Evaluation of Energy Recovery from Laboratory Experiments and Small-scale Field Tests of Underground Coal Gasification (UCG)

Bibliographic Information

Other Title
  • 室内および小規模フィールド実験による石炭地下ガス化 (UCG) のエネルギー回収率評価

Search this article

Abstract

Cavity growth occurring with crack extension and coal consumption during UCG processes directly influences the gasification efficiency and the estimated subsidence and gas leakage to the surface. This report presents an evaluation of the gas energy recovery, coal consumption, and gasification cavity estimation using a proposed stoichiometric method to analyze the coal gasification reaction process. We defined the evaluation parameters of rate of energy recovery and investigated the effects of different parameters using UCG trials conducted with coal blocks and coal seams, adopting different Linking-hole methods and operational parameters. Analyses of results obtained from laboratory experiments and small-scale field trials using V-shaped and L-shaped linking holes, and Coaxial-hole UCG models show that the gasification of Linking-hole models yielded average calorific values of product gas as high as 10.26, 11.11 MJ/m3 (lab.), and 14.39 MJ/m3 (field.). In contrast, the Coaxial-hole models under experimental conditions yielded average calorific values of product gas as: 7.38, 4.70 MJ/m3 (lab.) and 6.66 MJ/m3 (field.). The cavity volume obtained with Coaxial models was about half of the volume obtained from Linking-hole models. Results obtained for these UCG systems show that the feed gas and linking-hole types can influence coal consumption and product gas energy. Fissure ratios were also investigated. Results confirmed major factors underpinning gasification efficiency. Linking-hole types strongly influenced the development of the oxidization surface and fracture cracks for subsequent combustion in the gasification zone. Estimated gas energy recovery results support experimental observations within an acceptable error range of about 10%. Moreover, this stoichiometric approach is simple and useful for evaluating the underground cavity during UCG. Based on these results, we proposed a definition of the energy recovery rate, combined with the obtained volumes of gasification cavities that provide a definition of energy recovery and UCG effects.

Journal

  • Journal of MMIJ

    Journal of MMIJ 131 (5), 203-218, 2015

    The Mining and Materials Processing Institute of Japan

Citations (10)*help

See more

References(12)*help

See more

Related Projects

See more

Details 詳細情報について

Report a problem

Back to top