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Article

Hydrogeological and Mining Considerations in the Design of a Pumping Station in a Shaft of a Closed Black Coal Mine

by
Kajetan d’Obyrn
1,
Paweł Kamiński
2,
Damian Cień
1,*,
Sebastian Jendrysik
2 and
Dariusz Prostański
2
1
Faculty of Geology, Geophysics and Environmental Protection, AGH University of Krakow, Mickiewicza 30 Av., 30-059 Krakow, Poland
2
KOMAG Institute of Mining Technology, 44-101 Gliwice, Poland
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Energies 2024, 17(13), 3297; https://doi.org/10.3390/en17133297
Submission received: 1 April 2024 / Revised: 26 June 2024 / Accepted: 3 July 2024 / Published: 5 July 2024
(This article belongs to the Topic Mining Safety and Sustainability, 2nd Volume)
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Versions Notes

Abstract

:
In an overwhelming number of cases, the closure of a coal mine in Poland, for safety reasons, requires the installation of a pumping station and systems for the drainage of inflowing water due to its connection via roadways, goaves, or water-leaking pillars with other adjacent active mines. Due to operational costs, stationary pumping stations are being replaced with submersible pumping stations, wherever the geological/mining conditions allow this. The key factors to be considered when designing a submersible pumping station include the estimated water influx and the storage and emergency reservoir fill-up time. If the water level in the emergency reservoir exceeds the level of the maximum ordinate, there is the risk of water flooding an adjacent active mine, which poses a serious safety risk to this mine. A pumping station design must ensure that water can be pumped out also in emergency situations and must ensure permanent control over the level of the water table. The pumped-out water, after potential treatment, can be utilized as technological water in industrial plants. In the designed pumping station, it is also feasible to establish underground pumped-storage hydropower. This would enable the storage of energy from renewable sources, thereby contributing to CO2 emission reduction.

1. Introduction

Dewatering is one of the key processes carried out by mining companies to ensure the safety of their operation. Due to the constant inflow of water into mine workings, dewatering must be ensured throughout the entire operational cycle of a mine [1,2,3,4]. The need for dewatering has existed virtually from the very dawn of mining, because water has always represented one of the main hazards to mining. For many centuries, water was drawn from mines using buckets and bags suspended on windlasses, while closed mining fields were often simply flooded [5]. The industrial revolution and technological advances have changed the industry’s approach to dewatering and brought about the use of effective pumps of various designs, which are constantly being modernised. Existing issues related to the dewatering of mines are well known and are regulated in Poland by mining law [6,7,8,9,10]. Underground mines have to be dewatered from the very beginning of a mine’s existence, during the mining of shafts or the excavation of dip roads or adits, during the mine’s entire active period, during its closure, and often also after its closure [11,12,13,14,15].
This is the case in many closed mining sites in the Upper Silesian Coal Basin (USCB). For many years, tens of mines have been exploited in this area in the close vicinity of one another, have affected each other or have had direct or indirect connections with one another [10,16]. Many of these mines were closed in the 20th and 21st centuries, mainly as a result of political changes in Poland and due to the restructuring of the mining industry [17,18]. But their existence still affects the remaining active mining sites. It is therefore necessary to protect them against uncontrolled inflow or rapid inrush of water accumulated in the workings and goaves of closed mines [19,20,21,22,23].
Closed mining sites in Poland are usually dewatered using one of three systems: a stationary dewatering system, a submersible pumping station, or a gravity dewatering system. The structure of a stationary pumping station resembles a simplified and small-scale underground mine. Such pumping stations require the maintenance of a substantial underground and overground infrastructure, such as mining shafts, galleries, pumping stations or electrical machinery, sometimes in large quantities [24,25].
A submersible pumping station requires a single mining shaft that has been adequately pre-prepared, both in terms of the shaft itself (its equipment and lining), as well as its under- and overground surroundings. Water is accumulated in the surrounding mine workings and shaft and pumping units are installed in the shaft [26,27,28,29,30,31]. However, certain hydrogeological conditions must be met and the scope of pumping and the maximum level of submersion have to be determined. Due to the fact that the structure of a submersible pumping station is very simple in comparison to a stationary pumping station, the maintenance of this type of equipment is much easier, cheaper and safer. One of the biggest costs of maintaining a mine is its drainage [32]. In the conditions of the USCB, the pumping of water using submersible pumping stations is approximately 75% cheaper than using stationary pumping stations and consequently this model of pumping out water flowing into the workings of closed mines is currently the most popular [33]. In the case of a gravity dewatering system, groundwater flows to a surface water course or to the workings of an adjacent mining site (e.g., of a closed mine equipped with an operational submersible or stationary pumping station) without any assistance [34].
The inflow of water into underground mine workings depends on many factors, such as the geological structure, hydrogeological conditions present in the mineral field and its surroundings, the method of exploitation and liquidation of the goaves, the quantity of workings and their location, as well as the age of the mine [35,36,37,38,39]. The design of dewatering in an active or a closed mine, therefore, requires a number of tests. In the case of a pumping station set up in a closed mining site, it is first necessary to determine the estimated inflow of water into the pumping station and the capacity of the water reservoirs [40,41,42,43].
This paper describes the hydrogeological conditions, technical possibilities and the assumptions for specific technical solutions needed for the construction of a submersible pumping station, on the example of a pumping station installed in the Roździeński shaft of the closed Wieczorek black coal mine. The methodology of designing the present pumping station represents an example of the universal approach to the planning of pumping stations in closed mines worldwide, in the case of their connection with adjacent mines. Its application can effectively serve as a model and starting point for similar mining situations worldwide. This paper not only presents a detailed case study of the Roździeński shaft’s submersible pumping station but also introduces innovative methodologies for designing and implementing efficient dewatering systems in closed mines. The novel approach outlined here sets a new standard for cost-effective and sustainable mine water management globally.

2. Characteristics of the Wieczorek Coal Mine

The history of the closed Wieczorek black coal mine dates back to the beginning of the 19th century, when it was created in Katowice as the Morgenroth mine and later operated as the Giesche mine. Following the end of World War Two, the mine operated as the Janów mine and subsequently as the Wieczorek mine in recent years. In 2018, the mine went into liquidation.
Due to the existence of hydraulic connections with the active workings of adjacent mines, after the termination of mining activities by the Wieczorek mine it was necessary to continue with the drainage of water flowing into its workings. Despite losing its mining functionality, the Roździeński shaft, together with the Giszowiec ventilation shaft, will remain active until all water is drawn by the stationary pumping station at the level of 630 m and an auxiliary pumping station at the level of 730 m. The submersible dewatering system designed in the Roździeński shaft is to replace a stationary system, while the Giszowiec shaft will be liquidated following the completion of the final model of dewatering with the use of submersible pumps and the liquidation of the stationary pumping station.

2.1. Hydrogeological Setting

The surroundings of the closed mine contain Quaternary formations that are disposed directly over Carboniferous formations that were exploited for coal extraction, which are scattered across the field area in the form of a series of variable thickness and shape and remain in contact with hydraulic and Carboniferous aquifers. The Quaternary aquifer system is related to the local presence of sand, sandy silt, very sandy clay and occasional gravel deposits. Quaternary deposits have been partially or completely dewatered across a large area of the Wieczorek mining zone. The exploitation of coal deposits for many years has made the orogen more permeable because of the occurrence of post-mining fractures and fissures, which provide convenient routes for the infiltration of water from the surface and from Quaternary layers.
The current affluents of water into the mine from Carboniferous formations made up of sandstones and claystones have their origin in dynamic sources, which are supplied in the locations of outcrops of Carboniferous layers onto the surface and from precipitation waters that infiltrate through permeable Quaternary formations. The water supply area practically covers the entire mine area. The hydrogeological parameters of sandstones in Porębskie layers that are dominant in the area of the existing stationary pumping station, which is to become a submersible pumping station in the near future, at the depth of 615–800 m (−340 to −525 m AMSL), analysed in 11 boreholes drilled in the adjacent mine, are demonstrated in Table 1. The mean hydraulic conductivity of these layers is k = 4.93 × 10−8 m/s. The hydraulic conductivity of permeable Carboniferous formations situated above, determined in the course of trial pumping, was between k = 2.38 × 10−5 m/s and k = 6.00 × 10−4 m/s.
Groundwater in the area of the closed Wieczorek mine flows in the north to south direction, towards the area of the Roździeński shaft, along the gradient of the field and the mine workings. The average influx of water into the mine in 2018 was 6.27 m3/min, of which 5.88 m3/min was attributable to water from natural affluents and 0.38 m3/min to water from hydraulic stowage. Following the termination of mining activities in the mine in 2018, the stowage works were also finished. In 2019, the average natural inflow was 5.21 m3/min, while in 2020 it shrank to 4.37 m3/min. In the first quarter of 2021 the inflow rose to 5.30 m3/min, which represents an increase of over 21%.

2.2. Mining Conditions

The main dewatering system in the closed Wieczorek mine is currently based on stationary pumping stations, which include a main pumping station at the level of 630 m and an auxiliary pumping station at the level of 730 m. The collective mine water is pumped out from the main pumping station at the Roździeński shaft towards the surface via shaft pipelines. A pipe casing holds Ø 400 and Ø 350 mm pipelines, while the Roździeński shaft holds three Ø 350 mm pipelines. The main pumping station holds six pumping units equipped with pumps of the output of Q = 8.33 m3/min each. The total volume of waterways of the main pumping station is approximately 11,630 m3. The auxiliary pumping station holds three pumping units equipped with pumps of the output of Q = 2.5 m3/min each. The total volume of waterways of the auxiliary pumping station is approximately 1630 m3. Waterways located at the pumping stations enable the separation of water into highly mineralized (>30 g/L) and low mineralized (1–30 g/L) water. After being pumped out onto the surface, mine water is fed to settlement tanks in order to reduce the content of suspended matter to <30 mg/L before its discharge into the nearby creek.
The Roździeński shaft was selected as the location of the new submersible pumping station, due to the incline of the field and the mine workings and due to the local and technical conditions, including the existing surface and underground infrastructure. The shaft was mined in the years 1960–1963 to the depth of 673.56 m, and then deepened further in the years 1987–1989 to the depth of 751.16 m. Between 1998 and 1999, the shaft achieved its current depth of 723.70 m due to the liquidation of its lower section. The diameter of the shaft is 7.50 m. The Roździeński shaft performed the role of a downcast shaft as well as an extraction, material, and service shaft, and as a result it was provided with overground infrastructure such as social backup facilities, offices, electrical substation, and a mine water treatment facility, as well as water, heating and sewage pipelines. The top of the shaft is situated at the level of 273.66 m AMSL. The shaft is protected along various sections with brick wall lining (to the depth of 46.0 m), concrete lining (between 46.0 and 673.0 m) and bentonite wall lining (below the depth of 673.0 m) of variable thickness. The shaft has 18 inlets, some of which have already been liquidated.
Due to its functionality, the shaft was equipped with two hoisting machines, including one skip hoist (with two conveyances) and one cage hoist (also with two conveyances). The cages travelled in the southern section of the shaft, while skips were installed in the northern section. The shaft was also equipped with a ladder section between levels 550 and 730 m, pipelines, including main dewatering pipelines, a compressed air pipeline, a firefighting and seepage pipelines, as well as power supply, signal and telecommunication cables.
In total, 11 layers of coal were mined in the area of the Roździeński shaft, of which 9 were of the total thickness of 20 m using the cave mining technique and 2 were of the total thickness of about 16 m with the application of hydraulic stowage. However, the shaft pillar was only partially disturbed during the mining of some of these levels, so the Roździeński shaft itself and the workings in its area have not been significantly damaged. This fact was one of the factors that supported the decision to install the submersible pumping station in these workings.

3. Forecast of the Water Inflow to the Pumping Station

When designing a submersible pumping station, it is necessary to estimate the future inflow of water into the pumping station and to determine the capacity of the storage and emergency reservoirs of the pumping station. In order to forecast the amount of water inflow into the pumping station, we analysed the fluctuation of the natural inflow into the mine over the last 30 years, depending on the amount of precipitation in these years (Figure 1). Infiltration of water in active mining areas can amount to approx. 30% of precipitation [34].
In the case of the 1990–2000 period, there is weak correlation between precipitation and water inflow into the mine, wherein there is a one year interval between the increase/decrease of inflow and the increase/decrease in the amount of precipitation. But during the last 20 years it is hard to see any correlation. Due to a delay between the inflow and the precipitation, caused by the infiltration of water through an orogen of irregular permeability and due to hydrogeological conditions and areas affected by mining (goaves, collapse zones, fracture zones), it is not necessary to analyse the inflow with a higher frequency than an annual mean inflow. Higher inflow rate in 1998 was caused by torrential rains that affected Poland in the course of the previous year, however the torrential rains that occurred in 2010 did not cause a significant increase in the inflow to the mine in 2011. This comparison also indicates that it is not necessary to include climate changes and the increase in the amount of torrential rainfall in the inflow forecast. Lower inflow values in recent years can be attributed to lower infiltration resulting from the tightening of voids and post-mining fractures, but not to the lower amount of rainfall, as this was subject to fluctuation (Figure 1).
The inflow forecast is prepared for a period of approximately 20 years, due to the maximum possible period of operation of neighbouring mines, so as to prevent an overflow of water via post-mining goaves workings, or via indirect hydraulic connections (e.g., leftover pillars) before their complete closure, which would cause flooding of the active mines. The inflow forecast can be based on the determination of an inflow trend on the basis of long-term observation. However, as shown in the illustration below (Figure 2), in the case of four trend lines with different equations, the value of R2 increases for trend lines that are increasingly sloped in the direction of the X axis, i.e., their inflow values decrease over time, which is correct in mathematical terms, but not correct in natural conditions. The stabilisation of the inflow of the value of approx. 6.0 m3/min seems to be the most plausible, but this trend has the lowest R2 value (Figure 2).
Table 2 shows the statistical values that formed the basis for the forecast of water inflow into the mine and for the determination of the number and output of pumps installed in the designed submersible pumping station
According to Polish mining regulations, the pumping station must be able to pump out the entire 24 h inflow in a maximum time of 20 h. The average inflow of 6.5 m3/min was assumed for further design calculations, but calculations were also made for the inflow value of 5.0 m3/min.

4. Underground Water Reservoirs and Their Flooding Time

Apart from the Roździeński shaft, other key elements of the submersible pumping station infrastructure include some of the roadways at levels 630 and 730 m, especially those directly adjacent to the shaft.
The water storage reservoir for the submersible pumping station in the Roździeński shaft will be provided in flooded roadways located below the ordinate of −340.0 m ASL and in collapsed goaves. The maximum ordinate of the pumping station reservoir has been set at −340.0 m ASL, due to the connection with the adjacent active mine at the level of −335.8 m ASL (Figure 3). The water capacity of the reservoir (flooded roadways and goaves) to the level of −380.0 m ASL (bottom boundary of the storage reservoir) has been estimated at approx. Q = 487.750 m3. The water capacity of the reservoir to the level of the ordinate of −360.0 m ASL (top boundary of the storage reservoir) has been estimated at approx. Q = 578.860 m3. The maximum water reservoir of the size of approx. Q = 693.040 m3 will be created when the water table reaches the maximum allowable emergency level of −340 m ASL. The capacity of water reservoirs was calculated only with the consideration of roadways and goaves, while the inclusion of the water capacity of the orogen may inflate the defined values by as much as 30%. The water capacity of the orogen was omitted on the basis of past experiences with the construction of submersible pumping stations in closed mines. The water capacity of the orogen also serves as a safety buffer of sorts, in view of a significant number of factors that determine the rate of infiltration of water in a geologically variable orogen that has been affected by mining activity.
During normal operation of the submersible pumping station, the level of the water table will be kept between the ordinates of the storage reservoir. The retention of water in the emergency reservoir will take place during periods of reduced total output of the submersible units, e.g., during the performance of routine maintenance, or in cases of the failure of submersible pumping station equipment or the failure of the power grid that supplies the pumping station equipment.
In view of the safety of the adjacent mine and taking into account the ongoing changes in the goaves due to the tightening of the orogen, the safest way to determine the capacity of the storage and emergency reservoirs is to consider only the capacity of the roadways, without the inclusion of the goaves and the water capacity of the orogen. This is also connected with the time delay that occurs during the filling and dewatering of the consolidating goaves. The calculated capacity of the storage reservoir, taking into account the capacity of roadways only, is 29.6 thousand m3, while the capacity of the emergency reservoir is 49.8 thousand m3, which gives a total of 79.4 thousand m3. The maximum fill-up time of the storage reservoir will be approx. 3.2 days and for the emergency reservoir approx. 5.3 days, 8.5 days in total, with the assumption of the inflow rate of 6.5 m3/min. The period of 8.5 days seems to be entirely sufficient to eliminate any defects in order to resume the pumping process, even when considering that in reality the ordinate of the water table during the normal operation of a submersible pumping station lies between the minimum and maximum ordinates of the storage reservoir (Figure 3). In this situation, the capacity of the reservoir is sufficient to continue the accumulation of the inflow for 7 days. When we consider that the inflow rate falls to approx. 5 m3/min, as has been the case in recent years, the reservoirs’ fill-up time will be extended and will amount to 4.1 days for the storage reservoir and 6.9 days in the case of the emergency reservoir.
Following the start-up of the pumping station in the shaft, the inflowing water will first flood the goaves of level 620 located below the level of 730 m, then the roadways and goaves at the level of 730 m, technical dip road 2-037, as well as the Roździeński shaft to the level of approx. −370 m AMSL (Figure 3).

5. Adaptation of Shaft and Protection Works in Mine Workings

In view of the planned use of the Roździeński shaft as a submersible pumping station for a period of 20 years, in the course of adapting the shaft it is necessary to carry out repairs and strengthening of the shaft lining, to remove the shaft’s installations and to protect the inlets to the shaft pipe. A shaft footing and a bottom support plate for the shaft plug will be constructed at the depth of approx. 606.0 m and a closure plate at the depth of 11.5 m (Figure 3). Water insulation will be provided at the section of the fluctuation of the water table in the shaft pipe. Some of the shaft lining repair works that are needed to maximise the operating life of the pumping station as much as possible include the repair of the shaft lining and the lining of the shaft inlets, including fractures, nicks, fissures and peeled-off fragments of the lining. Due to the implementation of a shaft plug at the section between the depth of approx. 11.5 BGL to approx. 606 m BGL (Figure 3), the shaft lining at this section does not require any repair, because ultimately it will be protected with hardened concrete and hydraulic/cement binder of the compressive strength of at least 5 MPa.
At the section of the possible fluctuation of the water table of approx. 80 m, the shaft lining will be protected against the effects of a corrosive aqueous environment. The main effect of changes in the chemical composition of water as a result of the infiltration of rainwater through the orogen, including the goaves, is the higher content of chloride and sulphate ions, which may cause corrosion of the shaft lining. The effects of corrosion of the shaft lining may vary in intensity, depending on the changes in the chemical composition of the water and the implemented insulating materials. Anti-corrosive protection may have the form of cement-based mortar layers with capillary properties, which due to the effect of crystallisation create a watertight layer on the surface of the shaft lining that inhibits corrosive processes and improves its resistance to corrosive chemical compounds.
The inlets to workings at different mine levels are an important element in the process of transforming the shaft into a submersible pumping station. Inlets located at the level of the planned plug must be protected so as to eliminate the possibility of the egress of liquid material that will be introduced into the shaft pipe during the construction of the plug. Inlets located below the plug will be protected in the form of a wall flush with the shaft lining, so as to eliminate the possibility of damaging the existing inlet closure and its displacement into the shaft pipe, and to eliminate the possibility of the displacement of stowage material from the liquidated mine working into the shaft pipe. Inlets at level 730 m will remain open due to the constant inflow of water. Inlets at level 630 m, on the other hand, should be closed using watertight plugs and pipe culverts. Pipe culverts in watertight plugs should be located at different levels, e.g., 1.5 and 2.7 m, due to the possibility of accumulation of suspended matter (residue) in front of the plug. At the location of the inlet to the shaft at level 630 m, it is necessary to contain the flowing water inside the run-off pipelines and direct it via these pipelines to the level of approx. 10 m below the submersible pumps. It is not acceptable to allow the water to fall freely from level 630 to the pumping station reservoir inside the shaft pipe, mainly due to the possibility of damaging the pipelines of the pumping units or the water table level sensors.
Another issue connected with adapting the shaft and the adjacent workings for the purposes of a submersible pumping station is the preparation of mine workings situated along the water flow route. These works include the protection and strengthening of run-off workings, construction of water dams, openwork dams and cascade syphon dams. Some of the protecting elements can have the form of watertight plugs with pipe culverts and spillway holes. It is also necessary to install weirs along the water run-off routes in order to reduce the flow rate and to reduce the flow of suspended matter into the shaft pipe.

6. Pumping Station

Bearing in mind the estimated maximum flow rate of 6.5 m3/min and the existing regulations regarding the “drainage of the maximum daily water inflow in a time of less than 20 h”, three submersible units of the output of minimum 7.8 m3/min (each) can be installed in the Roździeński submersible pumping station. The submersible units will be installed approx. 10 m above the ordinate of −380.0 m ASL. The individual units will be vertically displaced in relation to one another by at least 1 m, in order to minimise water flow turbulence during the simultaneous operation of the units.
The inflow of the value of 6.5 m3/min can be pumped out using one unit of the output of 7.8 m3/min in a time of 18.035 h. When two units are used, the time will be reduced to 9.017 h, and in the case of three units to 6.012 h. In the case of pressure dewatering pipeline 244.5 (Figure 4), the maximum flow rate is:
v = Q/(F244 × 60) = 2.78 m/s, for Q = 7.8 m3/min
whereas the static discharge head for the assumed output is:
Hc = 1.03 × (Hg + hc + v/(2 × 9.81)) = 729.4 m
where:
Hc
—the total static head of pump, increased by 3% in accordance with Polish regulations;
Hg
—static discharge head = 653.91 m;
hc
—static suction head = 54 m;
v
—flow rate = 2.78 m/s.
Water will be pumped out from the reservoir to the surface by submersible units, each of which will be suspended on a pumping line made of steel casing pipes of diameter Ø 244.5 × 11.05 and length of approx. 10–12 m, connected together using threaded couplings. Ø 244.5 pressure pipelines of submersible units will be introduced below the level of the shaft top into the Ø 1000 discharge pipeline located to the west of the shaft. Pipelines will be provided with cable brackets for the power supply and signal cables. A hydraulic jack can be used for the replacement of submersible units (the disassembly and assembly of pumping lines). Fittings such as a damper, flow meter, pressure transmitters, water sensors in pipelines, etc. will be installed above the supports of pumping lines on pressure pipelines.
For maintenance purposes, three platforms will be installed in the Roździeński shaft that have been designated for the installation of the submersible pumping station: a top shaft platform, a service platform, and a main supporting platform (Figure 3).
The Roździeński submersible pumping station will be equipped with a system for monitoring the operation of the pumping station equipment, the level of the water table during the flooding of the area and the operation of the submersible pumping station, consisting of:
  • Two independent and structurally different sensors for the measurement and monitoring of the water table level (hydrostatic and radar sensors);
  • Sensors for the monitoring of the temperature of the motors of submersible units;
  • A water flow sensor;
  • A sensor for the monitoring of pressure in the pressure pipeline.
Should the water table level exceed the maximum allowable level, the monitoring system will enable faster decision-making in order to eliminate the present hazard. Systems and devices for the power supply and ventilation of the submersible pumping station and for the flooding of pumping lines will be installed on the surface. At the depth of approx. 6.5 m BTL, pressure pipelines will be suspended on pipeline supports resting on the supporting platform. Each pipeline will be provided with cable brackets for a power supply and signalling cable, at intervals of 6.0 m. Steel platforms have been designed at the depth of 6.5 m and 3.65 m BTL and at the level of the top of shaft for the operational maintenance and assembly/disassembly of pumping lines with submersible units, including cable brackets on pumping lines. The devices of the Roździeński submersible pumping station will be supplied from a 6.0/0.5/0.4/0.23 kV electrical substation, which will include an accommodation room for the maintenance personnel, provided in the container. The Roździeński submersible pumping station will be equipped with a system for the monitoring of the operation of the pumping station devices. The design also includes the creation of a new reservoir for the flooding of the pumping lines, which is to be located behind the building of the dismantled skip hoist machinery.
On the surface, the discharged water will be directed to an existing well and then, via an existing system of discharge pipes, to a nearby creek. Unfortunately, the installation of a water separation system in the submersible pumping station is not possible due to salinity. All water flowing from different mine levels and via different infiltration routes through the orogen will be directed to the storage reservoir, where its chemical composition will be unified.

7. Water Quality and Its Usability

The field exploited by the Wieczorek black coal mine has an open structure. Surface waters infiltrate through a thinly-layered (mostly permeable) overburden and reduce the salinity of the Carboniferous aquifer. Genetically primary water can be found at deep levels, where it has the form of relic water. We can therefore observe normal hydrochemical zoning that is typical of the USCB area.
Water of a mineral content of up to 5 g/dm3 is present to the level of 450 m. Below this level its mineral content increases, but in the zone between 500 m and 600 m there is substantial variability, with values oscillating between 5 and 20 g/dm3. The values of hydrochemical indicators r S O 4 2 − · 100 r C l − and r N a + r C l − , which represent the ratio between the content of selected ions in the chemical composition of water [44], demonstrate that the level of 450 m divides the field into two different zones (Table 3).
The value of indicator r N a + r C l − of more than 1 characterises a zone of good water exchange and good supplementation with infiltrating precipitation. In geological terms, therefore, these are young waters. Water found at levels below 450 m has less contact with infiltrating waters and demonstrates different levels of metamorphosis ( r S O 4 2 − · 100 r C l − and r N a + r C l − < 1). Some of the samples taken from levels 580 and 730 can even be classified as very highly metamorphic relic water that has been completely isolated from the terrain surface and from other aquifers for a very long time. Such variation of the hydrochemical characteristics of water found at different levels suggests that water flows into the Roździeński shaft from different aquifers of variable hydrogeochemical characteristics.

7.1. Source of Industrial Water

When considering the usability of mine water discharged by submerged pumping stations, we have to take into account the chemical composition of the collective water. In the case of the Roździeński shaft, this is mainly defined by water flowing into levels 630 m and 730 m.
According to the classification of mine water [24], which is commonly used in Poland, water from the Roździeński shaft can be classified as category III water, i.e., moderately salinated water (Table 4). Water of this category is characterised by a total content of chlorides and sulphates of between 0.8 and 42.0 g/L.
Moderately salinated water is not suitable for direct use in most technological processes. In many mines it is used to fill voids with ash/water mixtures [24,45]. This is beneficial, because ash bonds with water or retains most of the water in pores [46,47]. This reduces the total salt content that is discharged with mine water into the surface water.
The main direction in the utilisation of moderately salinated water is its discharge into surface water [48]. The injection of highly mineralized mine water into the orogen may have promising effects [49,50,51].
At the Roździeński pumping station, water can be also utilised using concentration and desalination to recover salt and other chemical compounds. This water can be concentrated into saline water using membrane methods.
After potential treatment to the necessary extent for a given industry, water from the Roździeński pumping station can serve as an attractive source for industrial water supply. In Upper Silesia, a Polish industrial region, there are many industrial plants that could potentially be recipients of such water. An example is the Jaworzno Power Plant, which utilizes water from the Jan Kanty pumping station in its water systems. Waters from the Boże Dary pumping station are also utilized for the production of paper and cardboard [48].
Measurements carried out at level 630 m in the area of the Roździeński shaft in 2019 indicate that the temperature of mine water is between 18 and 22 °C. On the basis of inflow values, we can assume that the average temperature of water in the submersible pumping station will be approx. 21 °C. This gives us a perspective in terms of its use as a geothermal heat source [52,53,54,55], following its earlier treatment.

7.2. Underground Pumped-Storage Hydropower (UPSH)

The global energy market is currently seeking creative approaches to producing and storing clean energy. Water, particularly from flooding empty mine workings, can be utilized as an excellent source of energy and for energy storage.
Once the inflows stabilize and the pumping station operates efficiently, it can be utilized for energy purposes. Renewable energy systems (RES) are characterized by unstable operation, requiring the construction of energy storage systems. One option for such storage is through pumped-storage hydro plants, which, however, interfere with the natural environment. The closure of the Wieczorek coal mine and the transformation of the Roździeński shaft into a pumping station present an opportunity to build UPSH utilizing existing infrastructure. UPSH in decommissioned mining facilities has been proposed by researchers from various countries [56,57,58,59,60,61], yet such solutions remain rare. In addition to energy production and storage, the construction of UPSH also allows for a significant reduction of CO2 emissions [62].
Considering the conditions of the Wieczorek mine, available technologies, and the energy law in Poland, it is possible to create such a power plant [63]. The primary function of the UPSH will be to maintain groundwater at a safe level, but it can also act as a stabilizer in the system. On one hand, this means that in the case of surplus energy (especially from RES), it will be used for pumping operation. On the other hand, in a situation of energy shortage, the plant will switch to turbine operation.
The control system of such an installation should be fully autonomous, with the ability to set operation parameters. This requires the implementation of advanced control algorithms that take into account changing environmental conditions such as water, depth, energy, atmosphere, etc., with high reliability.
Reliability is crucial for the operation of UPSH. To effectively fulfill stabilization tasks, both turbine and pump units must have high reliability. Therefore, it is essential to equip all machinery with monitoring systems, preferably using measurement and analysis of mechanical vibrations [64]. At a minimum, these systems should comply with ISO 20816-3:2022 standards [65], meaning they should monitor vibration energy levels at bearing nodes. Since the machines will be located at the storage reservoir level, access to them will be difficult. Hence, their operation should be as maintenance-free as possible.
The solutions presented in the literature [57,58,60,66] often rely on the necessity of creating new excavations or significant investments in adapting former mine workings to ensure the sufficient capacity of the storage reservoir. In the case of the Roździeński shaft, it is possible to utilize existing pumping infrastructure, which must operate anyway due to protecting adjacent mining facilities from water hazards. In most cases, the construction of UPSH suggests using stationary pumping stations, but in the mining and geological conditions of the Roździeński shaft, energy storage in a deep-well pumping station is also possible.

8. Conclusions

Safety considerations often enforce the need to dewater underground black coal mines after their closure. The direct vicinity and mutual connection of numerous mines in the Upper Silesian Coal Basin generates the risk of uncontrolled inflow of water from closed mines into adjacent active mining sites, which endangers personnel working in underground workings, as well as all traffic within the mine. Different types of pumping systems are used in closed mining sites, most frequently including stationary or submersible pumping stations, as well as gravity drainage. For safety reasons, and most of all for economic reasons, the preferred method of dewatering closed mines is the installation of submersible pumping stations in adapted mining shafts. Such mines and mining shafts must conform with certain technical and hydrogeological requirements. In the context of the safety of an active mine, it is very important to determine the future inflow of water into the closed mine, to identify direct and indirect connections between mines, and to carefully determine the size of the storage and emergency reservoirs. Fluctuations in the inflow rate can be compensated for by the selection of a higher number of pumps with a lower individual output, which increases investment costs, but in view of the possibility of having the number of pumps adapted to the inflow rate, reduces operational costs.
The capacity of the storage and emergency reservoirs based solely on the capacity of the flooded roadways and a part of the shaft ensures the precise determination of their size. It is obvious that post-mining goaves and the surrounding orogen located below the water table of the submersible pumping station will be flooded, but the inclusion of these capacities in the calculation of the water fill-up/dewatering time may be erroneous, due to ongoing changes in the goaves and the variability of hydrogeological conditions in the orogen.
Only on the basis of hydrogeological forecasts and calculations is it possible to design the elements of a submersible pumping station and to determine the scope of necessary protective measures in the adapted shafts and adjacent mines. The adaptation of a mining shaft for the purposes of a pumping station requires the performance of many mining and electromechanical works. Any errors made during the performance of design or construction works may create the risk of flooding any adjacent mines, which is very difficult to eliminate after the startup of the submersible pumping station. The assessment of the risk of flooding neighboring mines, as well as an in-depth discussion on the long-term sustainability of the pumping station design and its environmental impact, are extremely valuable topics for future research works. These issues are particularly important now, during the transition away from coal mining and the gradual closure of mines in Europe. The integration of mine dewatering with a sustainable approach to water and energy management is also extremely crucial. Water from the Roździeński pumping station, after potential treatment, can be utilized for technological purposes in nearby industrial plants. Additionally, creating an UPSH facility in the shaft could store excess energy from RES and switch to production mode during periods of increased demand. Leveraging existing infrastructure, this pioneering approach not only addresses water management challenges but also offers significant potential for clean energy production and CO2 emissions reduction, contributing to the transition towards a more sustainable energy future.

Author Contributions

Conceptualization, K.d. and P.K.; methodology, P.K.; software, D.C.; validation, S.J. and D.P.; formal analysis, K.d.; investigation, P.K.; resources, D.C.; data curation, S.J.; writing—original draft preparation, K.d. and P.K.; writing—review and editing, K.d., P.K. and D.C.; visualization, D.C.; supervision, K.d. and P.K.; project administration, S.J.; funding acquisition, D.P. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Funding

This research received no external funding.

Data Availability Statement

The data presented in this study are available on request from the corresponding author.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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Energies 17 03297 g001
Figure 1. Natural inflow to the Wieczorek mine and the amount of atmospheric precipitation in the mine area in the years 1990–2020.
Figure 1. Natural inflow to the Wieczorek mine and the amount of atmospheric precipitation in the mine area in the years 1990–2020.
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Figure 2. Inflow forecast for the Roździeński shaft.
Figure 2. Inflow forecast for the Roździeński shaft.
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Figure 3. Scheme of the designed submersible pumping station.
Figure 3. Scheme of the designed submersible pumping station.
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Figure 4. Cross-sectional layout of the Roździeński shaft.
Figure 4. Cross-sectional layout of the Roździeński shaft.
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Table 1. Average values of hydrogeological parameters of Carboniferous formations (Porębskie layers) determined using laboratory methods.
Table 1. Average values of hydrogeological parameters of Carboniferous formations (Porębskie layers) determined using laboratory methods.
Depth
[m below Ground Level]		PorosityPermeabilityDrainability
Acc. to Laboratory Test
[%]		Acc. to Geophysical Test
[%]		Acc. to Laboratory Test
[mD]		Acc. to Laboratory Test
[-]
ValueQty of
Samples		ValueQty of
Samples		ValueQty of
Samples		ValueQty of
Samples
600–8009.185511.95246.43310.009724
Table 2. Statistical values of water inflow into the mine in the years 1990–2020 and 2011–2020.
Table 2. Statistical values of water inflow into the mine in the years 1990–2020 and 2011–2020.
Inflow [m3/min]1990–20202011–2020
Maximum13.408.79
Minimum4.374.37
Mean8.796.48
Median8.586.19
Table 3. Overview of the groundwater hydrochemical indicators in the Roździeński shaft.
Table 3. Overview of the groundwater hydrochemical indicators in the Roździeński shaft.
No.Mine Level [m] r S O 4 2 − · 100 r C l − r N a + r C l −
11362.073.42
23503.021.86
33501.47-
44501.840.93
55500.550.90
65500.090.87
75500.360.99
85500.160.87
95800.240.81
105800.330.51
116300.150.95
127300.050.89
137300.0000.64
147300.0080.95
Table 4. Aggregate results of chemical analyses of the Roździeński shaft collective mine water.
Table 4. Aggregate results of chemical analyses of the Roździeński shaft collective mine water.
ParametersValues
MinimumMaximumMeanMedianStd. Dev.No of Obser.MPL 1
-pH18196464.03673.673461.01167.61246.5–9.5
mg/LCl−4151095.0789.82819.0134.1924250
SO42−0.0050.0810.0330.0220.02616250
Zn2+4.227.511.599.755.8824-
Suspended solids7.78.87.947.90.2124-
1 Maximum permissible level in Polish drinking water standards. “-”, in this column, means that the lawmaker has not specified an MPL value.
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d’Obyrn, K.; Kamiński, P.; Cień, D.; Jendrysik, S.; Prostański, D. Hydrogeological and Mining Considerations in the Design of a Pumping Station in a Shaft of a Closed Black Coal Mine. Energies 2024, 17, 3297. https://doi.org/10.3390/en17133297

AMA Style

d’Obyrn K, Kamiński P, Cień D, Jendrysik S, Prostański D. Hydrogeological and Mining Considerations in the Design of a Pumping Station in a Shaft of a Closed Black Coal Mine. Energies. 2024; 17(13):3297. https://doi.org/10.3390/en17133297

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d’Obyrn, Kajetan, Paweł Kamiński, Damian Cień, Sebastian Jendrysik, and Dariusz Prostański. 2024. "Hydrogeological and Mining Considerations in the Design of a Pumping Station in a Shaft of a Closed Black Coal Mine" Energies 17, no. 13: 3297. https://doi.org/10.3390/en17133297

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