Warm Earth 2 EarthCache
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Springhill has a long and storied history of mining. Many remnants of the mining history can be seen throughout the community. One of the lasting remnants of the mining history is the current usage of geothermal heat.
A manufacturer of plastic packaging products, is using geothermal energy from floodwater in abandoned mines to provide heating and cooling at the company's facility in Springhill.
Although the use of mine water as a heat source is not a new concept in other parts of the world, there were no similar installations in Canada. The system was therefore intended to demonstrate the application of a mine water heat pump system.
Over 200 years of sub surface coal mining in Nova Scotia has left many square kilometres of old workings, often located directly beneath the towns that grew at the pitheads. Over the years, these workings have gradually filled with water.
The skilled work force once employed by the mines requires the growth of new industries to provide employment. Such industries would benefit strongly from an inexpensive energy supply.
The mine water can provide this energy supply. The old workings are a particularly effective means for transferring geothermal heat, at great depths, to mine water. Gravity circulation within the workings then brings this heated water up closer to the surface where it is accessible through short drilled wells, thus providing a suitable energy source for ground source heat pumps.
Environmental problems with this system are minimal. Water is pumped from the workings in a closed loop system, and is returned to the mines via injection wells. As a result, aquifer integrity is preserved.
In Springhill's case,the warm water supply well taps into the main haulage of the No. 2 mine, which extends 4 km into the earth at a 32° angle. The mine water is pumped into the plant from about the 140 m level of the No. 2 mine, at a rate of 4 L/s. During the heating season, the heat pumps extract the heat from the 18°C water, lowering its temperature to 13° C. The water is then returned to the 30 m level of the No. 3 mine via an injection well .
Since the success of the first venture of local geothermal heatin, other local businesses have begun to utilise this energy source as well.
In order to claim this earthcache, go to the coordinates and perform the following tasks;
1) Take a picture of yourself with GPS in hand and the earth formations from the coal seam clearly visible.
2) Bring a thermometer with you and take a reading of the air temperature approximately 6 feet above ground level for 2 minutes. Then take a second reading of temperature directly from the ground. The temperature distinction will be more pronounced in colder times of year. Email your findings to the cache owner.
3) Finally, research and find out how many years that Springhill was an active mining community and e-mail your answer to the cache owner.
Please do not log the cache until the owner has given you approval. Unapproved logs will be deleted.
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