Possibility of Heat Recovery from Selected Installations Used in Underground Mining

Abstract

Underground mining involves numerous processes and installations that generate significant amounts of thermal energy that is released into the environment as waste heat. Sources of this heat include mine water, ventilation air, mining machine cooling systems, and air conditioning systems. This article presents several options for utilizing heat from mine water and the potential for using heat recovery from air conditioning systems to support salt production processes. The advantages and disadvantages of each option are presented. In an era of rising energy costs and environmental requirements, heat recovery in mines is becoming an important approach to improving energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.