ACARP ACARP ACARP ACARP
Mine Site Greenhouse Gas Mitigation

Adsorption-based Enrichment and Stabilization of Methane in Mine Ventilation Air (MVA)

Mine Site Greenhouse Gas Mitigation » Mine Site Greenhouse Gas Mitigation

Published: April 09Project Number: C18009

Get ReportAuthor: Paul Webley | Monash University

This report briefly examines the application of adsorption technology to the enrichment of methane in mine ventilation air (MVA). The aim of the study was to determine if adsorption technology is capable of providing enrichment of methane to the required level (assumed to be 1%v/v) to feed a VOCSIDIZER unit and if so, what the energy and CO2 emissions penalty was. Both pressure and temperature regeneration modes were to be studied and an initial assessment of infrastructure and engineering issues to be made. In addition, the role of adsorbent development was assessed and recommendations were made for future work in this area.

 

The study demonstrated that vacuum swing adsorption (VSA) and temperature swing adsorption (TSA) are both capable of enriching methane from low levels (down to 0.01%v/v) up to 1% v/v. In the case of VSA, provision of vacuum levels down to 0.1 kPa may be necessary to provide the enrichment using an activated carbon adsorbent. In the case of TSA, a hot purge gas stream at 180°C is needed to remove the adsorbed impurity - in this case carbon adsorbents are not appropriate due to safety concerns.

 

In both regeneration modes (TSA and VSA), the energy consumed by the separation process impacted negatively on the overall energy output of the VOCSIDIZER process and the CO2 emissions reduction attainable. In the case of vacuum swing adsorption, for inlet CH4 concentrations of less than 0.1% v/v, no net CO2 reduction is achieved (assuming no power is generated by the VOCSIDIZER). In the case of temperature swing adsorption, no net CO2 reduction is achieved for inlet CH4 concentrations of less than approximately 0.03% v/v. In both cases, the power consumed for adsorbent regeneration was significantly more (~ 80 times) than the minimum energy needed from a second law analysis. This suggests there is considerable scope for improved systems/process development.

 

The physical equipment items needed for application of VSA technology are well beyond that currently commercially available and suggest that TSA is more appropriate. To avoid the long cycle times and large bed sizes usually associated with TSA, it is recommended that honeycomb rotary adsorbers be investigated for their potential application to MVA methane enrichment.

Underground

Health and safety, productivity and environment initiatives.

Recently Completed Projects

C34019Longwall Bretby Cable Handling Monitoring With Fibre Optics

This project examined the potential of using fibre optic sensing tec...

C27049Mine Machine Radar Sensor Integration

The aim of this project was to develop an integrated radar sensor an...

C29007Innovative Coal Burst System To Investigate The Influence Of Confinement Loss And Pre-Conditioning On Coal Burst Mechanism

The challenges associated with designing and operating a safe and pr...

Underground

Open Cut

Safety, productivity and the right to operate are priorities for open cut mine research.

Recently Completed Projects

C33035High Water Recovery, Low Cost Desalination Using PV-Powered Membrane Capacitive Deionisation (Mcdi)

Capacitive deionization is a robust, energy efficient and cost effec...

C28035Topsoil Deficits In Site Rehabilitation Accelerated Transformation Of Spoils To Functional Soils

The incorporation of commercial biological amendments (compost, worm...

C34036Tyre Handler Testing Rig Stage 2: Lifting Trials

Tyre handling is a major source of risk in surface mining operations...

Open Cut

Coal Preparation

Maximising throughput and yield while minimising costs and emissions.

Coal Preparation

Technical Market Support

Market acceptance and emphasising the advantages of Australian coals.

Recently Completed Projects

C34060In-Situ Investigation Of Coke Structure Formation Under Stamp Charged Coking Conditions

Stamp charged cokemaking has emerged as an effective technique to im...

C34062Improving The Classification Of Microstructure Distribution In Coke CT Images Using Deep Learning And Lineal Path Calculations

This project builds on a number of earlier projects that have helped...

C29071Source Of Variability Of Reactivity Of Coke In The CSR Test

The Coke Strength after Reaction (CSR) test is used worldwide to det...

Technical Market Support

Mine Site Greenhouse Gas Mitigation

Mitigating greenhouse gas emissions from the production of coal.

Recently Completed Projects

C28076Selective Absorption Of Methane By Ionic Liquids (SAMIL)

This third and final stage of this project was the culmination of a ...

C29069Low-Cost Catalyst Materials For Effective VAM Catalytic Oxidation

Application of ventilation air methane (VAM) thermal oxidiser requir...

C23052Novel Stone Dust Looping Process For Ventilation Air Methane Abatement

This multi‐phase project is concerned with the mitigation of m...

Mine Site Greenhouse Gas Mitigation

Low Emission Coal Use

Step-change technologies aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Recently Completed Projects

C17060BGasification Of Australian Coals

Four Australian coals were trialled in the Siemens 5 MWth pilot scale ga...

C17060AOxyfuel Technology For Carbon Capture And Storage Critical Clean Coal Technology - Interim Support

The status of oxy-fuel technology for first-generation plant is indicate...

C18007Review Of Underground Coal Gasification

This report consists of a broad review of underground coal gasification,...

Low Emission Coal Use

Mining And The Community

The relationship between mines and the local community.

Recently Completed Projects

C16027Assessing Housing And Labour Market Impacts Of Mining Developments In Bowen Basin Communities

The focus of this ACARP-funded project has been to identify a number...

C22029Understanding And Managing Cumulative Impacts Of Coal Mining And Other Land Uses In Regions With Diversified Economies

The coal industry operates in the context of competing land-uses that sh...

C23016Approval And Planning Assessment Of Black Coal Mines In NSW And Qld: A Review Of Economic Assessment Techniques

This reports on issues surrounding economic assessment and analysis ...

Mining And The Community

NERDDC

National Energy Research,Development & Demonstration Council (NERDDC) reports - pre 1992.

Recently Completed Projects

1609-C1609Self Heating of Spoil Piles from Open Cut Coal Mines

Self Heating of Spoil Piles from Open Cut Coal Mines

1301-C1301Stress Control Methods for Optimised Development...

Stress Control Methods for Optimised Development and Extraction Operations

0033-C1356Commissioned Report: Australian Thermal Coals...

Commissioned Report: Australian Thermal Coals - An Industry Handbook

NERDDC