Authors: C. Kocsis, S. Hardcastle and D. Eastick
International Symposium on Fuel Cells Applied to Mining, Montreal, April 27, 2008
Abstract
Over the last few years a multi-faceted feasibility study has been evaluating the introduction of hydrogen fuel cell powered equipment into underground mines to replaced diesel engine powered equipment. The analysis has shown that under normal operating conditions fuel cells could at the very least be an environmental and health benefit by eliminating combustion engines and their unwanted by-products.
However, they could also generate significant reductions in the amount of ventilation a mine needs to
supply when compared to dieselized operations; this would further decrease a mine’s energy consumption, its associated greenhouse gas impact and also reduce a mine’s significant ventilation associated costs. Fuel cell powered equipment also has the advantage of lower noise and heat production compared to their equivalent diesel powered counterpart.
The degree to which fuel cells can generate ventilation benefits in underground mines depends upon a number of operational parameters and mine specific qualifiers such as current ventilation control or management, mine depth, inherent dust conditions and minimum velocity requirements.
