Abstract:

The mining industry is among the most energy-intensive industrial sectors, heavily reliant on fossil fuels for both power generation and ventilation heating. This dependence is particularly pronounced in remote, off-grid underground mines in Northern Canada, where diesel and natural gas are the primary energy sources. Given the urgent need to reduce carbon emissions and enhance sustainability, hydrogen has emerged as a viable alternative fuel capable of facilitating the mining sector’s transition toward net-zero operations. Hydrogen’s high energy density and clean combustion properties position it as a promising solution, not only for lowering emissions but also for improving fuel flexibility and operational efficiency. However, to successfully integrate hydrogen into existing mining infrastructure, technological advancements and practical implementation strategies must be developed. This study investigates the feasibility of using a hydrogen-natural gas dual burner in underground mine heating systems as a cleaner alternative to pure natural gas combustion. A system-level thermodynamic model was developed, incorporating the first and second laws of thermodynamics to analyze energy, entropy, and exergy balances within the burner system. The heating system under study consists of an air inlet, a hydrogen-natural gas dual burner, a fan, and an outlet, where incoming air is heated and circulated through the mine. The study found that while hydrogen has a high energy density per kilogram, its low mass density results in significantly larger fuel volumes needed to achieve the same energy output as natural gas. Carbon emissions were directly reduced as hydrogen concentration increased. When discussing cost of hydrogen, projected cost reductions by 2030 could make a hydrogen blend economically competitive, especially as carbon pricing increases as per the Pan-Canadian approach to Carbon pollution prices. The feasibility of hydrogen integration in mine heating depends on overcoming fuel storage, transport and infrastructure challenges due to the high-volume requirement of hydrogen. Economic viability is expected to improve as hydrogen production expands and carbon pricing rises, making partial hydrogen adoption a realistic and near-term goal. However, large-scale adoption will require continued advancements in hydrogen supply chains and regulatory support to incentivize its use. Safety assessments, risk mitigation strategies, and hydrogen storage solutions will be critical for full-scale adoption of this fueling method. Future work for this project includes a comprehensive risk assessment on the use of hydrogen for underground mine ventilation applications. This future research aims to help create safety regulations, standards and procedures to enhance the feasibility of implementing hydrogen fuel in underground mine heating applications.

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Mackenzie Campese