UNDERGROUND COAL GASIFICATION IN INDIA

A.A. K.K. SinghSingh CentralCentral MiningMining ResearchResearch InstituteInstitute DhanbadDhanbad -- 826001826001 [email protected]@[email protected] PURPOSEPURPOSE 1.Provide an introduction to Underground Coal Gasification and Efforts of CMRI.

1.CMRI vision for UCG in India. WhatWhat isis Gasification?Gasification?

• Gasification is a general term for various processes that converts fuels such as coal into synthesis gas (Syngas) by reacting them with air/oxygen and steam at elevated temperatures. • Gasification is not combustion.

• Syngas is primarily made up of CO, H2

and CH4. GasificationGasification (Contd..)(Contd..)

PartialPartial CombustionCombustion CC ++ OO2 == 2CO2CO exothermicexothermic

CombustionCombustion CC ++ OO2 == COCO2 exothermicexothermic

CC ++ COCO2 == 2CO2CO endothermicendothermic

WaterWater--GasGas CC ++ HH2OO == COCO ++ HH2 endothermicendothermic

HydrogasificationHydrogasification CC ++ 2H2H2 == CHCH4 exothermicexothermic

ShiftShift COCO ++ HH2OO == COCO2 ++ HH2 exothermicexothermic

ReformationReformation COCO ++ 3H3H2 == CHCH4++ HH2OO exothermicexothermic GasificationGasification (Contd..)(Contd..)

• Gasification as a technology was developed in the early 1800’s in Baltimore for town gas production. • Today, gasification of coal is largely directed to the production for Syngas for conversion to ammonia, methanol etc. • For power generation, it is expected to be the highest area of growth in gasification over the next 20 years. GasificationGasification (Contd..)(Contd..)

• Surface Gasification > Moving bed or counter current flow reactors. > Fluidized bed or back mix reactors. > Entrained bed or plug flow reactors. • Underground Coal Gasification (UCG) UCGUCG GasGas CompositionComposition TypicalTypical compositioncomposition ofof UCGUCG DryDry SynSyn GasGas

CO2 CH4 CH4 5% 17% CO2 25% 34% CO H2 24% H2 32% CO 46% 17%

Calorific Value 2600 Kcal / sm3 Calorific Value 4000 Kcal / sm3

WithWith nono COCO2 capturecapture WithWith COCO2 capturecapture

After Blinderman et al. (2002) ApplicationsApplications • Produce Heat • Generate Power • Synthesis of Chemical products • Hydrogen • Methanol Syngas • Synthetic Natural gas

Hydrocarbons Power Generation

Chemical Synthesis Fertilizer

Crude Oil And others TechnologyTechnology forfor CommercialCommercial UseUse •• RecentRecent trialstrials havehave establishedestablished thatthat viableviable solutionssolutions toto thethe inseaminseam connectionconnection problemproblem cancan bebe achieved.achieved. •• Broadly,Broadly, threethree methodsmethods ofof UCGUCG havehave nownow evolved.evolved. >> TheThe firstfirst method,method, basedbased onon technologytechnology fromfrom thethe formerformer SovietSoviet Union,Union, reliesrelies onon verticalvertical wellswells coupledcoupled generallygenerally withwith airair pressurizationpressurization toto openopen upup anan internalinternal pathwaypathway inin thethe coal.coal. TechnologyTechnology forfor CommercialCommercial UseUse ((ContdContd…)…)

>> InIn thethe secondsecond ChineseChinese methodmethod manman--builtbuilt galleriesgalleries inin thethe coalcoal seamseam areare usedused asas thethe gasificationgasification channels,channels, andand boreholesboreholes areare constructedconstructed toto communicatecommunicate withwith thethe surface.surface. >> TheThe thirdthird method,method, testedtested inin EuropeanEuropean andand AmericanAmerican coalcoal seams,seams, isis toto createcreate dedicateddedicated inseaminseam boreholes,boreholes, usingusing drillingdrilling andand completioncompletion technologytechnology adaptedadapted fromfrom oiloil andand gasgas production,production, ItIt hashas aa moveablemoveable injectioninjection pointpoint knownknown asas CRIP.CRIP. TheThe raterate ofof productionproduction andand compositioncomposition ofof thethe productproduct gasgas isis aa directdirect functionfunction ofof thethe following:following: ►► Pressure,Pressure, flowflow raterate andand compositioncomposition ofof thethe inputinput gas,gas, andand catalyst.catalyst. ►► CharacteristicsCharacteristics ofof coal.coal. ►► GeologicGeologic conditions.conditions. ►► ConditionsConditions createdcreated locallylocally duringduring linkagelinkage andand gasification.gasification. CurrentCurrent CommercialCommercial PotentialPotential

•• ChinchillaChinchilla ((QueenslandQueensland,, Australia)Australia) pilotpilot plantplant hashas established:established: ––ContinuousContinuous gasgas productionproduction forfor 3030 months.months. ––ProvenProven environmentalenvironmental acceptance.acceptance. ––FeasibilityFeasibility studiesstudies forfor powerpower generationgeneration fromfrom 4040 toto 400MW,400MW, usingusing provenproven plant.plant. ––HighlyHighly competitivecompetitive economicseconomics (

► TheThe countrycountry hashas veryvery largelarge depositsdeposits ofof deepdeep seatedseated coalcoal andand lignitelignite whichwhich areare notnot amenableamenable toto extractionextraction byby conventionalconventional miningmining methods.methods.

► TheThe presentpresent coalcoal reservereserve isis 2,53,3592,53,359 millionmillion tonnestonnes asas onon 11st JanuaryJanuary 20062006 (GSI(GSI data).data). RecoverableRecoverable reservereserve hashas beenbeen estimatedestimated asas 95,95, 866866 millionmillion tonnes,tonnes, onlyonly 37.8%.37.8%.

► LigniteLignite resourceresource ofof thethe countrycountry isis 37,15437,154 millionmillion tonnestonnes asas onon 11st AprilApril 20052005 (GSI(GSI data).data). RecoverableRecoverable reservereserve hashas beenbeen estimatedestimated asas 4,4, 260260 millionmillion tonnes,tonnes, onlyonly 11.5%.11.5%. UCGUCG inin IndiaIndia

► InIn 19811981 aa protocolprotocol forfor UCGUCG developmentdevelopment waswas singedsinged betweenbetween thethe GovernmentGovernment ofof IndiaIndia andand thethe GovernmentGovernment ofof erstwhileerstwhile SovietSoviet Union.Union.

► InIn 19841984 thethe GovernmentGovernment ofof IndiaIndia constitutedconstituted aa NationalNational CommitteeCommittee onon UCG.UCG.

► ONGCONGC drilleddrilled twotwo pilotpilot wellswells nearnear MehsanaMehsana city,city, inin NorthNorth Gujarat.Gujarat. ResultsResults atat MehsanaMehsana

► CoalCoal ReservesReserves ofof aboutabout 63billion63billion tonestones atat aa depthsdepths rangingranging fromfrom 700700 -- 1700m.1700m.

► CarbonCarbon contentcontent (dry(dry ashash freefree basis)basis) betweenbetween 7272 –– 76%76%

► MethaneMethane contentcontent varyingvarying fromfrom 11 –– 66 mm3/t./t.

► HydrogenHydrogen contentcontent waswas highhigh comparedcompared toto otherother lignitelignite depositsdeposits inin India.India. RecentRecent ActivitiesActivities ► The Ministry of Coal, Government of India, has awarded an S&T study project to the Neyveli Lignite Corporation. ► ONGC has signed an Agreement for Collaboration with Skochinsky Institute of Mining, Russia in Nov. 2004. ► ONGC has also signed a MOUs with NLC, GMDC, GIPCL, CIL and SCCL. ► Vastan mine block of GIPCL has been identified suitable for UCG. ► Five additional blocks are also being studied. ► Five blocks were found NOT suitable. ► GAIL signed MoC with Ergo Exergy, Canada and MoU with Govt of Rajasthan. Land has been earmarked to GAIL. EffortsEfforts ofof CMRICMRI •• InIn 19841984 thethe GovernmentGovernment ofof IndiaIndia constitutedconstituted aa NationalNational CommitteeCommittee onon UCGUCG withwith Prof.Prof. M.M.M.M. SharmaSharma asas thethe Chairman.Chairman. •• CMRICMRI waswas oneone ofof thethe participatingparticipating institutions.institutions. •• TheThe coalcoal samplessamples ofof differentdifferent coalcoal seamsseams werewere evaluatedevaluated forfor theirtheir detaileddetailed InIn--situsitu gasgas content,content, petrology,petrology, reactivityreactivity andand physicophysico--mechanicalmechanical propertiesproperties etc.etc. WaterWater samplessamples werewere examined.examined. •• CMRICMRI conductedconducted laboratorylaboratory studiesstudies withwith lablab scalescale physicalphysical models.models.

ComponentsComponents ofof LabLab scalescale modelmodel • Feed gas preheating system. • Gasification reactor. • Gas clean-up and sampling system. CoalCoal UsedUsed Percentage of ash - 19.00 Percentage of moisture - 04.02 Percentage of volatile matter - 27.06 Percentage of fixed carbon - 49.92 FindingsFindings ofof LabLab scalescale modelmodel • With the oxidation zone at the thermocouple point I, indicated by maximum rise in temperature, the

highest content of CO2 in product gas was indicated. A significant decrease in the residual content of oxygen was shown at the same time. • As the oxidation zone reached second thermocouple point lowest residual content of oxygen was

obtained with the least amount of CO2 content for a run.

• Also, steep increase in CO2 and H2 content in the

product gas was obtained. Thereafter, CO2 content in the product increased, rather moderately. FindingsFindings ofof LabLab scalescale modelmodel

•• ItIt waswas foundfound thatthat additionaddition ofof steamsteam toto thethe injectioninjection blast,blast, generally,generally, lowerslowers thethe temperaturetemperature ofof thethe reactionreaction zoneszones andand thusthus improvesimproves thethe gasificationgasification efficiency.efficiency. •• LargeLarge proportionproportion ofof steam,steam, however,however, slowsslows thethe gasificationgasification duedue toto furtherfurther loweringlowering ofof temperaturetemperature inin reactionreaction zones.zones. FindingsFindings ofof LabLab scalescale modelmodel BackgroundBackground paperpaper onon UCGUCG •• PreparedPrepared aa backgroundbackground paperpaper onon UCGUCG forfor TIFAC.TIFAC.

•• GlobalGlobal technologicaltechnological status,status, Barriers,Barriers, TechnologicalTechnological andand policypolicy interventionsinterventions requiredrequired andand prospectsprospects ofof UCGUCG inin IndiaIndia havehave beenbeen highlightedhighlighted inin thisthis work.work. CMRICMRI FacilitiesFacilities forfor UCGUCG

•• DevelopmentDevelopment ofof lablab scalescale reactorsreactors toto studystudy thethe characteristicscharacteristics ofof coalcoal forfor thethe purposepurpose ofof gasification.gasification. ¾¾ ImpactImpact ofof temperaturetemperature variation.variation. ¾¾ VariationVariation ofof feedfeed raterate andand composition.composition. ¾¾ MolecularMolecular compositioncomposition ofof gasesgases evolvedevolved withwith differentdifferent rampramp raterate andand temperaturetemperature range.range. CMRICMRI FacilitiesFacilities forfor UCGUCG

•• NumericalNumerical modellingmodelling ofof coalcoal andand charchar reactions,reactions, fluidfluid flowflow andand heatheat transfer,transfer, breakagebreakage andand collapsecollapse ofof rockrock andand coalcoal toto predict:predict:

>> CavityCavity volumevolume changes.changes. >> ProductProduct gasgas flowflow raterate andand composition.composition. >> ModellingModelling stratastrata mechanicsmechanics andand subsidence.subsidence. >> OpportunitiesOpportunities forfor fillingfilling voids,voids, ifif required.required. >> GroundGround waterwater depletiondepletion andand contamination.contamination. >> PreparationPreparation ofof EIAEIA andand EMPEMP forfor UCGUCG projects.projects. FutureFuture programmeprogramme •• CompilationCompilation ofof generalgeneral characteristicscharacteristics ofof coalcoal seamsseams andand identificationidentification ofof suitablesuitable sitessites forfor UCG.UCG. •• EvaluationEvaluation ofof TechnicalTechnical andand EconomicEconomic Indices.Indices. •• StudiesStudies onon geologygeology ofof UCGUCG blocks,coalblocks,coal quality,quality, roofroof andand floorfloor rockrock lithology,lithology, geohydrology,geohydrology, geologicalgeological modelsmodels andand numericalnumerical modellingmodelling toto assistassist aa UCGUCG -- PilotPilot programme.programme.

•• AssessmentAssessment ofof COCO2 capturecapture andand storagestorage potentialpotential inin cooledcooled cavities.cavities. AdsorptionAdsorption IsothermIsotherm EquilibriumEquilibrium MoistureMoisture GasGas ChromatographChromatograph ReservoirReservoir ModellingModelling CoreCore Permeability/porosityPermeability/porosity RockRock mechanicsmechanics lablab •• ConsortiumConsortium ofof PublicPublic SectorSector Companies,Companies, NationalNational laboratorieslaboratories likelike CMRICMRI andand AcademicAcademic Institutes.Institutes. •• AA nationalnational missionmission projectproject maymay bebe undertaken.undertaken. •• GuidanceGuidance ofof expertexpert consultants.consultants. •• LabLab scalescale studiesstudies maymay bebe initiatedinitiated immediately.immediately. •• PilotPilot scalescale demonstrationdemonstration project.project. THANKSTHANKS