Ventilation savings with fuel cell vehicles

摘要

Diesel powered vehicles have made underground mines more efficient, but with the advent of Diesel Particulate Matter (DPM) regulations, in most cases, extra ventilation and/or engine emissions control technology will be required. Using fuel cell powered vehicles will not need these measures to be taken. Nine US underground mines of varying production rates and mining methods were studied to determine possible ventilation reductions if their diesel fleets were replaced with identical fuel cell powered vehicles. Factors that might limit ventilation reductions, such as heat and the effects on other pollutants were determined for each mine. The ventilation cost savings and other benefits of fuel cell vehicles show that when they are commercially available they have the potential of being viable alternatives to diesel vehicles.