Energy-use Assessment and Energy-saving Potential Analysis in an Underground Coal Mine: A Case Study

Underground coal mining consumes a large amount of electrical energy to run the equipment such as ventilation fan, pumping/dewatering, belt conveyors, rope haulages, face machinery, and illumination. Underground coal mining has less production and high output cost (cost per unit of coal production) due to the low effective utilization of equipment and also depends on geological conditions of the mine i.e. mine environment and condition of the roof. As the electrical energy cost for the coal mining industry is increasing every year, coal mining enterprises must conserve electrical energy for the reduction in output cost. In this paper, energy-use analysis has been performed to concept a benchmark for coal production at minimum specific energy consumption in an Indian underground coal mine. In preliminary inspection, different energy data are collected for major high energy consuming areas in the mining plant. A power balance chart of different equipment used in the mine has been prepared as per the working hours of equipment and demand factor of different equipment considering productivity norms to examine the shares of energy consumption. Results and major verdicts regarding energy cost reduction possibilities for several critical areas have been discussed to improve the energy-standard of the coal mine. This case study in an underground mining field scrutinizes the possible common energy-saving potential through detailed techno-economic analysis.