Modern Mining April 2017

PRODUCT News

AfroxPac 35i delivers life-saving oxygen for African miners Afrox’s Self-Rescue Division has recently upgraded its manufacturing facilities with a new state-of-the-art factory in Germiston. AfroxPac 35i self-contained self-rescuers, which

are produced in the factory, are collectively carried by underground miners in Africa for more than 1,5 million hours each day, deliv- ering life-saving oxygen when hazardous atmospheric conditions develop. At the heart of the modernised plant is a high-tech, climate-controlled dry room, essential for handling moisture-sensitive chemicals, which has advanced instru- ment control and improved ergonomics, allowing for improved material flow and regulation and better production and quality of the self-rescuer. Peter Rowlands, Business Manager Afrox Self-Rescue Division, says that

The AfroxPac 35i is said to be ideal for tough African mining conditions.

the Self-Rescue Division is ISO9001, ISO14001 and ISO18001 compli- ant and has an ethos of ‘A life depends on it’ which dominates every aspect of manufacture fromproduction right through to post-produc- tion support. “The AfroxPac 35i is ideal for tough African mining conditions in that it complies with the demanding SANS1737:2008 standard for self- rescuers having the added dimension of accelerated durability testing which does not feature in other international standards. This makes the compliance testing process one of the toughest in the world for self-contained self-rescuer (SCSR) standards,” he says/. He adds that following the durability testing sequence, the breath- ing duration results for the AfroxPac 35i show no difference between new and post-durability testing which is a remarkable achievement. Rowlands notes that a focused research and development team is dedicated to constantly improving the long-term performance of the units and that Afrox prides itself in operating one of the few privately owned breathing simulators in the world. The AfroxPac 35i was first launched in 2012 and replaced the original AfroxPac 35, with significant advances including improved long-term breathing performance and heat-resistance, increased pro- tection of high-wearing points on the external protective casing, and the inclusion of an internal seal adding an extra barrier to moisture ingress. The AfroxPac 35i is a closed-circuit, chemical oxygen generating, body-worn emergency breathing device primarily used for escaping toxic atmosphere in mines and has a rated breathing duration of 30 minutes at a test ventilation rate of 35 litres per minute. It operates by chemically converting moisture and carbon dioxide in the breath of the escapee to oxygen, while simultaneously sealing the mouth and nose to prevent inhalation of toxic gases. The flexible, silicone-based breathing components are hardy and heat-resistant while the 1,2 kg mass of the breathing apparatus is lightweight and the mechanical stabilising of the chemical bed ensures low breathing resistance and long-term performance. Peter Rowlands, Afrox Self-Rescue Division, e-mail: peter.rowlands@afrox.linde.com

April 2017  MODERN MINING  45