251 for industry, infrastructure, and increasingly, for energy‑transition technologies. Demand is rising for both critical minerals such as lithium, copper, nickel, and rare earth elements and traditional commodities such as iron ore, driven by electrification, digitalization, and urbanization. This scenario requires the mining sector not only to expand production capacity but also to do so with greater efficiency, safety, and lower environmental impact. Large‑scale mining operations are energy‑intensive, and material haulage often accounts for one of the largest shares of fossil fuel consumption and, consequently, direct GHG emissions. Mine‑haul road trucks frequently rely on high‑power diesel engines, contributing significantly to the sector’s carbon footprint. Increasing decarbonization pressure from regulators, investors, and society has accelerated the search for solutions that reduce emissions without compromising productivity and competitiveness. In this context, hydrogen supplementation in existing diesel engines has emerged as a promising route for incremental decarbonization. By complementing diesel with hydrogen, combustion can be optimized, diesel consumption can be reduced, and direct emissions can be mitigated especially when hydrogen is produced from renewable electricity (green hydrogen). This work investigates the development and application of an embedded hydrogen generation and injection system in mine‑haul road trucks and evaluates its impacts on fuel consumption, emissions, and operational performance. 2. BACKGROUND / STATE OF THE ART Diesel combustion in compression‑ignition engines is a complex process that produces useful mechanical work but also generates CO₂, NOₓ, particulate matter (PM), and other pollutants. The pursuit of higher efficiency and lower emissions has motivated technologies such as hydrogen supplementation, which can function as a secondary fuel. Hydrogen as a Supplementary Fuel: Hydrogen (H₂) has favorable fuel properties, including high specific energy on a mass basis and a wide flammability range. Since hydrogen contains no carbon, its combustion does not produce CO₂. When introduced into a diesel engine, hydrogen can enhance flame propagation and combustion completeness, potentially reducing diesel consumption and associated CO₂ emissions. However, hydrogen supplementation may affect NOₓ formation due to changes in peak combustion temperatures, which makes precise control and monitoring essential. On‑Board Hydrogen Generation via Electrolysis: Hydrogen can be produced through water electrolysis. Alkaline electrolyzers (ALK) represent a mature and robust technology and may be suitable for on‑board applications due to their simplicity and cost‑effectiveness. Producing hydrogen on demand on the vehicle reduces the need for storing and handling large volumes of hydrogen gas, mitigating logistical and safety challenges. Typical on‑board systems include an electrolyzer, a bubbler for purification and cooling, a desiccant filter for moisture removal, a flame arrestor for safety, and sensors to monitor key parameters. Challenges and Risks: Implementing hydrogen supplementation in diesel engines introduces technical and safety challenges. Safety requires adequate ventilation, leak detection (where applicable), and interlocks. Control must prevent abnormal combustion phenomena (e.g.,
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