Preliminary investigation on temperature, chemistry and isotopes of mine water pumped in Bytom geological basin (USCB Poland) as a potential geothermal energy source

Abstract

Preliminary investigation on temperature, chemistry and isotopes of mine water pumped in Bytom geological basin (USCB,Southern Poland) as a potential geothermal energy source. International Journal of Coal Geology, 164, pp. 104-114. (doi:10.1016/j.coal.2016 This is the author's final accepted version.There may be differences between this version and the published version. You are advised to consult the publisher's version if you wish to cite from it. AbstractMine water from both operating and abandoned mines can be used for individual space heating projects, district heating/cooling systems or for preheating air for mine ventilation. Examples of such applications are already known from Canada, US, Netherlands, UK, and Spain. The Upper Silesian Coal Basin (USCB) in Poland, where 34 of 65 hard coal mines have been abandoned since 1989, represents a potentially large opportunity for mine water heating schemes. This paper describes the mines from Bytom (northern USCB) as a potential location for ground source heat extraction projects. Hydrogeological and hydrogeochemical studies of pumped waters have been carried out in order to better understand the potential of the Bytom heat resource. The monitoring program is still ongoing, but initial results compare favorably with existing mine water geothermal source systems where water temperatures are comparable or lower than those found at Bytom. Initial hydrochemical and isotope data demonstrate stability in water composition at most of the monitoring points. These data elucidate the hydrogeological cycle during active dewatering and provide a baseline for understanding the geothermal behavior of the system, which is crucial for optimizing heat extraction. Preliminary results also reveal very stable mine water temperatures in the pumped, and hydrologically connected, Szombierki system and suggest remarkable stability in the characteristics of the main hydrothermal reservoirs.

Hydrochemical characterization of a mine water geothermal energy resource in NW Spain

“…Stable isotope analyses were undertaken at the Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre (SUERC) laboratories, East Kilbride, and full details of procedure can be found in Burnside et al (2016). Samples of water for δ 18 O and δ 2 H were taken in triplicate using clean 10 ml screwcap glass vials sealed with Parafilm to prevent any evaporation.…”

“…In addition, water quality variations can be related to depth and to effects of the exploitation method (mixing induced by pumping, effect of reinjection, pumping at different depths, etc.). Detailed hydrogeochemical studies of pumped mine waters in the UK (Burnside et al 2016a and b) and Poland (Janson et al 2016) have revealed much about the history and subsurface mixing of mine waters, provided vital information for geothermal projects, and have laid the foundations for further mine water geothermal investigations, such as this one.…”

Guidance for the Integrated Use of Hydrological, Geochemical, and Isotopic Tools in Mining Operations

“…Less mineralized groundwater percolates into the mine from shallower aquifers and fills the water column at the top, while more mineralized mine water usually can be found in deeper sections of the mine. Convective cells of different water qualities, driven for example by thermal gradients, may also build up in the subsurface controlled by the mine structure, such as developed roadways (Burnside et al 2016a, b;Janson et al 2016;Hünefeld-Mugova and Wolkersdorfer 2018). Disturbances of the system's hydraulic equilibrium can result in a collapse of the water body's stratification and the uncontrolled discharge of contaminated mine water.…”

Water from abandoned mines as a heat source: practical experiences of open- and closed-loop strategies, United Kingdom

“…The work reported in this paper specifically addresses the design and operation of heat exchange solutions to understand and minimise hydrogeochemical risks. Internationally, the Barredo shaft heat pump scheme at Mieres, northern Spain (Loredo et al 2017), and the proposed Ewa shaft heat pump scheme at the Szombierki coal mine, Bytom, Poland (Janson et al 2016), are included as LoCAL study sites, together with a number of schemes in the United Kingdom. The paper will examine, in turn, the British LoCAL study sites and summarise the experiences to date with each site.…”