IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jeners/v16y2023i7p3266-d1116754.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The Underground Coal Gasification Process in Laboratory Conditions: An Experimental Study

Author

Listed:
  • Marek Laciak

    (Faculty BERG, Institute of Control and Informatization of Production Processes, Technical University of Košice, Němcovej 3, 04200 Košice, Slovakia)

  • Milan Durdán

    (Faculty BERG, Institute of Control and Informatization of Production Processes, Technical University of Košice, Němcovej 3, 04200 Košice, Slovakia)

  • Ján Kačur

    (Faculty BERG, Institute of Control and Informatization of Production Processes, Technical University of Košice, Němcovej 3, 04200 Košice, Slovakia)

  • Patrik Flegner

    (Faculty BERG, Institute of Control and Informatization of Production Processes, Technical University of Košice, Němcovej 3, 04200 Košice, Slovakia)

Abstract

The underground coal gasification (UCG) process represents a modern and effective coal mining technology that enables coal energy extraction through thermic decomposition. The coal is transformed into syngas by oxidizers (e.g., air, technical oxygen, or water steam) and is injected into a georeactor. The produced syngas is exhausted on the surface, where it is transformed into the desired form of energy. This paper presents an experimental study of two experiments performed in ex-situ reactors. The paper describes the equipment for the UCG process, the physical models of the coal seam, and the analysis of coal. The obtained results from the experiments are presented as the behavior of the temperatures in the coal during the experiment, the syngas composition, and its calorific value. The material balance and effective gasification time of the UCG process were also identified for the individual experiments. The aim was to evaluate the impact of the coal seam model on the gasification process efficiency. Calculating the material balance during the gasification appears to be an effective tool for assessing leaks in the reactor while measuring the flow and concentration of the oxidizers and produced gas. The material balance data are make it possible to propose methods for controlling the input oxidizers. To increase the efficiency of the gasification in an ex-situ reactor, it is necessary to ensure the impermeable or poorly permeable surrounding layers of the coal seam.

Suggested Citation

  • Marek Laciak & Milan Durdán & Ján Kačur & Patrik Flegner, 2023. "The Underground Coal Gasification Process in Laboratory Conditions: An Experimental Study," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(7), pages 1-19, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:16:y:2023:i:7:p:3266-:d:1116754
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/16/7/3266/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/16/7/3266/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Laciak, Marek & Kostúr, Karol & Durdán, Milan & Kačur, Ján & Flegner, Patrik, 2016. "The analysis of the underground coal gasification in experimental equipment," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 114(C), pages 332-343.
    2. Lele Feng & Maifan Dong & Yuxin Wu & Junping Gu, 2021. "Comparison of Tar Samples from Reaction Zone and Outlet in Ex-Situ Underground Coal Gasification Experiment," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(24), pages 1-11, December.
    3. Md M. Khan & Joseph P. Mmbaga & Ahad S. Shirazi & Japan Trivedi & Qingzia Liu & Rajender Gupta, 2015. "Modelling Underground Coal Gasification—A Review," Energies, MDPI, vol. 8(11), pages 1-66, November.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Ján Kačur & Marek Laciak & Milan Durdán & Patrik Flegner, 2023. "Investigation of Underground Coal Gasification in Laboratory Conditions: A Review of Recent Research," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(17), pages 1-55, August.
    2. Shuxia Yuan & Wanwan Jiao & Chuangye Wang & Song Wu & Qibin Jiang, 2024. "Simulation of Underground Coal-Gasification Process Using Aspen Plus," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(7), pages 1-17, March.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Stefan Zelenak & Erika Skvarekova & Andrea Senova & Gabriel Wittenberger, 2021. "The Usage of UCG Technology as Alternative to Reach Low-Carbon Energy," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(13), pages 1-15, June.
    2. Mohammadreza Shahbazi & Mehdi Najafi & Mohammad Fatehi Marji, 2019. "On the mitigating environmental aspects of a vertical well in underground coal gasification method," Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, Springer, vol. 24(3), pages 373-398, March.
    3. Christopher Otto & Thomas Kempka, 2020. "Synthesis Gas Composition Prediction for Underground Coal Gasification Using a Thermochemical Equilibrium Modeling Approach," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-17, March.
    4. Su, Fa-qiang & Hamanaka, Akihiro & Itakura, Ken-ichi & Zhang, Wenyan & Deguchi, Gota & Sato, Kohki & Takahashi, Kazuhiro & Kodama, Jun-ichi, 2018. "Monitoring and evaluation of simulated underground coal gasification in an ex-situ experimental artificial coal seam system," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 223(C), pages 82-92.
    5. Hao Chen & Yong Qin & Yanpeng Chen & Zhen Dong & Junjie Xue & Shanshan Chen & Mengyuan Zhang & Yufeng Zhao, 2023. "Quantitative Evaluation of Underground Coal Gasification Based on a CO 2 Gasification Agent," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(19), pages 1-10, October.
    6. Ján Kačur & Marek Laciak & Milan Durdán & Patrik Flegner, 2023. "Investigation of Underground Coal Gasification in Laboratory Conditions: A Review of Recent Research," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(17), pages 1-55, August.
    7. Florian Marin & Felicia Bucura & Violeta-Carolina Niculescu & Antoaneta Roman & Oana Romina Botoran & Marius Constantinescu & Stefan Ionuț Spiridon & Eusebiu Ilarian Ionete & Simona Oancea & Anca Mari, 2024. "Mesoporous Silica Nanocatalyst-Based Pyrolysis of a By-Product of Paper Manufacturing, Black Liquor," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(8), pages 1-17, April.
    8. Xi Lin & Qingya Liu & Zhenyu Liu, 2018. "Estimation of Effective Diffusion Coefficient of O 2 in Ash Layer in Underground Coal Gasification by Thermogravimetric Apparatus," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(2), pages 1-14, February.
    9. Christopher Otto & Thomas Kempka, 2017. "Prediction of Steam Jacket Dynamics and Water Balances in Underground Coal Gasification," Energies, MDPI, vol. 10(6), pages 1-17, May.
    10. Tomasz Janoszek & Wojciech Masny, 2021. "CFD Simulations of Allothermal Steam Gasification Process for Hydrogen Production," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-28, March.
    11. Wang, Xiaorui & Zhang, Qinghe & Yuan, Liang, 2024. "A coupled thermal-force-chemical-displacement multi-field model for underground coal gasification based on controlled retraction injection point technology and its thermal analysis," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 293(C).
    12. Karol Kostúr & Marek Laciak & Milan Durdan, 2018. "Some Influences of Underground Coal Gasification on the Environment," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(5), pages 1-31, May.
    13. Su, Fa-qiang & He, Xiao-long & Dai, Meng-jia & Yang, Jun-nan & Hamanaka, Akihiro & Yu, Yi-he & Li, Wen & Li, Jiao-yuan, 2023. "Estimation of the cavity volume in the gasification zone for underground coal gasification under different oxygen flow conditions," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 285(C).
    14. Kumari, Geeta & Vairakannu, Prabu, 2018. "CO2-air based two stage gasification of low ash and high ash Indian coals in the context of underground coal gasification," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 143(C), pages 822-832.
    15. Krzysztof Skrzypkowski & Krzysztof Zagórski & Anna Zagórska, 2021. "Determination of the Extent of the Rock Destruction Zones around a Gasification Channel on the Basis of Strength Tests of Sandstone and Claystone Samples Heated at High Temperatures up to 1200 °C and ," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(20), pages 1-27, October.
    16. Hongtao Liu & Feng Chen & Yuanyuan Wang & Gang Liu & Hong Yao & Shuqin Liu, 2018. "Experimental Study of Reverse Underground Coal Gasification," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(11), pages 1-13, October.
    17. Jacek Nowak & Magdalena Kokowska-Pawłowska & Joanna Komorek & Marian Wiatowski & Krzysztof Kapusta & Zdzisław Adamczyk, 2022. "Optical Properties of Coal after Ex-Situ Experimental Simulation of Underground Gasification at Pressures of 10 and 40 bar," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(23), pages 1-19, November.
    18. Milan Durdán & Marta Benková & Marek Laciak & Ján Kačur & Patrik Flegner, 2021. "Regression Models Utilization to the Underground Temperature Determination at Coal Energy Conversion," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(17), pages 1-28, September.
    19. Zhen Dong & Haiyang Yi & Yufeng Zhao & Xinggang Wang & Tingxiang Chu & Junjie Xue & Hanqi Wu & Shanshan Chen & Mengyuan Zhang & Hao Chen, 2022. "Investigation of the Evolution of Stratum Fracture during the Cavity Expansion of Underground Coal Gasification," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(19), pages 1-15, October.
    20. Zhang, Nan & Zhang, Jianliang & Wang, Guangwei & Ning, Xiaojun & Meng, Fanyi & Li, Chuanhui & Ye, Lian & Wang, Chuan, 2022. "Physicochemical characteristics of three-phase products of low-rank coal by hydrothermal carbonization: experimental research and quantum chemical calculation," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 261(PB).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:16:y:2023:i:7:p:3266-:d:1116754. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.