Increasing longevity at Mount Owen Coal Washery

The Project

Located in the heart of the Hunter Valley in New South Wales, the Mount Owen Coal Washery plays a critical role in coal processing and handling for the surrounding mining operations.

Coal washing is an essential process that improves the quality and market value of coal by removing impurities like soil, rock, shale, and other non-coal materials. This not only improves the energy content of the coal but also reduces emissions when it’s burned.

Here’s a simple breakdown of the main steps involved:

1. Crushing and screening — Raw coal from the mine is first crushed into smaller sizes and screened to separate large lumps from finer material. This prepares the coal for further separation.
2. Dense medium separation (DMS) — The crushed coal is mixed with water and a dense medium (usually magnetite) in a separation vessel. Lighter, pure coal floats to the top, while heavier waste material sinks to the bottom. This step removes most of the rock and dirt.
3. Flotation — Fine coal particles are treated in flotation cells where air bubbles help separate remaining impurities. The coal sticks to the bubbles and rises to the surface, while waste sinks.
4. Dewatering — The cleaned coal is then drained and dried using centrifuges, filters, or thermal dryers to remove excess water before storage or transport.
5. Waste handling — The leftover waste, known as tailings, is managed in dedicated waste ponds or disposal areas.

An additional challenge at Mount Owen is the intense vibration caused by the site’s large coal shaker — a piece of equipment that separates material by rapidly shaking it on a screen deck. This constant, heavy shaking sends vibration through the entire building structure, adding further stress on both the equipment and the surrounding infrastructure.

This multi-step process generates significant heat, moisture, dust, and vibration inside the plant — making a robust, corrosion-resistant ventilation system essential for protecting both equipment and workers.

The Problem

The constant generation of heat and moisture inside the coal washery created a high-condensation environment, which was a major challenge for the Mount Owen facility. Without effective coal washery ventilation and moisture management, this build-up led to rapid and premature corrosion of the building’s structural components, plant equipment, and critical machinery.

This corrosion didn’t just threaten the physical infrastructure — it also increased the risk of unplanned downtime, higher maintenance costs, and production delays. Left unaddressed, these issues could compromise the long-term performance and reliability of the coal processing plant, reduce operational efficiency, and shorten the lifespan of key mining infrastructure.

For a high-output mining site like Mount Owen, maintaining structural integrity, equipment performance, and process reliability is essential — making the need for a robust, natural ventilation system clear.

The Airocle Solution

Airocle was engaged to deliver a tailored, passive ventilation solution that could meet the site’s heavy-duty requirements while withstanding the harsh conditions of a coal processing environment.

Our team conducted detailed site surveys to identify hotspots — areas experiencing the most extreme heat, dust and condensation accumulation. Working closely with the plant’s engineers and operators, we developed a custom natural ventilation strategy that would allow the facility to self-regulate internal air conditions without the need for mechanical systems.

The system included:

• High-Capacity Ridge Ventilators installed along the full length of the roof ridge, designed to extract heat and moisture-laden air naturally and efficiently
• Low-level inlet louvres that allow cooler external air to enter at the base of the building, creating a consistent upward airflow that displaces heat and humidity

This push-pull effect — drawing cooler air in while exhausting warm, moist air out — was key to reducing condensation throughout the structure.

The entire system was designed, manufactured and retrofitted with zero disruption to site operations — delivered on time and within budget.

And the results speak for themselves: by significantly reducing internal moisture and corrosion, the natural ventilation system has extended the expected lifespan of the structure to over 10 years — a substantial improvement compared to the industry average of 5–7 years in facilities without dedicated ventilation.

Designed for a Harsh Environment

Given the highly corrosive conditions inside coal processing facilities, selecting the right materials and protective coatings is critical for long-term durability.

Airocle natural ventilation systems are engineered with industrial-grade materials and corrosion-resistant finishes that help withstand the extreme heat, moisture, dust, and vibration typically found in mining and coal washery environments.

By applying appropriate advanced protective coatings to both structural components and sheet metal elements, Airocle ensures its ventilation systems maintain performance and reliability over time — even in the most demanding industrial settings.

These corrosion control measures help to:

• Reduce maintenance requirements
• Extend the lifespan of the equipment
• Protect the overall integrity of the coal processing plant.

The Outcome

Since the installation, the Mount Owen Coal Washery has seen:

• A significant reduction in internal condensation
• Improved air quality and visibility within the facility
• A noticeable slow-down in corrosion across structural and plant equipment, extending the building’s expected lifespan to over 10 years.
• A more stable internal environment — helping prolong the lifespan of the washery and its assets

This project is a powerful example of how engineered natural ventilation can solve complex heat and moisture problems in industrial environments — with long-term benefits for safety, maintenance and performance.

Discovery more on our natural ventilation solutions for mining here.