Evaluation of Emission Reduction Systems in Underground Mining Trucks: A Case Study at an Underground Mine

Underground mining environments present elevated occupational health risks, primarily due to substantial exposure to diesel exhaust emissions within confined and poorly ventilated spaces. This study assesses the real-world performance of two advanced retrofit emission control systems—Proventia NOxBuster and Purifilter—installed on underground mining trucks operating in a Spanish mine. Emissions of carbon monoxide (CO), nitric oxide (NO), and nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) were quantified using a Testo 350 multigas analyser, while ultrafine particle (UFP) concentrations were measured with an Engine Exhaust Particle Sizer (EEPS-3090) equipped with a thermodiluter. Controlled tests under both idling and acceleration conditions revealed substantial reductions in pollutant emissions: CO decreased by 60–98%, NO by 51–92%, and NO₂ by 20–87%, depending on the system and operational phase. UFP concentrations during idling dropped by approximately 90%, from 542,000 particles/cm³ in untreated trucks to below 50,000 particles/cm³ in retrofitted vehicles. Under acceleration, the Proventia NOxBuster achieved reductions exceeding 95%. Conversely, Purifilter-equipped trucks exhibited a counterintuitive increase in UFPs within the 5.6–40 nm range, potentially due to ammonia slip events during selective catalytic reduction (SCR). Despite these discrepancies, both systems demonstrated considerable mitigation potential, albeit highly dependent on exhaust temperature (optimal: 200–450 °C), urea dosing precision, and maintenance protocols. This work underscores the necessity of in situ performance verification, regulatory vigilance, and targeted intervention strategies to protect underground workers effectively. Further investigation is warranted into the long-term health benefits, system durability, and nanoparticle emission dynamics under variable load conditions.