Réné Fournier operating an LHD on biodiesel blend.
15 March 1998
Note: Opinions expressed in this newsletter reflect those of the authors, and not necessarily the opinion(s) of other DEEP members.
Réné Fournier operating an LHD on biodiesel blend.
Improving safety in underground mining is a constant task. Besides the normal hazards associated with working with blasting agents and heavy equipment in confined spaces, there are long-term human health issues that must be considered. One such issue is the potential for adverse health effects caused by microscopic soot particles which form when diesel fuel burns. Reducing the emission of these contaminants into the workplace is being addressed by a pro-active and cooperative government-industry-labour research consortium called the Diesel Emissions Evaluation Program (DEEP).
DEEP is a three year program officially launched in May 1997 as a pro-active response to suggestions of up to a ten-fold reduction of exposure limits for diesel particulates. Specific objectives include:
The Management Board is responsible for all aspects of DEEP, in particular finances, guidelines and the appointment of the Technical Committee. The Technical Committee solicits and evaluates proposals, tracks the progress of projects, and involves outside experts as required. CAMIRO acts as the Treasurer of DEEP while CANMET provides the Secretary.
DEEP is well underway. We have a planned budget of about one million dollars in direct costs supplemented by a substantial amount of in-kind contributions by many stakeholders. We have an active Management Board and Technical Committee. Two projects have been started and several more are being reviewed and will begin in Q1 1998.
We have known since the1600's that miners get respiratory health problems more frequently because of conditions of the environment we work in. Silicosis, asbestosis, tuberculosis, pneumoconiosis, lung cancer, gastro-intestinal cancer, nasal cancer, chronic obstructive lung disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, bronchitis, to name a few, form the list of complaints. Mining conditions have improved as technology and methods changed, often as a result of pressure from miners' unions and government regulators.
There is now an increased focus on diesel emissions because of studies suggesting that they can contribute to heart disease, irritate the eyes and respiratory systems, decrease lung function, and cause asthma and cancer. Environmental conditions in open pit mines and underground operations are of concern, although DEEP is currently focused on the latter.
These concerns are not unique to the mining industry. Diesel shops in steel mills, and shipping and receiving depots in many warehouses and industrial operations are sources of constant complaints about irritations, coughing, and fears of cancer. Outside the workplace, growing public concern about air quality, rising asthma and bronchitis rates in urban areas, and the broader contribution of fossil fuels to climate change have driven regulators to impose restrictions on vehicle emissions. It should be noticed that engine manufacturers are able to provide the mining industry with new electronically controlled diesel engines which, when maintained properly, significantly reduce diesel emissions on their own, because EPA regulations in the U.S.A. have required the manufacturers to dramatically improve engine performance to keep trucks on the road.
Now all mine operators have to start thinking about how they will meet more and more stringent diesel emissions standards. DEEP offers them an effective means to do that. As a consortium, we can raise money, bring labour, management, government, and researchers together, identify research strategies, and fund specific projects. We can use the best researchers, evaluate the most up-to-date technologies, and then communicate world wide through our home page on the net.
Miners' health is at risk. DEEP is the opportunity to get started on the next generation of solutions.
Time constraints and budgets do not permit DEEP to engage in longer-term R&D. Therefore the intent is to use existing, commercially available technologies and demonstrate their underground effectiveness. A focus on emissions reduction technologies over the next two to three years will be critical to the success of DEEP.
A three-year technical plan has been drafted, which is available on the DEEP website: www.deep.org. Major deliverables for the program are:
In-mine testwork has been completed on the initial DEEP projects, which are 1) an assessment of a 50% blend of biodiesel fuel at INCO's Creighton mine in Sudbury; and 2) evaluation of diesel aerosol sampling methodologies at the BMS mine in New Brunswick.
A proposal for emissions-based maintenance has just been approved. Maintenance has a high priority for most DEEP participants, as it is seen to be crucial if operations are to consistently maintain lower emissions targets. Other proposals under development include an analysis of the impact of light-duty vehicles on air quality, and systematic bench/field test evaluations of fuel, engine and aftertreatment technologies.
Furthermore, some pre-proposals from organizations not directly involved in DEEP will be integrated into the bench tests mentioned above, and may be considered for further field tests. Finally, several DEEP members also have significant diesel emissions projects outside of the context of DEEP.
Win Watts and Bruce Conard at the Creighton mine
The main objective of this in-mine evaluation was to determine the reductions in exhaust emissions, air quality improvement and costs of operating a test vehicle on a 50% blend of biodiesel and low sulfur winter blend diesel fuel (D2) with an advanced design diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC, or catalytic converter) meeting the U.S. retrofit bus specification. Another objective was to compare sampling and analytical methods as explained in the next article, including a comparison of American (by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)) and European (by IGF of Germany) methods for Elemental Carbon (EC) analysis. Biodegradable biodiesel fuel is produced from vegetable oils which have a naturally high oxygen content that facilitates the combustion process, leading to lower soot output. The DOC is utilized to reduce aldehydes and the soluble organic fraction of particulates.
The Biodiesel Project Team consisted of personnel from the University of Minnesota (UMN), INCO, Ortech, CANMET, NIOSH, Michigan Technological University, and IGF. Additional support was received from the Ontario Soybean Growers' Marketing Board and the Manufacturers of Emission Controls Association. The team was in the field for about three weeks in October 1997 at Creighton Mine #3 shaft in Sudbury, Ontario.
DPM and exhaust gas emissions were measured and characterized from a diesel scoop powered by a Deutz F12L413 FW, 270 hp, indirect injection engine equipped with a DOC. During the first week of the evaluation the scoop was operated on D2 fuel only. During the second week the scoop was operated on the 50% blend of SME and D2 fuel. Complete results will be available in June 1998.
Kevin Butler oversees the sample array at BMS.
The aim of this project is to evaluate the relative merits of three sampling methods that assess the exposure of workers to airborne concentrations of diesel particulate matter (DPM), and to assess the impact of sulfide minerals as interference to one of the methods. CANMET is the lead research agency for this study with a noteworthy contribution from Noranda, the host site and the cooperation of INCO Ltd., NIOSH, and the University of Minnesota.
The sampling methods being evaluated are:
In-mine testing was conducted during a two-week period in November 1997 at Noranda's Brunswick Mining Division, during which over 500 samples were collected. Simulated production work involved a scoop tram handling sulfide ore on a pre-determined duty cycle. To date, most of the sample analyses have been performed but a significant amount of work still remains in the areas of mineralogical, size-distribution and gas analysis. A draft report is expected by May 1998.
19 & 20 October 1997
The Diesel AdHoc Committee is an extension of cooperative efforts since 1986 to address concerns of exposure to diesel emissions in mines. Englehard sponsored this year's Diesel AdHoc Committee Conference in Toronto, which was a resounding success. Over 130 people attended, a substantial increase over previous years that reflects anticipation of reductions to permissible levels of diesel particulates in the mine environment. Mine operators, union members, R&D providers, and regulators exchanged ideas in an information-rich environment.
The conference agenda included coverage of the current status of DEEP, descriptions of the biodiesel and sampling projects for DEEP, and work at INCO, CANMET's Mining and Energy Laboratories, and the U of Minnesota's (UMN) Center for Diesel Research. MSHA presented its new Emissions Assisted Maintenance Procedure (EAMP), developed at UMN, which will specify testing requirements related to equipment maintenance. A special session covered progress with new diesel engine designs at Caterpillar, Cummins, Deutz, and Kubota. Englehard, DCL, ECS and COMTEC presented recent results with DOCs, filters and fuel catalysts, and another special session dealt with sampling issues.
The next Diesel AdHoc conference is tentatively planned for the end of October 1998.