Geological characteristics and exploration breakthroughs of coal rock gas in Carboniferous Benxi Formation,Ordos Basin,NW China

To explore the geological characteristics and exploration potential of the Carboniferous Benxi Formation coal rock gas in the Ordos Basin,this paper presents a systematic research on the coal rock distribution,coal rock reservoirs,coal rock quality,and coal rock gas features,resources and enrichment.Coal rock gas is a high-quality resource distinct from coalbed methane,and it has unique features in terms of burial depth,gas source,reservoir,gas content,and carbon isotopic composition.The Benxi Formation coal rocks cover an area of 16×104km^(2),with thicknesses ranging from 2 m to 25 m,primarily consisting of bright and semi-bright coals with primitive structures and low volatile and ash contents,indicating a good coal quality.The medium-to-high rank coal rocks have the total organic carbon(TOC)content ranging from 33.49%to 86.11%,averaging75.16%.They have a high degree of thermal evolution(Roof 1.2%-2.8%),and a high gas-generating capacity.They also have high stable carbon isotopic values(δ13C1of-37.6‰to-16‰;δ13C2of-21.7‰to-14.3‰).Deep coal rocks develop matrix pores such as gas bubble pores,organic pores,and inorganic mineral pores,which,together with cleats and fractures,form good reservoir spaces.The coal rock reservoirs exhibit the porosity of 0.54%-10.67%(averaging 5.42%)and the permeability of(0.001-14.600)×10^(-3)μm^(2)(averaging 2.32×10^(-3)μm^(2)).Vertically,there are five types of coal rock gas accumulation and dissipation combinations,among which the coal rock-mudstone gas accumulation combination and the coal rock-limestone gas accumulation combination are the most important,with good sealing conditions and high peak values of total hydrocarbon in gas logging.A model of coal rock gas accumulation has been constructed,which includes widespread distribution of medium-to-high rank coal rocks continually generating gas,matrix pores and cleats/fractures in coal rocks acting as large-scale reservoir spaces,tight cap rocks providing sealing,source-reservoir integration,and five types of efficient enrichment patterns(lateral pinchout complex,lenses,low-amplitude structures,nose-like structures,and lithologically self-sealing).According to the geological characteristics of coal rock gas,the Benxi Formation is divided into 8 plays,and the estimated coal rock gas resources with a buried depth of more than 2000 m are more than 12.33×10^(12)m^(3).The above understandings guide the deployment of risk exploration.Two wells drilled accordingly obtained an industrial gas flow,driving the further deployment of exploratory and appraisal wells.Substantial breakthroughs have been achieved,with the possible reserves over a trillion cubic meters and the proved reserves over a hundred billion cubic meters,which is of great significance for the reserves increase and efficient development of natural gas in China.

Disasters of gas-coal spontaneous combustion in goaf of steeply inclined extra-thick coal seams

In light of the escalating global energy imperatives,mining of challenging-to-access resources,such as steeply inclined extra-thick coal seams(SIEC),has emerged as one of the future trends within the domain of energy advancement.However,there is a risk of gas and coal spontaneous combustion coupling disasters(GCC)within the goaf of SIEC due to the complex goaf structure engendered by the unique mining methodologies of SIEC.To ensure that SIEC is mined safely and efficiently,this study conducts research on the GCC within the goaf of SIEC using field observation,theoretical analysis,and numerical modeling.The results demonstrate that the dip angle,the structural dimensions in terms of width-to-length ratio,and compressive strength of the overlying rock are the key factors contributing to the goaf instability of SIEC.The gangue was asymmetrically filled,primarily accumulating within the central and lower portions of the goaf,and the filling height increased proportionally with the advancing caving height,the expansion coefficient,and the thickness of the surrounding rock formation.The GCC occurs in the goaf of SIEC,with an air-return side range of 41 m and an air-intake side range of 14 m,at the intersection area of the“<”-shaped oxygen concentration distribution(coal spontaneous combustion)and the“>”-shaped gas concentration distribution(gas explosion).The optimal nitrogen flow rate is 1000 m3/h with an injection port situated 25 m away from the working face for the highest nitrogen diffusion efficacy and lowest risk of gas explosion,coal spontaneous combustion,and GCC.It has significant engineering applications for ensuring the safe mining of SIEC threatened by the GCC.

Three dimensional discrete element modelling of the conventional compression behavior of gas hydrate bearing coal

To analyze the relationship between macro and meso parameters of the gas hydrate bearing coal(GHBC)and to calibrate the meso-parameters,the numerical tests were conducted to simulate the laboratory triaxial compression tests by PFC3D,with the parallel bond model employed as the particle contact constitutive model.First,twenty simulation tests were conducted to quantify the relationship between the macro–meso parameters.Then,nine orthogonal simulation tests were performed using four meso-mechanical parameters in a three-level to evaluate the sensitivity of the meso-mechanical parameters.Furthermore,the calibration method of the meso-parameters were then proposed.Finally,the contact force chain,the contact force and the contact number were examined to investigate the saturation effect on the meso-mechanical behavior of GHBC.The results show that:(1)The elastic modulus linearly increases with the bonding stiffness ratio and the friction coefficient while exponentially increasing with the normal bonding strength and the bonding radius coefficient.The failure strength increases exponentially with the increase of the friction coefficient,the normal bonding strength and the bonding radius coefficient,and remains constant with the increase of bond stiffness ratio;(2)The friction coefficient and the bond radius coefficient are most sensitive to the elastic modulus and the failure strength;(3)The number of the force chains,the contact force,and the bond strength between particles will increase with the increase of the hydrate saturation,which leads to the larger failure strength.

SO_2 emission characteristics from co-firing of petroleum coke and coal in circulating fluidized bed

Combustion and sulfur retention experiments of mixed fuel of petroleum cokeand coal were conducted on a pilot-scale circulating fluidized bed (CFB) combustor with the thermalinput of 0. 6 MW. The effects of several parameters, such as the primary air percentage, excess aircoefficient, bed temperature, Ca/S molar ratio and mass ratio of petroleum coke to coal on SO_2emission were verified. Experimental results show that when the ratio of petroleum coke to coal inthe mixed fuel increases, the SO_2emission increases. The maximum SO_2 emission appears when purecoke burns. The SO_2 concentration in flue gas reduces with the increase in the primary airpercentage, excess air coefficient and Ca/S molar ratio for all kinds of fuel mixtures. Therangebetween 830 t and 850 t is the optimal temperature for sulfur retention during co-firing ofpetroleum coke and coal with the mass ratio R of 1 and 3 in CFB.

Response characteristics of gas pressure under simultaneous static and dynamic load:Implication for coal and gas outburst mechanism

Coal and gas outbursts are dynamic disasters in which a large mass of gas and coal suddenly emerges in a mining space within a split second.The interaction between the gas pressure and stress environment is one of the key factors that induce coal and gas outbursts.In this study,first,the coupling relationship between the gas pressure in the coal body ahead of the working face and the dynamic load was investigated using experimental observations,numerical simulations,and mine-site investigations.It was observed that the impact rate of the dynamic load on the gas-bearing coal can significantly change the gas pressure.The faster the impact rate,the speedier the increase in gas pressure.Moreover,the gas pressure rise was faster closer to the impact interface.Subsequently,based on engineering background,we proposed three models of stress and gas pressure distribution in the coal body ahead of the working face:static load,stress disturbance,and dynamic load conditions.Finally,the gas pressure distribution and outburst mechanism were investigated.The high concentration of gas pressure appearing at the coal body ahead of the working face was caused by the dynamic load.The gas pressure first increased gradually to a peak value and then decreased with increasing distance from the working face.The increase in gas pressure plays a major role in outburst initiation by resulting in the ability to more easily reach the critical points needed for outburst initiation.Moreover,the stronger the dynamic load,the greater the outburst initiation risk.The results of this study provide practical guidance for the early warning and prevention of coal and gas outbursts.

Experimental investigations on effects of gas pressure on mechanical behaviors and failure characteristic of coals

The mechanical behavior of coal is the key factor affecting underground coal mining and coalbed methane extraction.In this study,triaxial compression and seepage tests were carried out on coal at different gas pressures.The mechanical properties and failure process of coal were studied,as well as the acoustic emission(AE)and strain energy.The influence of gas pressure on the mechanical parameters of this coal was analyzed.Based on the conventional energy calculation formula,the pore pressure was introduced through the effective stress formula,and each energy component of coal containing gas was refined innovatively.The contribution of gas pressure to the total energy input and dissipation during loading was quantitatively described.Finally,the influence of gas pressure on coal strength was theo-retically analyzed from the perspectives of MohreCoulomb criterion and fracture mechanics.The results show that the total absorbed energy comprises the absorbed energy in the axial pressure direction(positive)and in the confining pressure direction(negative),as well as that induced by the pore pressure(initially negative and then positive).The absorbed energy in the axial pressure direction accounts for the main proportion of the total energy absorbed by coal.The quiet period of AE in the initial stage shortens,and AE activity increases during the pre-peak stage under high gas pressure.The fractal characteristics of AE in three stages are studied using the correlation dimension.The AE process has different forms of self-similarity in various deformation stages.

Multi-scale pore fractal characteristics of differently ranked coal and its impact on gas adsorption

Well-developed pores and cracks in coal reservoirs are the main venues for gas storage and migration.To investigate the multi-scale pore fractal characteristics,six coal samples of different rankings were studied using high-pressure mercury injection(HPMI),low-pressure nitrogen adsorption(LPGA-N2),and scanning electron microscopy(SEM)test methods.Based on the Frankel,Halsey and Hill(FHH)fractal theory,the Menger sponge model,Pores and Cracks Analysis System(PCAS),pore volume complexity(D_(v)),coal surface irregularity(Ds)and pore distribution heterogeneity(D_(p))were studied and evaluated,respectively.The effect of three fractal dimensions on the gas adsorption ability was also analyzed with high-pressure isothermal gas adsorption experiments.Results show that pore structures within these coal samples have obvious fractal characteristics.A noticeable segmentation effect appears in the Dv1and Dv2fitting process,with the boundary size ranging from 36.00 to 182.95 nm,which helps differentiate diffusion pores and seepage fractures.The D values show an asymmetric U-shaped trend as the coal metamorphism increases,demonstrating that coalification greatly affects the pore fractal dimensions.The three fractal dimensions can characterize the difference in coal microstructure and reflect their influence on gas adsorption ability.Langmuir volume(V_(L))has an evident and positive correlation with Dsvalues,whereas Langmuir pressure(P_(L))is mainly affected by the combined action of Dvand Dp.This study will provide valuable knowledge for the appraisal of coal seam gas reservoirs of differently ranked coals.

Experimental and theoretical study on the dynamic effective stress of loaded gassy coal during gas release

In the process of mining coalbed methane(CBM),an unsteady state often arises due to the rapid extraction,release and pressure relief of CBM.In this case,the effective stress of coal changes dynamically,affecting the stability of the gassy coal seam.In this paper,gas release tests of gassy coal under conventional triaxial compression were performed,and the dynamic effective stress(DES)during gas release was obtained indirectly based on a constitutive equation and deformation of coal.The results show that the maximum increases in DES caused by the release of free gas and adsorbed gas under the stress of 1.1 MPa were 0.811 and 5.418 MPa,respectively,which seriously affected the stress state of the coal.During the gas release,the free gas pressure and the adsorbed gas volume were the parameters that directly affected the DES and showed a positive linear relationship with the DES with an intercept of zero.The DES of the coal sample increased exponentially with time,which was determined by the contents of free and adsorbed gas.Based on the experimental results and theoretical analysis,an effective stress model was obtained for loaded gassy coal during gas release.The results of verification indicated accuracy greater than 99%.

Mechanism of gas pressure action during the initial failure of coal containing gas and its application for an outburst inoculation

Faced with the continuous occurrence of coal and gas outburst(hereinafter referred to as“outburst”)disasters,as a main controlling factor in the evolution process of an outburst,for gas pressure,it is still unclear about the phased characteristics of the coupling process with in situ stress,which induce coal damage and instability.Therefore,in the work based on the mining stress paths induced by typical outburst accidents,the gradual and sudden change of three-dimensional stress is taken as the background for the mechanical reconstruction of the disaster process.Then the true triaxial physical experiments are conducted on the damage and instability of coal containing gas under multiple stress paths.Finally,the response characterization between coal damage and gas pressure has been clarified,revealing the mechanism of action of gas pressure during the initial failure of coals.And the main controlling mechanism during the outburst process is elucidated in the coupling process of in situ stress with gas pressure.The results show that during the process of stress loading and unloading,the original gas pressure enters the processes of strengthening and weakening the action ability successively.And the strengthening effect continues to the period of large-scale destruction of coals.The mechanical process of gas pressure during the initial failure of coals can be divided into three stages:the enhancement of strengthening action ability,the decrease of strengthening action ability,and the weakening action ability.The entire process is implemented by changing the dominant action of in situ stress into the dominant action of gas pressure.The failure strength of coals is not only affected by its original mechanical strength,but also by the stress loading and unloading paths,showing a particularly significant effect.Three stages can be divided during outburst inoculation process.That is,firstly,the coals suffer from initial damage through the dominant action of in situ stress with synergy of gas pressure;secondly,the coals with spallation of structural division are generated through the dominant action of gas pressure with synergy of in situ stress,accompanied by further fragmentation;and finally,the fractured coals suffer from fragmentation and pulverization with the gas pressure action.Accordingly,the final broken coals are ejected out with the gas action,initiating an outburst.The research results can provide a new perspective for deepening the understanding of coal and gas outburst mechanism,laying a theoretical foundation for the innovation of outburst prevention and control technologies.

Elimination mechanism of coal and gas outburst based on geo‑dynamic system with stress–damage–seepage interactions

Coal and gas outburst is a complex dynamic disaster during coal underground mining.Revealing the disaster mechanism is of great signifcance for accurate prediction and prevention of coal and gas outburst.The geo-dynamic system of coal and gas outburst is proposed.The framework of geo-dynamic system is composed of gassy coal mass,geological dynamic environment and mining disturbance.Equations of stress–damage–seepage interaction for gassy coal mass is constructed to resolve the outburst elimination process by gas extraction with boreholes through layer in foor roadway.The results show the occurrence of outburst is divided into the evolution process of gestation,formation,development and termination of geo-dynamic system.The scale range of outburst occurrence is determined,which provides a spatial basis for the prevention and control of outburst.The formation criterion and instability criterion of coal and gas outburst are established.The formation criterion F1 is defned as the scale of the geo-dynamic system,and the instability criterion F2 is defned as the scale of the outburst geo-body.According to the geo-dynamic system,the elimination mechanism of coal and gas outburst—‘unloading+depressurization’is established,and the gas extraction by boreholes through layer in foor roadway for outburst elimination is given.For the research case,when the gas extraction is 120 days,the gas pressure of the coal seam is reduced to below 0.4 MPa,and the outburst danger is eliminated efectively.

Co-firing of coal and biomass in oxy-fuel fluidized bed for CO2 capture: A review of recent advances

The co-firing of coal and biomass in oxy-fuel fluidized beds is one of the most promising technologies for capturing CO2.This technology has attracted wide attention from academia and industry in recent years as a negative emission method to capture CO2 produced by carbon contained in biomass.In the past decades,many studies have been carried out regarding experiments and numerical simulations under oxy-fuel combustion conditions.This paper firstly briefly discusses the techno-economic viability of the biomass and coal co-firing with oxycombustion and then presents a review of recent advancements involving experimental research and computational fluid dynamics(CFD)simulations in this field.Experimental studies on mechanism research,such as thermogravimetric analysis and tube furnace experiments,and fluidized bed experiments based on oxy-fuel fluidized beds with different sizes as well as the main findings,are summarized as a part of this review.It has been recognized that CFD is a useful approach for understanding the behaviors of the co-firing of coal and biomass in oxyfuel fluidized beds.We summarize a recent survey of published CFD research on oxy-fuel fluidized bed combustion,which categorized into Eulerian and Lagrangian methods.Finally,we discuss the challenges and interests for future research.

In-situ gas contents of a multi-section coal seam in Sydney basin for coal and gas outburst management

The gas content is crucial for evaluating coal and gas outburst potential in underground coal mining. This study focuses on investigating the in-situ coal seam gas content and gas sorption capacity in a representative coal seam with multiple sections (A1, A2, and A3) in the Sydney basin, where the CO_(2) composition exceeds 90%. The fast direct desorption method and associated devices were described in detail and employed to measure the in-situ gas components (Q_(1), Q_(2), and Q_(3)) of the coal seam. The results show that in-situ total gas content (Q_(T)) ranges from 9.48 m^(3)/t for the A2 section to 14.80 m^(3)/t for the A3 section, surpassing the Level 2 outburst threshold limit value, thereby necessitating gas drainage measures. Among the gas components, Q_(2) demonstrates the highest contribution to Q_(T), ranging between 55% and 70%. Furthermore, high-pressure isothermal gas sorption experiments were conducted on coal samples from each seam section to explore their gas sorption capacity. The Langmuir model accurately characterizes CO_(2) sorption behavior, with ft coefcients (R^(2)) greater than 0.99. Strong positive correlations are observed between in-situ gas content and Langmuir volume, as well as between residual gas content (Q_(3)) and sorption hysteresis. Notably, the A3 seam section is proved to have a higher outburst propensity due to its higher Q_(1) and Q_(2) gas contents, lower sorption hysteresis, and reduced coal toughness f value. The insights derived from the study can contribute to the development of efective gas management strategies and enhance the safety and efciency of coal mining operations.

Waste biomass from production process co-firing with coal in a steam boiler to reduce fossil fuel consumption:A case study

Waste biomass is always generated during the production process in industries. The ordinary way to get rid of the waste biomass is to send them to landfill or burn it in the open field. The waste may potentially be used for co-firing with coal to save fossil fuel consumption and also reduce net carbon emissions. In this case study, the bio-waste from a Nicotiana Tahacum （NT） pre-treatment plant is used as the biomass to co-fire with coal. The samples of NT wastes were analysed. It was found that the wastes were of the relatively high energy content which were suitable for co-firing with coal. To investigate the potential and benefits for adding NT wastes to a Fluidised Bed Combustion （FBC） boiler in the plant, detailed modelling and simulation are carried out using the European Coal Liquefaction Process Simulation and Evaluation （ECLIPSE） process simulation package. The feedstock blending ratios of NT waste to coal studied in this work are varied from 0% to 30%. The results show that the addition of NT wastes may decrease the emissions of CO2 and SOx without reducing the boiler performance.

Revaluating coal permeability-gas pressure relation under various gas pressure differential conditions

Identifying changes in coal permeability with gas pressure and accurately codifying mean efective stresses in laboratory samples are crucial in predicting gas-fow behavior in coal reservoirs. Traditionally, coal permeability to gas is assessed using the steady-state method, where the equivalent gas pressure in the coal is indexed to the average of upstream and downstream pressures of the coal, while ignoring the nonlinear gas pressure gradient along the gas fow path. For the fow of a compressible gas, the traditional method consistently underestimates the length/volume-averaged pressure and overestimates mean efective stress. The higher the pressure diferential within the sample, the greater the error between the true mean pressure for a compressible fuid and that assumed as the average between upstream and downstream pressures under typical reservoir conditions. A correction coefcient for the compressible fuid pressure asymptotes to approximately 1.3%, representing that the error in mean pressure and efective stress can be on the order of approximately 30%, particularly for highly pressure-sensitive permeabilities and compressibilities, further amplifying errors in evaluated reservoir properties. We utilized this volume-averaged pressure and efective stress to correct permeability and compressibility data reported in the literature. Both the corrected initial permeability and the corrected pore compressibility were found to be smaller than the uncorrected values, due to the underestimation of the true mean fuid pressure, resulting in an overestimation of reservoir permeability if not corrected. The correction coefcient for the initial permeability ranges from 0.6 to 0.1 (reservoir values are only approximately 40% to 90% of laboratory values), while the correction coefcient for pore compressibility remains at approximately 0.75 (reservoir values are only approximately 25% of laboratory value). Errors between the uncorrected and corrected parameters are quantifed under various factors, such as confning pressure, gas sorption, and temperature. By analyzing the evolutions of the initial permeability and pore compressibility, the coupling mechanisms of mechanical compression, adsorption swelling, and thermal expansion on the pore structure of the coal can be interpreted. These fndings can provide insights that are useful for assessing the sensitivity of coal permeability to gas pressure as truly representative of reservoir conditions.

Effects of Flue Gas Internal Recirculation on NOx and SOx Emissions in a Co-Firing Boiler

Volumetric combustion has been developed to realize a high substitution ratio of biomass in co-firing boilers, which features an intensive flue gas internal recirculation inside furnace. However, the characteristics of NOx and SOx emissions in large-scale boilers with volumetric combustion were not fully clear. In this paper, an Aspen Plus model of volumetric combustion system was built up based on a co-firing boiler. In order to characterize the reductions of NOx and SOx, three biomass substitution ratios were involved, namely, 100% biomass, 45% biomass with 55% coal, and 100% coal. The effects of flue gas recirculation ratio, air preheating temperature, oxygen concentration, and fuel types on pollutants emission in the volumetric combustion system were investigated. According to the results, it was concluded the higher substitution ratio of biomass in a co-firing boiler, the lower emissions of NOx and SOx. Moreover, flue gas internal recirculation is an effective pathway for NOx reduction and an increased recirculation ratio resulted in a significant decreasing of NOx emission;however, the SOx increased slightly. The influences of air preheating temperature and O2 concentration on NOx emission were getting weak with increasing of recirculation ratio. When 10% or even higher of flue gas was recycled, it was observed that almost no NOx formed thermodynamically under all studied conditions. Finally, to reach a low emission level of NOx, less energy would be consumed during biomass combustion than coal combustion process for internal recirculation of flue gas.

Whole petroleum system in Jurassic coal measures of Taibei Sag in Tuha Basin,NW China

Based on the latest results of near-source exploration in the Middle and Lower Jurassic of the Tuha Basin,a new understanding of the source rocks,reservoir conditions,and source-reservoir-cap rock combinations of the Jurassic Shuixigou Group in the Taibei Sag is established using the concept of the whole petroleum system,and the coal-measure whole petroleum system is analyzed thoroughly.The results are obtained in three aspects.First,the coal-measure source rocks of the Badaowan Formation and Xishanyao Formation and the argillaceous source rocks of the Sangonghe Formation in the Shuixigou Group exhibit the characteristics of long-term hydrocarbon generation,multiple hydrocarbon generation peaks,and simultaneous oil and gas generation,providing sufficient oil and gas sources for the whole petroleum system in the Jurassic coal-bearing basin.Second,multi-phase shallow braided river delta–shallow lacustrine deposits contribute multiple types of reservoirs,e.g.sandstone,tight sandstone,shale and coal rock,in slope and depression areas,providing effective storage space for the petroleum reservoir formation in coal-measure strata.Third,three phases of hydrocarbon charging and structural evolution,as well as effective configuration of multiple types of reservoirs,result in the sequential accumulation of conventional-unconventional hydrocarbons.From high structural positions to depression,there are conventional structural and structural-lithological reservoirs far from the source,low-saturation structural-lithological reservoirs near the source,and tight sandstone gas,coal rock gas and shale oil accumulations within the source.Typically,the tight sandstone gas and coal rock gas are the key options for further exploration,and the shale oil and gas in the depression area is worth of more attention.The new understanding of the whole petroleum system in the coal measures could further enrich and improve the geological theory of the whole petroleum system,and provide new ideas for the overall exploration of oil and gas resources in the Tuha Basin.

Effects of Co-Firing Biomass and Pulverized Coal on NO Reduction in Cement Precalciner

With increased awareness of the large-scale CO_(2) emissions from the cement industry,there has been growing focus on greenhouse gas reduction strategies.Among all these strategies,fuel substitution using biomass fuel is extensively used to achieve CO_(2) zero-emission in cement production.Due to the avoidable high-temperature-generated thermal nitrogen oxides during cement production,research on the impact of biomass application on nitrogen oxide emissions shall be carried out.Three types of biomass fuel and bituminous coal were used to investigate the NO reduction characteristics under different O_(2) concentrations on experimental benches.It was found that the change in oxygen concentration from 9% to 1% increased the reaction time in the reactor from 555 s to 1425 s,which means the increase in oxygen concentration can lead to shorter reaction time,and correspondingly,the existing time of nitric oxide in the flue gas is also shortened,but the peak value of nitric oxide rises,during the process of O_(2) concentration changing from 1% to 9%,the peak NO concentration in the flue gas increased from 5.4×10^(-5) to 1.05×10^(-4).An increase in O_(2) concentration greatly reduces the total reduction of NO and the minimum change in NO concentration.The peak NO concentration during the combustion process of corn stalk is 4.56×10^(-4),which is approximately 7 times higher than that of coal,and it is caused by the high amount of N in corn stalk.The addition of raw meal has an inhibitory effect on the reduction of NO:after adding raw meal,the effective reduction time of NO by fuel decreased by about 20%,but adding raw meal raises CO_(2) concentration of fuel gas in the early stage of reaction.

Flame Morphology and Characteristic of Co-Firing Ammonia with Pulverized Coal on a Flat Flame Burner

Ammonia as a new green carbon free fuel co-combustion with coal can effectively reduce CO_(2)emission,but the research of flame morphology and characteristics of ammonia-coal co-combustion are not enough.In this work,we studied the co-combustion flame of NH_(3)and pulverized coal on flat flame burner under different oxygen mole fraction(X_(i,O_(2)))and NH_(3)co-firing energy ratios(E_(NH_(3))).We initially observed that the introduction of ammonia resulted in stratification within the ammonia-coal co-combustion flame,featuring a transparent flame at the root identified as the ammonia combustion zone.Due to challenges in visually observing the ignition of coal particles in the ammonia-coal co-combustion flame,we utilized Matlab software to analyze flame images across varying E_(NH_(3))and X_(i,O_(2)).The analysis indicates that,compared to pure coal combustion,the addition of ammonia advances the ignition delay time by 4.21 ms to 5.94 ms.As E_(NH_(3))increases,the ignition delay time initially decreases and then increases.Simultaneously,an increase in X_(i,O_(2))results in an earlier ignition delay time.The burn-off time and the flame divergence angle of pulverized coal demonstrated linear decreases and increases,respectively,with the growing ammonia ratio.The addition of ammonia facilitates the release of volatile matter from coal particles.However,in high-ammonia environments,oxygen consumption also impedes the surface reaction of coal particles.Finally,measurements of gas composition in the ammonia-coal flame flow field unveiled that the generated water-rich atmosphere intensified coal particle gasification,resulting in an elevated concentration of CO.Simultaneously,nitrogen-containing substances and coke produced during coal particle gasification underwent reduction reactions with NO_(x),leading to reduced NO_(x)emissions.

Unconventional Natural Gas Accumulations in Stacked Deposits:A Discussion of Upper Paleozoic Coal-Bearing Strata in the East Margin of the Ordos Basin, China

The Upper Paleozoic(Carboniferous to Permian) succession in the east margin of the Ordos Basin in the North China Craton has a potential to contain significant hydrocarbon resources, though attention have been mainly attracted for its successful development of coalbed methane(CBM). To improve the previous resource estimates and evaluate the hydrocarbon play possibilities, this study incorporated new discoveries of hydrocarbon units and their stratigraphic relation with source rocks, hydrocarbon migration and trapping configurations. Continuous hydrocarbon accumulation units were identified within the Upper Paleozoic, including the Taiyuan, Shanxi and Xiashihezi formations with great tight gas potential, and the Taiyuan and Shanxi formations also containing shale gas and CBM. Different strata combinations are identified with coal deposition and favour for continuous gas accumulations, including the tidal flat, deltaic and fluvial systems distributed in most of the study areas. Methane was not only generated from the thick coal seams in the Taiyuan and Shanxi formations, but also from shale and dark mudstones. The coal, shale and tight sandstones are proved of remarkable gas content and hydrocarbon indications, and the gas saturation of tight sandstones decreases upward. The stacked deposit combinations vary isochronally in different areas, while the coal seams were developed stably showing good gas sources. Two key stages control the hydrocarbon enrichment, the continuous subsidence from coal forming to Late Triassic and the anomalous paleo-geothermal event happened in Early Cretaceous, as indicated by the fluid inclusions evidence. Extensive areas show good hydrocarbon development potential presently, and more works should be focused on the evaluation and selection of good reservoir combinations.

Definition, theory, methods, and applications of the safe and efficient simultaneous extraction of coal and gas

Simultaneous extraction of the coal and gas is an effective method of eliminating coal mine gas disasters while safely exploiting the coal and achieving efficient gas drainage in China, which is widely accepted by the main coal-producing countries around the world. However, the concrete definition of simultaneous extraction is vague and there is little accurate theoretical support for the simultaneous extraction of coal and gas, which makes it difficult to determine an efficient gas drainage method appropriate to the features of coal seams. Based on theoretical analysis, laboratory tests and field observations, a specific definition of simultaneous extraction of coal and gas is proposed after analyzing the characteristics of coal seam occurrences in China, and we developed the mechanism of mining-enhanced permeability and established the corresponding theoretical model. This comprises a process of fracture network formation, in which the original fractures are opened and new fractures are produced by unloading damage. According to the theoretical model, the engineering approaches and their quantitative parameters of ＇unloading by borehole drilling＇ for single coal seams and ＇unloading by protective seam mining＇ for groups of coal seams are proposed, and the construction principles for coal exploitation and gas-drainage systems for different conditions are given. These methods were applied successfully in the Tunlan Coal Mine in Shanxi Province and the Panyi Coal Mine in Anhui Province and could assure safe and efficient simultaneous extraction of coal and gas in these outburst coal mines.