VENTILATION AIR METHANE (VAM)

DR PATITAPABAN SAHU
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR
DEPARTMENT OF MINING ENGINEERING
Ventilation Air Methane
• Ventilation Air Methane (VAM) refers to the methane gas found in the
ventilation systems of underground coal mines. Methane is a by-
product of coal mining and is often released into the air as a result of
natural processes, including the excavation of coal.
• VAM is typically diluted with air and is considered to be a low-
concentration form of methane, which can be difficult to capture and
manage.
• Because methane is a potent greenhouse gas, it is released into the
atmosphere and is a significant concern for environmental and climate
issues. The challenge with VAM is that it is often present in low
concentrations, which makes it difficult to capture and use as an energy
source.
• VAM, the dilute methane emitted from mine ventilation shafts, is now
recognized as an unused source of energy. A host of recently introduced
technologies can reduce VAM emissions while harnessing thermal energy and
can offer significant benefits to the world community.
• In India, the percentage of methane in VAM is less than 0.02% in most
underground coal mines.
• There are a few underground coal mines wherein the percentage of methane
ranges from 0.2 to 0.4% in ventilation air, and these mines may be suitable for
a CDM Project.
• Though the concentration of methane in ventilation air is very low,
the quantity of methane emitted into the environment from each
underground mine is enormous. Methane of such low concentration is
continuously emitted to the environment, increasing the GHG effect.

• If this low-concentration high volume methane emitted from the mine

can be extracted from the ventilation air and the concentration is
enriched through processes like chemical looping, a large quantity of
high-concentration methane can be effectively utilised for power
generation.

• Such a study is essential to evolve suitable technology for capturing

the methane in ventilation air and not allowing it to go into the
atmosphere, increasing the GHG effect.
• Capturing and utilizing VAM rather than venting was a challenging task, but new
technologies have recently been developed and deployed to oxidize methane in ventilation
air. In a highly gassy mine, VAM may be supplementary fuel. There are some underground
coal mines in India that produce high-quality VAM, and the estimated CMM resource
potential in these mines are presented in Table 1.
Methane Emission in the Atmosphere
• Generally, Indian coal mines are of low gassiness and concentration of
methane in mine workings is maintained below prescribed percent by diluting
emitted methane with ventilation air. The methane content in ventilation air
of degree I and II gassy coal mines is generally too low.
• The first estimate of methane emission from Indian coal mining and handling
activities was prepared using DGMS classification of degree of gassiness of
coal seams as emission factors and estimated methane emission in the
atmosphere was 0.4Tg for the year 1990.
A trend has been established on the basis of methane emission estimates for the years 1980
to 2000 with assumption that the coal production in the next 6 years would follow a linear
trend and is shown in Figure 1.
Gas Chromatography using Flame Ionization Detector (FID) was used to measure methane content, even it is low.
Measurements were made in 16 surface and 83 underground mines of different degrees of gassiness to reduce uncertainty
in emission factors. Estimates for methane emission to the atmosphere from coal mining activities were prepared for the
year 2010 by using new emission factors developed by CIMFR, Dhanbad and estimates have been presented in the Table-2.
The methane emission into the atmosphere from Indian coal mining and handling activities has been estimated 0.77Tg for the
year 2010.
Challenges to Utilization of Ventilation Air Methane
• Utilization of VAM is the best method to reduce methane load in the
atmosphere but it is challenging task from technical and economic point of
view.
• Major challenges are low and variable methane concentration, variable flow
rates of ventilation air, changing location of working faces, impact on mining
operations, and large and costly air handling system. Other challenges can be
government policies, technological issues and financial.
• Main challenges in India are low coal production, lean methane in ventilation
air, limited numbers of degree III gassy coal seams, no proper inventory and
assessment of VAM resources potential in all degree III gassy mines, lack of
gas pipe line infrastructure nearby coal fields and unclear of carbon credits.
• To overcome the above challenges, steps to be adopted for methane reduction in the
atmosphere are policy to curb methane volume release mine wise per year, mandatory
policy for pre-mining degasification in high gassy coal mines, transparent dissemination of
information for evaluating commercial viability, expediting private participation, market
creation for clean energy technology, reliable cost recovery mechanism, support by
government subsidies/incentives and adopting technology to a smaller scale that to suit
Indian conditions.
• Investigation on quantification of ventilation air methane has been carried out in
Moonidih and Sudamdih mines in Jharia coalfields to assess the potential for use of any
of the VAM utilization technologies. A maximum of 0.2% methane concentration in
ventilation air of Moonidih u/g mine was observed at 510TPD and 0.04% was determined
for Sudamdih mine at 150TPD. Low rates of coal production from gassy mines are main
constraint for utilization of ventilation air methane in India.
However, VAM can also be harnessed in some cases to generate energy. Technologies have been developed to
capture and utilize VAM, including:
1. Methane Destruction: This involves technologies like catalytic combustion or thermal oxidation, which reduce
methane emissions by converting them into carbon dioxide and water.
2. Energy Recovery: VAM can be captured and used to produce electricity through gas turbines or other energy
recovery systems.
Using VAM for energy recovery helps reduce methane emissions, which contributes to mitigating the environmental
impact of coal mining.
 Ventilation Air Methane (VAM) mitigation and utilisation
• Mitigating and utilizing Ventilation Air Methane (VAM) is an important
environmental and technological challenge in the mining industry. VAM is a
potent greenhouse gas, and its release into the atmosphere contributes
significantly to global warming. Mitigating and utilizing VAM not only helps
reduce harmful emissions but can also provide energy recovery
opportunities.
• Reducing methane emissions can yield significant benefits in the race to
mitigate global temperature rise. The urgency of tackling methane
emissions is highlighted in the Paris Agreement, which seeks to limit global
temperature rise to well below 2℃ above pre-industrial levels.
• Looking at its significant global warming potential, reducing methane emissions is recognized as one of the most
effective strategies for achieving short-term climate objectives, making it a key focus in global efforts to combat climate
change.

• While Indian underground coal mines emit significant amounts of methane, there is limited research on quantifying
VAM emissions and exploring feasible utilization technologies. A comprehensive evaluation is needed to develop
practical solutions for methane recovery and utilization in Indian mining conditions. This will provide a foundation for
methane management in Indian underground coal mines, supporting national sustainability goals and global climate
commitments.
 TEMPERATURE-SWING ADSORPTION UNIT
• Methane concentration can be achieved by fixed bed adsorption. This is one
of the major promising technologies for methane concentration, providing
good yields and adequate concentrations for the operation of the gas turbine .
• Temperature-swing adsorption (TSA) is the most economically feasible, given
the lower energy requirements, and also the adsorption technique
recommended for concentrations lower than 2%.
• One of the key parameters in TSA processes is the proper selection of the
adsorbent material. There are two types of adsorbents: metal-organic
frameworks (MOFs) and activated carbons.
• MOFs are known for its exceptional storage capacity for methane gas. Active
carbons have lower adsorption capacity and selectivity. However, they are
major competitors because of their lower cost.
• Another important parameter is the desorption temperature, related to the
energy required to recover the methane concentrated stream from the
adsorbent.

• Additionally, the energy required for the desorption step could be obtained
from the effluent of the gas turbine.
 Harnessing VAM using a fixed-bed temperature-swing adsorption unit
• The harnessing of coal mine ventilation air methane (VAM) emissions has been proposed according to a
two-step integrated process: methane concentration in an adsorption/desorption unit, followed by
methane combustion in a lean-burn gas turbine. The flowsheet of this process is depicted in Fig. 1.
• The concentration step is carried out in a fixed bed temperature-swing adsorption (TSA) operation.
This unit is inherently discontinuous, with adsorption happening in a first step and, once the
adsorbent is saturated, methane is recovered by desorption at a higher temperature. The
concentration step must increase methane concentration to a minimum of 1%, in order to use a lean-
burn gas turbine for the combustion.
• The lean-burn gas turbine is made of three elements: compressor, recuperator and turbine. The turbine
is able of generating net work and, hence, produce electricity. The recuperator is used to pre-heat the
feed before the combustion using the part of the energy of the combustion gases. In addition, part of
these combustion gases can be used as the drag stream of the desorption process as shown in Fig. 1.
 VAM Mitigation
1. Methane Capture and Destruction Technologies:
• Catalytic Combustion: This method involves using a catalyst to oxidize methane
into less harmful substances like carbon dioxide and water at lower temperatures.
It is considered a more energy-efficient approach than traditional combustion.
• Thermal Oxidation (or Flare Systems): In this method, methane is burned at high
temperatures in a controlled environment, converting it into carbon dioxide and
water vapor. The heat from this process can be used for energy production,
though it has less efficiency compared to catalytic combustion.
• Plasma Arc Technology: This involves using high-temperature plasma arcs to
break down methane into its basic components (hydrogen and carbon), which can
then be further utilized or stored.
• Biological Methane Oxidation (Biofilters): Some innovative approaches use biological
processes to oxidize methane. In this case, methane is passed through a
bioreactor or biofilter, where microbes naturally consume the methane and
convert it into non-harmful byproducts. This is more commonly used in scenarios
with very low methane concentrations and is being explored as a potential
mitigation and utilization strategy for VAM.
2. Coal Mine Methane (CMM) Pre-mining Capture:
• Pre-mining Gas Drainage: Prior to mining, methane can be extracted from coal
seams to prevent the release of gas during mining operations. This is typically
done by drilling wells into coal seams and extracting the gas.
• Underground Draining: After mining begins, methane can still be extracted
through the mine’s ventilation system by drilling additional wells to intercept the
gas before it can reach the ventilation air.
VAM Utilization
• Utilizing VAM for energy recovery is a promising option, though it comes with its own set
of challenges. The low concentration of methane in ventilation air makes energy recovery
more complex, but technologies are emerging to make this process more viable.
• Different processes such as cryogenic, pressure swing adsorption, solvent absorption, molecular gate, and
membrane technologies are used for concentrating the methane in mine ventilation air When the
methane is concentrated to 30% or higher, a conventional gas turbine can be employed to generate
electricity.
• Energy Recovery via Gas Turbines:
• VAM can be fed into a gas turbine, where it is combusted to produce electricity. However, because VAM
concentrations are low, it often needs to be mixed with other fuels or concentrated before it can be
used effectively in a turbine. This method has been successfully demonstrated in some pilot projects.
gas turbines typically cannot utilize CMM below 50% methane and require the gas to be compressed
prior to use
• Microturbines:
• Microturbines are smaller versions of gas turbines that can generate power from low-concentration
methane like VAM. These turbines are more suitable for situations where methane concentration is not
high enough to fuel large turbines. Microturbines can convert methane into electricity, providing a
useful source of power for the mine.
• Reciprocating Engines:
• Reciprocating internal combustion engines have been used to convert methane into electrical energy.
Like gas turbines, these engines require higher methane concentrations, but technological
advancements have made it easier to use low-concentration methane for energy production.
• Utilization for Chemical Production:
• Some emerging technologies focus on converting methane into useful
chemicals, like methanol or hydrogen. For instance, methane can be converted
into syngas (a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide), which can then be
further processed into fuels or chemicals. This process is still in development,
but it could offer an alternative means to convert VAM into something valuable.
• Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS):
• While not directly a method of utilizing methane, CCS can play a role in the
mitigation of methane by capturing CO2 from the combustion process of VAM
and storing it underground. This can reduce the overall greenhouse gas impact
of burning methane for energy recovery.
Ventilation Air Methane Utilization Technologies
• Utilization technologies of ventilation air methane based on thermal oxidation or catalytic
oxidation principles are used to produce heat for the generation of useful energy. The
combustion process of methane and heat generated are presented by the following
chemical reaction:
CH4 +O2 = CO2+2H20, ΔH= -802.7kJ/ mol.
• The technologies for utilization of VAM are classified into three categories viz. Ancillary
use, Principal use and other technologies depending on the concentration of methane
and combustion systems.
• In the Ancillary use technologies, the VAM is used as supplementary fuel in gas turbine,
internal combustion engines and coal fired power station. In the combustion system,
oxygen of ambient air combines with the primary fuel to generate energy.
Challenges in VAM Mitigation and Utilization
• Low Methane Concentration: One of the primary challenges of VAM utilization is
the low concentration of methane (typically 0.3% to 1%), which makes it harder to
use efficiently in energy recovery systems.
• Cost of Technology: Technologies for capturing and utilizing VAM are still relatively
expensive, especially in underground mining environments. The costs of
installation, operation, and maintenance of methane recovery and destruction
systems can be high.
• Mine-Specific Variability: Each mine has unique characteristics (size, methane
content, ventilation system design) that influence how VAM can be captured and
utilized. This variability means that there isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution.
• Energy Efficiency: While utilizing VAM for energy recovery is possible, the process
is often not as energy-efficient as other more traditional methods of energy
generation, which may require additional infrastructure and optimization.
Conclusion
Mitigating and utilizing VAM represents a significant opportunity for reducing methane emissions from mining
activities and generating usable energy. While technologies for VAM mitigation and utilization continue to improve,
challenges remain related to efficiency, costs, and mine-specific factors. As global pressures to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions increase, investing in and scaling up VAM mitigation and utilization strategies will be essential to achieving
environmental sustainability in the mining industry.
Open cycle gas turbine: (A)
Schematic representation of system
and (B) T–S diagram.
Semiclosed cycle gas turbine: (a)
schematic representation of the system
and (b) T-S diagram. G =generator, HRSG
= Heat recovery steam
generator.
 Simple closed cycle gas turbine: (A)
system and (B) T–S diagram.

One methodology is to introduce a regenerator or a

recuperator, i.e. a heat exchanger recovering heat
from the hot exhaust gases from the turbine. If this
heat is delivered to the compressed air before it enters
the combustor, the cycle thermal efficiency will be
increased without changing the net cycle work.
Combined cycle gas turbine system with a heat recovery steam generator (HRSG) and generators (G).
Different prospects of VAM utilization

1. Ancillary use:
(i) as primary air in combustion of middling and rejects of washery in Thermo
gravimetric analyzer.
(ii) as combustion air in IC engines and its performance evaluation.
(iii)as supplementary fuel in rotary kiln system for Syngas production from high
ash coal, and for power generation.
2. Primary use:
• as a primary fuel in lean gas turbine by enriching the VAM with
CMM drain to produce electricity.
• as a primary fuel in Thermal Flow Reversal Reactor and its
performance evaluation.
• The VAM is used in place of ambient oxygen in the combustion chamber. The calorific value
of supplied VAM results in less consumption of primary fuel. The main draw back of
Ancillary use technique is that total VAM is not utilized, only a part of the VAM utilized
and remaining portion is vented in the atmosphere.
• A limited number of technologies that can beneficially use VAM are currently available. One
existing approach is quite straightforward and entails using VAM as combustion air, thereby
supplying ancillary fuel to internal combustion (IC) engines, turbines, or industrial and utility
boilers. Such VAM use in IC engines (running on CMM) has been well-demonstrated in
Australia.
• In recent years, technologies have been developed that can destroy very low concentration
methane in mine ventilation air by thermal oxidation. The primary purpose of these
technologies is the reduction of GHG emissions. Some of these technologies may be
combined with a heat recovery system for use at mines or district heating, or to run steam
turbines for power generation.
• In case of the Principal use technology, VAM is itself used as a primary fuel in Thermal flow-
reversal reactor (TFFR), Catalytic flow-reversal reactor (CFRR), Recuperative gas turbine,
Lean burn catalytic turbine and Catalytic monolith reactor (CMR). The minimum methane
concentrations required for operation of these technologies are 0.2, 0.1 and 0.4% for the
TFRR, CFRR and CMR units, respectively. In these reactors/turbines methane-air-mixture i.e.
VAM is fired to generate heat for production energy at small scale.

• Different combustion technologies are summarized in Table 3.

• In case of other technologies, Lean burn gas turbine/Micro turbine has been developed to
produce power from CMM or enriched VAM.
• Energy development Ltd. (ELD) has developed a recuperative gas turbine that is capable to
firing a methane air mixture as low as 1.6%. A Micro-turbine with catalytic combustion
power has been developed by Ingersoll-Rand of USA that needed 1% methane in ventilation
air.
• Concentrators are also developed to enrich VAM for ready use.
Thermal Oxidation Technologies
• Flow-reversal oxidizers – both thermal and catalytic – are commercially available and are
capable of oxidizing VAM.
• VAM entering thermal oxidizers encounters a bed of heat exchange material that has been
preheated to the oxidation temperature of methane (1000 °C).
• The VAM oxidizes and releases heat, which in turn maintains the temperature of the heat
transfer material at or above 1000 °C, thereby sustaining the auto-oxidation process over
time without requiring additional fuel input.
• Valves and dampers repeatedly reverse the flow of incoming VAM to keep the hot zone in
the center of the oxidizer.
• Catalytic and thermal systems both operate on this principle, although catalysts allow the
reaction to occur at lower temperatures (~800 °C). When VAM concentrations are high
enough, these systems can also provide excess heat energy for electricity generation
• The U.S. EPA has identified several commercially viable technologies for destroying or
beneficially using the methane contained in ventilation air:
1. two technologies based on a thermal oxidation process using thermal flow-reversal
reactors (TFRR) also known as regenerative thermal oxidizers (RTO);
2. a catalytic oxidation process called the catalytic flow-reversal reactor (CFRR) also known
as regenerative catalytic oxidizers (RCO).
• These technologies employ similar principles to oxidize methane contained in mine
ventilation airflows.
• Based on the latest demonstration projects, these units can sustain operation (i.e.,
maintain oxidation) with ventilation air having uniform methane concentrations down to
approximately 0.1% and 0.2% for the CFRR and TFRR processes, respectively.
• For commercial applications where methane concentrations are likely to vary over time,
the economic lower concentration limit at which oxidizers will be deployed is 0.5%.
• VAM energy recovery has been successfully demonstrated in Australia, using RTOs to
convert VAM to electricity at a mine mouth power plant.
• A VAM RCO has been proven at full-scale demonstration in a test unit.
Thermal Flow-reversal Reactors
• TFRR equipment consists of a bed of silica gravel or ceramic heat-exchange medium with a set of electric heating
elements in the center. The TFRR process employs the principle of regenerative heat exchange between a gas and a solid
bed of heat-exchange medium. To start the operation, electric heating elements preheat the middle of the bed to the
temperature required to initiate methane oxidation (above 1000 °C or 1832 °F, or hotter). Ventilation air at ambient
temperature enters and flows through the reactor in one direction, and the air temperature increases until oxidation of
the methane takes place near the center of the bed.

Depiction of the thermal flow-reversal reactor process

• The hot products of oxidation continue through the bed, losing heat to the far side of the
bed in the process. When the far side of the bed is sufficiently hot, the reactor
automatically reverses the direction of ventilation airflow. The ventilation air now enters
the far (hot) side of the bed, where it encounters auto-oxidation temperatures near the
center of the bed and then oxidizes. The hot gasses again transfer heat to the near (cold)
side of the bed and exit the reactor. Finally, the process is reversed again.
 Catalytic flow-reversal reactors
• CFRRs adapt the thermal flow reversal technology described above by including a catalyst to
reduce the auto-oxidation temperature of methane by several hundred degrees Celsius (to as
low as 350 °C or 662 °F).
• CFRR technology was developed exclusively for the treatment of methane in coal mine
ventilation air. Injecting a small amount of methane (gob gas or other source) increases the
methane concentration in ventilation air and can make the turbine function more efficiently.
• Waste heat from the oxidizer is also used to pre-heat the compressed air before it enters the
expansion side of the gas turbine.
• A packed bed, monolith, or other section may be used in the active section of the reactor. Typically, there is
also an inert section (either a monolith or packed bed) on either side of the catalyst section that is used to
help store thermal energy from the heat of the reaction and transfer that heat to inlet gas as a means of
preheating the feed gas. As time progresses, more energy accumulates at the outlet of the reactor.

• After a determined length of time, the

flow direction is reversed, and the
thermal energy stored in the inert
sections is used to preheat the feed.
This time is typically before the reactor
begins to lose thermal energy
• Current VAM technologies are generally not able to process methane concentrations below
0.2% without the use of an additional fuel, but research efforts are underway to lower the
concentration threshold since VAM concentrations at many mines worldwide fall below
0.2%.
• Operations that use VAM to generate power may need to optimize the inflow concentrations
and increase the VAM concentration inlet to the oxidation device.
• One method of fuel enrichment (spiking) involves adding methane from other sources such
as gob or pre-mine drainage gas. If enrichment is being considered, low-quality drained gas
(less than 30%) should not be used due to the explosion hazard. Use of higher
concentration gas (greater than 30%) could divert gas from lower-cost CMM power
generation, and this should be evaluated as part of the project feasibility.
EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES
• The U.S. EPA has also identified other technologies that may be able to play a role in and
enhance opportunities for VAM oxidation projects. These new technologies include volatile
organic compound (VOC) concentrators, lean gas fuel turbines, and using VAM as an
ancillary fuel. Each emerging technology is briefly described below:
Concentrators:
• Volatile organic compound (VOC) concentrators offer another possible economical option
for application to VAM. Currently, there are three technologies available: the carousel,
rotary disk, and fluidized bed, with the fluidized bed considered to be the most applicable
technology to concentrating CMM.
• Concentrators operate by passing the methane-laden air up through a bed of adsorbent
material (e.g., activated carbon or zeolite beads) on which the methane accumulates,
increasing the weight of the adsorbent, which falls downward.
• An inert carrier gas is used to strip the methane in a desorption step; the adsorbent is then
returned to the fluidized bed for another concentration cycle.
• The benefits of a concentrator include increasing the concentration of methane in VAM for
use in turbines and IC engines, reducing the upgrading requirements for pipeline injection of
mid-quality gas, and increasing the commercial use options for low-quality gas streams.

Lean fuel gas turbines:

• Currently efforts are underway to modify selected gas turbine models to operate directly
on VAM or on VAM that has been enhanced with more concentrated fuels. These efforts
include technologies such as carbureted gas turbines, lean-fueled turbines with catalytic
combustors, lean-fueled catalytic microturbines, hybrid coal and VAM-fueled gas turbines,
and the use of VAM as an ancillary fuel. These technologies are given below.
Carbureted gas turbine (CGT)
A carbureted gas turbine is a gas turbine in which the fuel enters as a homogeneous mixture
via the air inlet to an aspirated turbine. It requires a fuel/air mixture of 1.6% by volume, so
most VAM sources would require enrichment. Combustion takes place in an external
combustor where the reaction is at a lower temperature (1200 °C or 2192 °F) than for a
normal turbine, thus eliminating any Nox emissions.
Lean-fueled turbine with catalytic combustor (CCGT)
A lean-fueled turbine with catalytic combustor gas turbine is developed by CSIRO
(Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation) Exploration & Mining of
Australia. This turbine could use methane in coal mine ventilation air and could oxidize the
VAM in conjunction with a catalyst. The turbine compresses a very lean fuel/air mixture and
combusts it in a catalytic combustor.
A schematic diagram of the catalytic reactor in a catalytic combustion gas turbine system is
illustrated in Figure. In this design, fuel and combustion air are premixed in an upstream
section: then, only a fraction of the fuel is oxidized in the catalytic section, while the remainder
is burned downstream the catalyst in gas-phase combustion mode. The present work focuses
on the low-temperature oxidation reaction taking place in the catalytic reactor.
Lean-fueled catalytic microturbine
A lean-fueled catalytic microturbine is being jointly developed by two U.S. companies,
FlexEnergy and Capstone Turbine Corporation. The application will start at 30 kW and will
operate on a methane-in air mixture of 1.3%. Capstone microturbines have been successfully
demonstrated utilizing CMM at an abandoned mine in Japan in 2004.
Hybrid coal and VAM-fueled gas turbine
CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation) is developing a system
to oxidize and generate electricity with VAM in combination with waste coal. CSIRO is
constructing a 1.2-MW pilot plant that co-fires waste coal and VAM in a rotary kiln, captures
the heat in a high-temperature air-to-air heat exchanger, and uses clean, hot air to power a
gas turbine.
• The Hybrid Coal Gasification Technology (HCGT) developed by CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and
Industrial Research Organisation), Australia wherein washery middling along with low concentration of
methane is combusted in a Rotating Kiln to produce hot gas to generate electric power.
• The HCGT plant requires air with minimum 0.3% methane at the rate of 4000m3/min. and washery middling
whose Calorific value ranges from 3000 to 3500kgcal at rate of 11.75t/hr in two Rotating Kilns. The plant
generates steam at the rate of 60t/hr which is used in steam turbine to produce 12MW electric power. The
diagram of HCGT plant is shown in Figure 2.

Fig. 2. Schematic diagram of HCGT plant

 CASE STUDY
Options For Methane Recovery and Energy Generation
Coal mine project opportunities in some of the selected collieries in India
• In a recent feasibility study funded by the US Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA),
Kalidaspur and Ghusick collieries in the Raniganj Coalfield, Murulidih, Amlabad, Sudamdih
and Parbatpur mines in the Jharia Coalfield and Jarangdih and Sawang collieries in the East
Bokaro Coalfield appear to be promising sites for CMM recovery at first glance. CMM
resources in the above collieries in the Damodar River Basin in India have been estimated and
are presented in Table 6.
• Gas resources in Ichhapur, Kulti and Sitarampur blocks in the Raniganj Coalfield and
Asnapani and Kathara blocks in the East Bokaro Coalfield have been estimated and are
presented in Table 7.

• Kalidaspur colliery is a degree III mine in the Raniganj coalfield with an average production
of 350 tonnes per day. The rate of methane emission was found to be more than 10 cubic
meters per tonnes of coal mined during the days of investigation. The minimum and
maximum values of rate of methane emission per tonnes of coal production were 8.78 and
19.27 cubic meter per tonnes respectively. The CMM resource estimated for Kalidaspur
Colliery including the adjoining virgin Bakulia Block was 3.783 billion cubic meters (BCM).
Thus, it is qualified to be a potential site for a small scale CMM project.
• Ghusick colliery is also a degree III underground coal mine in the Raniganj coalfield. This
colliery was found with very high level of gas at shallow depth. During the investigation
period it was found that make of methane varied between 11.02-14.2 m3/minute even
when the production was only 70 tonnes of coal per day. Also, the gases obtained from the
sealed-off areas, when analyzed, contained 50-65% of methane. An estimated CMM
resource of 2.58 billion cubic meters (BCM) was found at the Ghusick colliery. Thus , the
venture of CMM degasification and Gob degasification can be accomplished at the Ghusick
Colliery.
• Ichhapur, Kulti and Sitarampur are the virgin coal blocks of Raniganj coalfield having a
maximum value of in-situ gas content of 7.06 m3/t, 9.16 m3/t and 7.21 m3/t respectively.
The CMM resource of Ichhapur Block was found to be 3.83 BCM and it is suitable for small
scale CMM project. The total gas resource of 3.40 BCM is present in the Kulti and
Sitarampur Blocks, therefore these blocks can be developed as a site for medium scale
CMM project.
• In the Jharia coalfield, Murulidih, Amlabad, Sudamdih and Parbatpur are important
collieries for CMM extraction.
• Murulidih mine lies in the Mahuda sub-basin area and is designated as degree III mine.
With a CMM resource of 4.98 BCM in the Raniganj and deep Barakar formations,
Murulidih colliery can be considered for medium scale CMM project.
• Amlabad and Sudamdih Collieries also have high levels of gas, and at relatively shallow
depths. Both the mines are Degree III gassy mines. The rate of methane emission is 25
m3/t of coal production at the Amlabad Colliery making it very difficult for coal mining. It
has an estimated gas resource of 0.76 BCM. The nearby Sudamdih mine is having a gas
resource of 0.80 BCM. Therefore these two collieries can be modeled as small scale CMM
ventures.
• Central Parbatpur is located to the South of Damodar River in the South Eastern part of
Jharia coalfield, covering an area of about 8.8 sq km. This area is characterized by
significant tectonic disturbance and is cris-crossed by 11 major faults. Central Parbatpur is
having a CMM resource of 5.312 BCM, representing a rich site for CMM extraction and
recovery.
• East Bokaro Coalfield is a huge storehouse of high rank medium coking metallurgical coals.
Jarangdih and Sawang are two underground Degree III collieries with a known history of
gassiness. The rate of methane emission per tonne of coal produced at the Jarangdih 6 ft
seam at the Jarangdih colliery mine was insignificant but a value of 17.12 m3/t methane
emission was observed in the Jarangdih 6 ft seam at the Sawang colliery.
• Two important virgin blocks namely Asnapani and Kathara located in the south central part
of East Bokaro Coalfield, having a surface area of 4 sq km and 6 sq km respectively provide
an option for CMM extraction and recovery. The Asnapani block is containing a CMM
resource of 6.64 BCM and Kathara Block with a CMM resource of 8.62 BCM can be easily
chosen for CMM projects location.
VAM Project Opportunities in India
• There are 13 degree III mines in India (Table 1) and wherein VAM utilization is feasible. CSIR-
CIMFR along with Southern Illinois University Carbondale (SIUC), USA completed a study to
evaluate the resource potential of VAM utilization at Moonidih and Sudamdih mines in the
Jharia Coalfield.
• Further studies were conducted by CSIR-CIMFR for assessment of quantity and quality of
the mine air and characteristics of washery middlings at Moonidih mine of Coal India
Limited which is a Degree III gassy mine and concentration of methane in the return air
varies from 0.3 to 0.6%.
• Further, Moonidih Mine has its own washery and has surplus middlings too. Hence,
Moonidih was chosen for feasibility study for implementation of Hybrid Coal Gas
Technology (HCGT) developed by CSIRO, Australia wherein washery middling is combusted
along with ventilation air methane in a rotary kiln to produce hot gas for production of
electric power.
• The process includes the collection of air with a minimum 0.3% methane concentration at
the rate of 12000 m3/min from the mine exhaust and feeding it to the rotary kiln where it
may be combusted with washery middling at the rate of 11.75 tonne/hour. The hot gas
coming out of the rotary kiln will be supplied to a waste heat recovery boiler (WHRB). The
steam produced by the boiler at the rate of 60 tonnes per hour will be used in a steam
turbine generator which will produce nearly 12 MW power.
Calculation of Net Emission Reduction for VAM Project at Moonidih Mine
• For calculation of net emission reduction, the input parameters are assumed as air flow
rate from the return of coal mine is 12,000 m3/min and the concentration of methane in
the return air as 0.5%. A significant reduction of 0.62 million tonnes of CO2 per year is
possible with the use of VAM. The important parameters are reflected in the Table 8.
 ECONOMICAL ANALYSIS
• To assess the technical and economic feasibility of a mine-site implementation of any
potential mine methane technology, it is necessary to first understand the methane
emission characteristics from that mine. In order to determine the potential to
continuously operate methane mitigation and utilization plants at a mine site, the following
mine-site data are required:
1. Percentage of methane emitted from ventilation air stream,
2. Variations in methane concentration and flow rate for ventilation air, and
3. Methane concentration variation rate.
• In order to discuss economical benefits, the quantification process of VAM from a
particular mine is required to be studied. It is estimated on the basis of rate of methane
emission per tonne of coal produced.
• Economical analysis has been studied on the basis of utilization of ventilation air methane.
• Moonidih mine in Jharia Coalfields is a mechanized mine and is of degree III gassy mine. Investigation on the
quantification of VAM has been conducted under a UNDP (United Nations Development Programme) project.
The concentration of methane in VAM ranges between 0.11 to 0.22% at 510 TPD during coal mining from XV
and XVI seams and it is 0.11% during idle period i.e. when no coal production. The total quantity of VAM at
the current rate of production was calculated for 2007-08 and is presented in the Table 4.

• With increasing production of coal in future and availability of low rank coal (washery middling) from Moondih
coal washery situated nearby mine site, the HCGT plant may be installed under a clean development
mechanism project for the utilization of VAM.
• An economical analysis based on VAM utilization of Moonidih mine of Bharat Coking Coal Limited in Jharia
Coalfields is discussed and results are shown in the Table 5. Generation of CO2 by VAM utilization has been
balanced during assessment of economical benefit. Other investments such as capital cost to establish HCGT
plant, purchase of low rank coal and selling of generated electric power are not considered due to lack of
component costs. In one Rotary kiln, 4505 Tonne per year methane may be combusted and generated
revenue by selling CERs may be 0.64 million dollar (Rs. 383 Lakh) per year.