Journal of Mines, Metals and Fuels

Solar Driven Organic Rankine Cycle System and Hydrogen Fuel Production with Waste Heat Recovery

Tue, 30 Apr 2024 00:00:00 +0530

Energy systems that rely on non-renewable sources like fossil fuels are contributing to climate change by emitting more carbon dioxide. It is crucial to shift towards renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, biomass, and geo-thermal to meet our energy needs. Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) is a thermodynamic cycle which utilizes an organic fluid with higher molecular mass and lower vaporization temperature than water-like organic fluids such as refrigerants. ORC technology powered by solar energy and waste heat plays an essential role in reducing carbon emission impact. It is becoming one of the most promising approaches to recovering waste heat using regenerative cycles. In this work, ORC driven by solar energy was performed in CYCLE tempo. The heat from solar panels was given as an input to run the ORC power system in the primary circuit. The system involves an evaporator, steam turbines (high pressure and low pressure), a condenser, a feed pump, a waste heat source and R134a as the working fluid for the primary ORC. In the secondary circuit, R245fa was used to produce additional power. Hence, the total power produced by the integration of these two circuits was 5.114 MW and a share of total electricity was utilized for hydrogen production by reversible fuel cells (i) Solid Oxide Electrolysis Fuel Cell (SOEFC) and (ii) Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC). They also compared the results of these fuel cells. The net power of 3.114 MW was available to meet local energy demands as well.

Drilling of a Directional Exploration Well in Turkmenistan in the Waters of the Caspian Sea

Annaguly Deryaev (Author) — Mon, 20 May 2024 00:00:00 +0530

The purpose of this study was to optimise directional drilling of exploration wells in the Caspian Sea area of Turkmenistan to improve efficiency and reduce environmental impact. The methods employed include the analytical method, classification method, functional method, statistical method, and synthesis method. The study analysed the experience of drilling a directional exploration well in the North Goturdepe field in South-West Turkmenistan with a bottom hole offset of more than 1000 m from the wellhead under anticentral intracavity pressure conditions. The findings of the study confirmed the effectiveness of the new methods to increase hydrocarbon production, reduce time costs, and mitigate the negative impact on the natural environment. This study emphasised not only the significance of modern technological solutions in the energy industry but also their substantial contribution to the sustainable development of the region and energy security.

Performance Analysis of Double Pipe Heat Exchanger Using Nano Fluids

Tue, 04 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0530

Choosing an appropriate heat transfer fluid is a crucial factor in the design of a heat exchange system. A nanofluid is a colloidal mixture composed of a base fluid and nanoparticles. It is a promising heat transfer fluid in various applications due to its improved thermal conductivity and heat transfer rate. The increasing demand and acceptance for nano-fluids as heat transfer fluids in various applications have led to an increase in research investigations on this topic. Nanofluid technology has recently expanded to include the impregnation of multiple nanoparticles in base fluids, known as hybrid or nanocomposites. For this study, we have chosen three distinct nanoparticles and two base fluids to examine their thermo-physical characteristics and heat transmission rate. Nanofluid is prepared via the sonication method. The experiment is used to determine the thermosphysical characteristics of various nano-fluids. The double-pipe heat exchanger is employed to measure the heat transfer rate and efficiency of nano-fluids. Among six samples prepared in the present work, the ZnO2+CNT+TiO2+EG sample had shown reduced kinematic and dynamic viscosities for all the temperature ranges. However, an average value of heat transfer rate was recorded for ZnO2+CNT+TiO2+EG at 675.87 (J/s) for parallel flow and 630.79 (J/s) for counter flow. And the least effectiveness was recorded for distilled water. The hybrid nanofluid demonstrates a superior heat transfer rate and effectiveness in both parallel flow and counter flow applications. Therefore, it may be efficiently utilised in many heat transfer applications.

Optimization Studies for Extraction of Copper from Rocks

Mon, 03 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0530

This study investigates the optimization of quantitative analysis and extraction of copper from rocks in Oman. The focus is on enhancing the efficiency and accuracy of these processes for sustainable mining operations. The research employs Response Surface Methodology (RSM) to identify the optimal conditions for extracting copper using phosphoric acid boiling and thermite mixture methods. X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) is employed to characterize the extracted samples and understand the mineralogical compositions. The RSM analysis revealed the optimal conditions for copper extraction using phosphoric acid boiling. X-ray diffraction analysis of the extracted copper samples showed that the majority of the copper was extracted as metallic Copper (Cu). The optimization of these processes is crucial for improving the efficiency and sustainability of mining operations in the country. X-ray diffraction analysis provides valuable insights into the mineralogical composition of the extracted samples, which can be used to optimize the extraction processes further.

Innovative Strategies for Coal/Lignite Beneficiation with Progressive RAMDARS Technology Integration

Dhananjay Kumar, Kulshresth Singh, Sudipta Mukhopadhyay (Author) — Fri, 31 May 2024 00:00:00 +0530

Coal and lignite, essential to worldwide energy production, cause emissions and ash management issues. Coal/lignite beneficiation is promising for economic and environmental advantages. This literature review and empirical study examines its effects on emissions reduction, pollution management, and ash handling efficiency. The sustainable solution research assesses emissions reduction methods and reveals hidden benefits like ecological benefits. The findings support coal/lignite beneficiation in energy production and inform policymakers, energy producers, and environmental stakeholders. This study discusses contemporary beneficiation technologies, including RAMDARS, and suggests a promising energy future. Combining detailed research and a case study shows the industry's revolutionary potential. A bright perspective beyond technological development emphasizes the sector's preparedness to contribute significantly to a sustainable energy future through continual innovation, cooperation, and RAMDARS integration.

Management of Mine Dust for Optimum Ambient Air Quality of Suakati Region- A Case Study

Soumya Ranjan Mallick (Author) — Thu, 30 May 2024 00:00:00 +0530

Mining is one of the core sectors of the Indian economy. Mining of minerals is inevitable. Simultaneous mining is also associated with the degradation of the environment. Over the years, minerals have been exploited without giving due consideration to environmental degradation. Dust generation is the result of almost all the activities of a mine, which is primarily responsible for various occupational health hazards, environmental pollution, etc. This paper presents various aspects of mine dust, mine air quality, and the impact of such dust on the nearby environment. An attempt has been made to determine the most effective practices for better ambient air quality.

Synthesis and Tensile Characterisation of B4C Particles Reinforced Al7475 (Al-Zn) Alloy Composites

Fri, 07 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0530

This experimental research analyses tensile and microstructural behaviour followed by Al7475 (Al-Zn) metal alloy with 3 and 6 wt% of composites of B4C. The liquid metallurgical technique was used in this analysis for creating the Al7475 alloy with 3 and 6 wt% percentages of B4C particle composites. Additional techniques such as EDS/SEM were also employed in this analysis to determine the microstructural behaviour. ASTM Standards are followed to study the mechanical behaviour of Al7475 alloy with B4C-reinforced composites. The incorporation of B4C particles into Al7475 resulted in extreme characteristics in the field of the composite material thereby enhancing its maximum application. By combining different materials, the hardness and tensile strength of the composites improved. Tensile fractured surfaces indicated the brittle and ductile mode of fracture behaviour in the Al7075-B4C composites.

Impact of In-Seam Dirt Bands on the Performance of Surface Miners in Coal Mines

Om Prakash Singh, P. Y. Dhekne, Manoj Pradhan (Author) — Wed, 12 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0530

Surface miner was introduced for coal extraction at Lakhanpur open cast project of Mahanadi Coalfields Limited in 1999 for the first time and owing to its success and benefits it offered like elimination of drilling and blasting, smooth and stable high wall, selective mining for quality control and uniform output fragment size (-100mm) etc. it was adopted in many open cast coal mines and now has become a disruptive mass production technology for coal mining in India. In terms of coal resources in the country, Odisha stands first with 88.104 BT resources but the coal seams in Odisha are characterized by its high ash content and interlaced dirt bands (10 cm to 1.5 m) often termed as rejects. For maintaining coal quality, these dirt bands predominantly of sandstone and shale are also cut by surface miners and are segregated at the time of loading and transported to reject dumps or overburden dumps. These dirt bands have a significant impact on the performance of surface miners and must be taken into account during their selection. The authors, based on the intensive field study undertaken at different opencast coal mines in Odisha highlighted the impact of in-seam dirt bands in coal seams on the performance indicators of surface miners which are normalized production rate, diesel and pick consumption for cutting 1000te of material in this paper. Pick consumption was found to vary linearly with the quantum of abrasive material cut. Empirical relations for estimating monthly normalized production, diesel consumption, and pick consumption of surface miners operating in coal seams with intermittent dirt bands with a coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.74, 0.84, and 0.73 respectively were also developed. The developed relations were validated with the field data and the % error was found to be within +20%. This study helps the coal mining companies in the selection of suitable surface miners for achieving targeted production and also for planning inventory of picks and diesel during its operation.