Energy Assessment of the Application of Heat Pumps for Optimizing the Use of Energy Resources in an Iron Ore Mine

Abstract

Method of energy re-equipment of an iron ore mine is proposed. The energy assessment of the iron ore mine was carried out for several important reasons: optimization of energy consumption: the assessment helped to identify main sources of energy consumption and identify where its use could be reduced, thus decreasing energy costs; energy saving: identified potential measures to increase energy efficiency, such as modernization of equipment, improvement of technological processes and introduction of new energy-saving technologies, which increases the profitability of the enterprise; environmental impact: large amounts of carbon dioxide are released into the atmosphere during the operation of power plants at the mine, which runs on fossil fuels, which contributes to global warming, reducing energy consumption helps to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases and other pollutants, which contributes to the improvement of the ecological situation. Energy assessment allows an iron ore mine to meet national and international energy efficiency standards, which can be important for obtaining environmental certificates and government support. Investment planning: The assessment allows the mine to understand where it is best to invest to improve efficiency and profitability. During the energy assessment, information on energy consumption was collected and summarized, the necessary calculations were performed, the available technical and operational documentation was reviewed, and energy-efficient measures were proposed to reduce energy consumption. The paper considers the procedure for energy assessment of a mine in Kryvyi Rih, where focusing on energy efficiency becomes not only a strategic decision, but also a necessity to ensure the sustainable development of the industry and environmental protection. Energy-efficient methods of saving thermal energy at iron ore mines can significantly reduce energy consumption and costs of the enterprise. Main methods include: the use of heat pumps (heat pumps use the low-potential heat of mine waters to heat premises and produce hot water); insulation and modernization of buildings (updating the thermal insulation of industrial and administrative premises reduces heat loss, reducing the need for heating); introduction of heat recovery systems (recovery systems allow to reuse the heat released during the operation of technological equipment or ventilation systems); automation and control of heating systems (installation of automatic temperature control and thermoregulation systems allows you to precisely maintain the required level of heat without excessive energy consumption); optimization of technological processes (modernization of equipment and implementation of energy-efficient technologies in production processes reduces the need for thermal energy); reduction of heat loss in ventilation systems; utilization of heat from waste gases (use of modern boilers and heat exchangers). The application of these energy-efficient technologies and methods in iron ore mines allows to significantly reduce the cost of thermal energy, increase the overall energy efficiency and reduce the environmental impact. Ensuring the reliable and efficient functioning of the mine requires constant attention to the issues of energy conservation and optimization of the use of energy resources.