Heinrich shaft with the pit fan !

In this picture that was taken on 20.09.2000 the wheels leading the ropes down the shaft can be seen on top of shaft Heinrich's tower. You will find a description of the function of these wheels if you click on the "in the colliery"-button of the menu bar. Some pages later you can find a link to a page explaining the Koepe-principle.

Additionally you can see the pit fan. Some very powerful ventilators cause a permanent subpressure in the roadways underground and by that the used air is torn out of them. This has the effect that fresh air is torn into other shafts and by that the air is replaced and refreshed constantly.