Method of extracting energy from a cavity created by mining operations

Abstract

An energy-extracting mine ventilation system comprises: a ventilation unit for conditioning the intake air of a mine; a network of pipes installed in at least one cavity of the mine, the network of pipes comprising a geothermal fluid circulating therethrough wherein the network is in contact with a minefill material within the cavity and a rock mass; wherein the minefill material transfers energy between the rock mass of the at least one cavity and the thermal fluid; and a heat exchanger unit in fluid communication with the network of pipes and extracting the energy from the thermal fluid The heat exchanger unit is configured to transfer extracted energy directly or indirectly to the ventilation unit in order to condition the intake air of the mine, The extracted energy can be used in a variety of other applications, such as district heating, acid leaching, and water heating.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This Application claims priority on U.S. Provisional Application No. 61 / 601,733, now pending, filed on Feb. 22, 2012, which is herein incorporated by reference.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present relates to a method for the extraction of renewable energy from minefilled excavations of mines for the purposes of heating, cooling, power generation, mine ventilation and other applications.BACKGROUND ART[0003]Mining is known as one the most energy-consuming industries. The pending depletion of fossil fuels and their associated environmental concerns has required the mining industry to strive for new sources of renewable energy source. Considering the fact that deep excavations become available in mining techniques, geothermal energy will be one of the best choices of renewable energy for the mining industry. However, one of the main problems in extraction of geothermal energy from the earth by means of a closed-loop geothermal cycle is the...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The patent describes a method and system for extracting energy from rock cavities in mines. The method involves placing a network of geothermal pipes in the cavity and covering them with a material that transfers energy between the rock mass and the pipes. A thermal fluid is circulated through the network of pipes, and the energy is extracted from the thermal fluid using a heat exchanger. The system includes a ventilation unit for conditioning the intake air of the mine, the network of pipes, and the heat transfer system. The technical effects of this invention include improved energy efficiency in mining operations and reduced energy waste.

Problems solved by technology

However, one of the main problems in extraction of geothermal energy from the earth by means of a closed-loop geothermal cycle is the cost of drilling and excavation.

These excavation and drilling costs are necessary for installation of the ground-coupled heat exchanger tubes.

Another problem in the application of closed-loop geothermal cycles is the low ground temperature which increases electricity consumption of the ground-coupled heat pump and lowers the feasibility of using the geothermal system.

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