Location
Rolla, Missouri
Session Dates
11 Jun 1999 - 17 Jun 1999
Keywords and Phrases
Coal; Methane; Mining; Ventilation; Combustion; Regenerative; Greenhouse Gas
Abstract
U.S. EPA's coalbed methane outreach program, (CMOP) has prepared a technical assessment of techniques that combust trace amounts of coal mine methane contained in ventilation air. Control of methane emissions from mine ventilation systems has been an elusive goal because of the magnitude of a typical airflow and the very low methane concentrations. One established and cost-effective use feeds the air into a prime mover in lieu of ambient combustion air. This method usually consumes just a fraction of the flow available from each ventilation shaft. The authors evaluated the technical and economic feasibility of two emerging systems that may accept up to 100% of the flow from a nearby shaft, oxidize the contained methane, and produce marketable energy. Both systems use regenerative, flow-reversal reactors. One system operates at 1000°C, and the other uses a catalyst to reduce the combustion temperature by several hundred degrees. Above certain minimum methane concentrations the reactors can exchange high quality heat with a working fluid such as compressed air or pressurized water. This paper discusses two illustrative energy projects where the reactors produce energy revenue and greenhouse gas credits and yield an attractive return on invested capital.
Department(s)
Mining Engineering
Meeting Name
8th U.S. Mine Ventilation Symposium
Publisher
University of Missouri--Rolla
Document Version
Final Version
Document Type
Article - Conference proceedings
File Type
text
Language
English
Recommended Citation
Carothers, Peter and Deo, Milind D., "Mitigation of Methane Emissions from Coal Mine Ventilation Air" (1999). U.S. Mine Ventilation Symposium. 1.
https://scholarsmine.mst.edu/usmvs/8usmvs/8usmvs-theme3/1
Mitigation of Methane Emissions from Coal Mine Ventilation Air
Rolla, Missouri
U.S. EPA's coalbed methane outreach program, (CMOP) has prepared a technical assessment of techniques that combust trace amounts of coal mine methane contained in ventilation air. Control of methane emissions from mine ventilation systems has been an elusive goal because of the magnitude of a typical airflow and the very low methane concentrations. One established and cost-effective use feeds the air into a prime mover in lieu of ambient combustion air. This method usually consumes just a fraction of the flow available from each ventilation shaft. The authors evaluated the technical and economic feasibility of two emerging systems that may accept up to 100% of the flow from a nearby shaft, oxidize the contained methane, and produce marketable energy. Both systems use regenerative, flow-reversal reactors. One system operates at 1000°C, and the other uses a catalyst to reduce the combustion temperature by several hundred degrees. Above certain minimum methane concentrations the reactors can exchange high quality heat with a working fluid such as compressed air or pressurized water. This paper discusses two illustrative energy projects where the reactors produce energy revenue and greenhouse gas credits and yield an attractive return on invested capital.
