Heat source determination in waste rock dumps
No Thumbnail Available
Date
1997-09-29
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
World Scientific
Abstract
Oxidation of sulfidic materials in waste rock dumps leads to a degradation in water quality and consequent environmental impacts through acid mine drainage. Predicting the pollutant loads from a dump requires the sulfidic oxidation rates be determined. Oxidation generates heat at a rate proportional to the oxidation rate. The temperature profile of the dump depends upon the distribution and magnitude of heat sources, the thermal conductivity of the dump material, heat transport mechanisms and the dump boundary conditions (heat losses and insolation).
A technique originally reported [1][2] to determine the heat source distribution from a dump by solving an inverse time dependent heat conduction equation showed considerable promise. That model is extended to allow for the transport of heat by water moving downwards in the dump and to accommodate additional boundary conditions. The inverse problem is solved with regularisation. Once the heat source terms are found, the rate of sulfidic oxidation is computable. The methods described here form the basis of a software package available for use in rock dump investigations.
The methods are applied to determine heat sources in sections of a stable Australian rock dump well suited to treatment by this inverse process. Results of incorporating water transport and new boundary condition in the model are reported and their effect on the predictive power of the approach discussed.
Description
Keywords
Heat sources, Wastes, Rocks, Australia, Water, Cooling, Thermal conductivity
Citation
Barry, J. M. (1997). Heat source determination in waste rock dumps. Paper presented to the Eigth Biennial Conference, Computational Techniques and Applications: CTAC97, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia, 29 September - 1 October 1997. (pp. 83-90). In Noye, J., Teubner, M., & Gill, A. (1998). Proceedings of the Eight Biennial Conference, Computational Techniques and Applications: CTAC97, the University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia, 29 September - 1 October 1997. Singapore: World Scientific.