Energy recovery mining waste

Banks, D., Skarphagen, H Wiltshire, R. Jessop, C. 2004. Heat Pumps as a Tool for Energy Recovery from Mining Wastes. In Giere, R. Stille, P. (eds). Energy, Waste, and the Environment a Geochemical Perspective. Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 236, 499-513. 

Heat pumps as a tool for energy recovery from mining wastes... 

The effectiveness of landfills aeration has been tested in various countries around the world both in Europe (Germany, Austria, Italy, the Netherlands, Switzerland), North America (USA) and Asia (Japan, Malaysia) for more than 20 years. Different technical solutions, which vary primarily in the method of oxygen supply to the landfill, have been used. The selection of a relevant solution depends mainly on the final intention of its application, landfill construction, available financial resources, and legislation. In Europe, aeration is usually applied as a method for an acceleration of old landfill stabilization, commenced when the landfill gas production becomes insufficient for profitable energy recovery. Such an activity shortens the period of the residual gas production. This gas is usually released to the atmosphere because of problems with its combustion. The accelerated stabilization of waste, by a few-week aeration, is also used as the initial phase preeeding of landfill mining. It allows to obtain an evident improvement in sanitary eonditions before the workers will enter. 

The use of nuclear power has been a topic of debate for many years. Nuclear fuel represents a resource for generating energy weU into the future, whereas economically recoverable fossil fuel reserves may become depleted. Worker exposure, injuries, and fataHties in nuclear fuel mining are reportedly far less compared to those associated with recovery and handling of fossil fuels. Potential hazards associated with transporting and storing radioactive wastes do exist, however. 

The recent report by the National Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences entitled "Limitations of Rock Mechanics in Energy Resource Recovery and Development", highlighted some of the problems which must be addressed. The rock strength and other mechanical properties of the media must be understood both under the impact of the thermal pulse represented by the release of heat from decaying radioactive waste materials and the perturbation represented by construction of the mine. The resulting thermal stresses must be understood in developing the layout and the allowable rate of heat generation from the individual canisters. 

When the Green River Shales are depleted, consideration will be given to mining the lower quality Ohio River Valley shales. Recovery of oil from these shales will cause far greater damage because the land under which they are found is far more valuable and the amount of waste produced is much larger. Dependence on shale for future energy has the potential to be very hazardous to the health of the earth. 

Transition seasons Waste heat recovery system is given priority according to the underground temperature. Recover the waste heat of mine total return air and supply it for hot shower water. When cool energy is needed under the shaft, the heat... 

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