Advanced Diesel Powertrains for Underground Mining Mobile Equipment

Area of Science:

• Mining Engineering
• Environmental Science
• Mechanical Engineering

Background:

• Underground miners face significant exposure to harmful diesel pollutants.
• Contemporary diesel engines offer reduced emissions compared to older models.
• Meeting stringent emissions standards is crucial for underground mining safety.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the viability and effectiveness of clean diesel engines for underground mining.
• To evaluate different exhaust aftertreatment systems for reducing diesel emissions.
• To identify optimal engine technologies for minimizing miner exposure to diesel pollutants.

Main Methods:

• Laboratory characterization of tailpipe emissions from three U.S. EPA Tier 4 final compliant diesel engines.
• Evaluation of exhaust aftertreatment systems including diesel oxidation catalytic converters (DOC), diesel particulate filters (DPF), and selective catalytic reduction (SCR) systems.
• Analysis of engine performance regarding mass and number concentrations of diesel aerosols and secondary NO2 emissions.

Main Results:

• Diesel particulate filters (DPF) demonstrated the highest reduction in both mass and number concentrations of diesel aerosols.
• Engines with DOC and DOC/SCR/ASC systems reduced aerosol mass but not number concentrations.
• Two engines (DOC-only and DOC/DPF) produced substantial secondary NO2 emissions, limiting their underground mining suitability.
• All evaluated advanced engines exhibited low carbon monoxide (CO) output.

Conclusions:

• Diesel particulate filters (DPF) are the most effective technology for reducing diesel aerosol exposure in underground mines.
• Engine aftertreatment systems must be formulated to minimize secondary NO2 generation for underground applications.
• Engines with selective catalytic reduction (SCR) systems offer a low-NO2 alternative.
• Careful selection and potential optimization of advanced diesel engines are necessary for underground mining.