Abstract:

Hydrogen is a clean alternate energy to diesel fuel. Diesel is currently overwhelmingly used to power underground metal mining production vehicles in Canada. There are no overall or component design recommendations for underground refueling stations (excavation location, excavating, ground control, placement of dispenser, surface hydrogen distribution pipeline underground location, operation protocols for refueling, safety aspects) that will satisfy mine regulatory requirements for hydrogen power use in confined underground conditions. The lack of design recommendations creates significant uncertainty for both industry and Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJs) at the provincial level on what the actual in-service requirements are and how those should be followed and enforced. In turn it leads to safety deployment uncertainties for over 50 mines in Canada. In order to complement the Canadian Hydrogen Installation Codes (CHIC) requirements and the information contained in the Canadian Permitting Guide for HRS for their next revisions specifically for dedicated mining application, an in-depth mine design approach is required. To achieve such mine design approach, the current project will include recommended designs and specific examples of cases studies of different mine plans and extraction types so that critical considerations such as safety of operation, required ventilation and siting given specific mine plans will be addressed. This will establish the common guidelines for the industry and mine regulatory agencies. The results of this project will support the deployment of hydrogen refueling stations in mines in Canada and allow the significant streamlining of the HRS approval process consistently across Canada. This will contribute to Canada’s climate change and clean growth strategies. Moreover, having a set of rules for preparing and approving HRS applications will increase market confidence in hydrogen-powered mining vehicles, fostering new opportunities for both industry stakeholders and consumers.

Biography of the presenter: Dr. Nekoovaght is a Principle Research Scientist at CanmetMINING in Canada. He has a mining engineering background and been active in research and development of key areas in continuous and explosive-free rock breakage as well as hydrogen as a green energy source for mining applications.

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Michel Épiné