Coal mine methane utilization: environmental friendly catalytic technology for sustainable development

Abstract

To reduce the contribution of coal mine methane to air pollution and the greenhouse effect, environmentally friendly catalytic technology has been proposed. Tri-reforming over Ni catalyst was used to utilize coal mine methane of various compositions into valuable products. The temperature and time-on-stream dependences of the conversion of feedstock and products yield were determined for the ventilation air methane (VAM, methane concentration C_CH4 ≤ 1 vol. %); coal mine/degassing methane of operating (CMM, C_CH4 = 25–60 vol. %) or abandoned (AMM, C_CH4 = 60–80 vol. %) coal mines; methane from unrelieved coal beds – virgin coal seams (CBM, C_CH4 ≥ 80 vol. %) in the temperature range from 150 to 850 °C, atmospheric pressure and volumetric flow rate of 24,000 h⁻¹. The results of catalytic tests were compared with the thermodynamic analysis data and optimization of process conditions was performed. It was found that methane conversion increases with growing O/C molar ratio (0.18 → 41.8) in the initial mixture and at 700 °C it was 26, 42, 84 and 92% for the AMM (70 vol. % CH₄ + 30 vol. % air), CMM-2 (50.0 vol. % CH₄ + 50 vol. % air), CMM-1 (30.0 vol. % CH₄ + 70 vol. % air) and VAM (1.0% CH₄ + 99 vol. % air), respectively. The hydrogen concentration in the reaction products reached 30–40 vol. %. The addition of oxidizing agents (CO₂ + H₂O) to high-methane-containing coal gas leads to a significant increase in methane conversion (39 → 91%), hydrogen yield (48 → 81%) and their stability with time on stream due to optimization of an O/C molar ratio (0.42 → 1.3). Utilization of coal mine methane using the proposed catalytic technology solves a number of important problems related to the conservation of natural resources, environmental protection and the safety of coal mining, all of which are essential for advancing clean coal technologies as a key factor of green mining and sustainable development.

Graphical abstract

Keywords

Coal mine methane / Green mining / Catalytic technology / Greenhouse gas / Sustainable development / Engineering / Environmental Engineering / Resources Engineering and Extractive Metallurgy

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Funding

Russian Science Foundation(Project No. 22-13-20040, https://rscf.ru/project/22-13-20040/»)

RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

The Joint Center on Global Change and Earth System Science of the University of Maryland and Beijing Normal University