- Title
- Reducing climate change related fugitive greenhouse gas emissions from operational longwall coal mines
- Creator
- Holmes, Robert
- Date
- 2017
- Type
- Text; Thesis; PhD
- Identifier
- http://researchonline.federation.edu.au/vital/access/HandleResolver/1959.17/166475
- Identifier
- vital:13434
- Identifier
- https://library.federation.edu.au/record=b2746505
- Abstract
- The aim of this research is to quantify and validate a method which can significantly reduce fugitive greenhouse gas emissions from collieries in Australia, both cost-effectively and safely. Methane (CH₄) is controlled in collieries currently only for safety, statutory compliance or for capture and use reasons. But today, there is pressure on collieries to reduce not only mining costs but their greenhouse gas emissions. It is known that 65% of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with collieries come from fugitive ventilation air methane (VAM). The oxidising machinery to mitigate these fugitive emissions is expensive, has safety concerns and is not widely used at present for these reasons. But widespread concern over GHG emissions means that it is desirable to lower VAM emissions now. One safe, low-cost and non-gas drainage solution explored herein to reduce emissions, is a method to prevent some CH₄ from entering the mine airstream and becoming VAM in the first place. This emissions reduction method underwent a 12-month trial in a colliery in the Hunter Valley using six different quantified and costed non-gas drainage measures. All relevant data was retained, and with the mine’s permission has been processed and published here as a part of this research. A reduction in fugitive emissions of 95,398 t/CO₂-e below that projected for the subsequent 12 months was quantified, at a mitigation cost of A$1.08 t/CO₂-e. The level of mitigation achieved, represents approximately 20% of the mine’s VAM emissions. This research has also further tested the method used in the Hunter Valley trial, by visiting two other large collieries in Queensland, and assessing the two most successful mitigation measures from the Hunter Valley trial (roadway sealing and pressure balancing of sealed panels) against operational conditions at these collieries by ventilation modelling, using their measured gas, airflow and seal pressure data.; Doctor of Philosophy
- Publisher
- Federation University Australia
- Rights
- Copyright Robert Holmers
- Rights
- Open Access
- Rights
- This metadata is freely available under a CCO license
- Subject
- Climate change; Greenhouse gas emissions; Operational longwall coal mines
- Full Text
- Thesis Supervisor
- Tuck, Michael
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