation
- Faster & easier installation–installed in 2 days
- Coated with concrete
- Air tight–no leaking & pressure changes
- Lighter-weight & easier to handle
- Less materials handling
- Fully coated with robust gunite or shotcrete which is impervious to air
- Minimal follow-up maintenance
The deck serves as the roof for one airway and the floor for the intersecting airway. Wing walls are mounted on the deck if sidewalls do not reach the ceiling at the intersection.
Turnkey Installation Services & Logistical Support
Strata Mine Services saves customers time and money with turnkey SP Overcasts installation and logistical support for our entire product line. Download the SP Overcasts brochure.
Contact us for more information on SP Overcasts or to speak with a sales engineer.