| As underground mines expand into ore bodies, underground mine power systems are continually expanding. Underground mine power system expansion causes the largest mining loads to be far from the surface power source, leading to voltage drop and voltage sag issues. These voltage loss issues lead to system inefficiency, increased power demand, increased number of nuisance trips, decreased reliability, decreased production capabilities, damaged electronics, and eventually the inability to start motors. Solvay Chemical's Green River Operation is one example of an expanding underground mine power system that is dynamic and has many large motor loads. As this mine expands into the ore body, the system experiences an increasingly large voltage drop associated with normal operations and voltage sag associated with motor start-ups. Through the use of power system modeling software, this thesis will investigate and provide solutions to voltage drop and voltage sag in underground mine power systems, specifically that of the Green River Operation. |
