Mitigating ventilation air methane cost-effectively from a colliery in Australia
- Authors: Holmes, Robert
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of Applied Engineering Sciences Vol. 6, no. 19 (2016), p. 41-50
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Methane has been controlled in collieries in the past only for safety and statutory compliance reasons; however concerns over greenhouse gas emissions mean that this is now changing. About 65% of greenhouse emissions associated with underground coal mining come from ventilation air methane (VAM). The machinery to mitigate these fugitive emissions once the VAM exits the mine fans is expensive, has safety concerns and is not widely used at present. Consider these factors; more collieries are mining lower seams, methane content increases with depth, VAM mitigation plants are not widely used, most mine emissions are VAM, and widespread concern over greenhouse gases mean that it is desirable to lower VAM emissions now. One solution would be a method to prevent more methane from entering the mine airstream and becoming VAM in the first place. Recently, in a colliery in the Hunter Valley, this mitigation method underwent a 12-month trial, and involved six different measures. Measurements were taken to assess the emissions mitigation which was achieved, and the cost of the works; all the results are detailed herein. A reduction in fugitive emissions of 80,307 t/CO2-e below that which was projected for the next 12-month period was quantified, at an average cost of A$1.28c t/CO2-e. The mitigation measure outlined here represent a first attempt to the author’s knowledge, in an operating mine, to lower a collieries’ environmental footprint by preventing methane from entering the mine airstream and becoming VAM gas by the deliberate use of mitigation measures.
- Authors: Holmes, Robert
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of Applied Engineering Sciences Vol. 6, no. 19 (2016), p. 41-50
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Methane has been controlled in collieries in the past only for safety and statutory compliance reasons; however concerns over greenhouse gas emissions mean that this is now changing. About 65% of greenhouse emissions associated with underground coal mining come from ventilation air methane (VAM). The machinery to mitigate these fugitive emissions once the VAM exits the mine fans is expensive, has safety concerns and is not widely used at present. Consider these factors; more collieries are mining lower seams, methane content increases with depth, VAM mitigation plants are not widely used, most mine emissions are VAM, and widespread concern over greenhouse gases mean that it is desirable to lower VAM emissions now. One solution would be a method to prevent more methane from entering the mine airstream and becoming VAM in the first place. Recently, in a colliery in the Hunter Valley, this mitigation method underwent a 12-month trial, and involved six different measures. Measurements were taken to assess the emissions mitigation which was achieved, and the cost of the works; all the results are detailed herein. A reduction in fugitive emissions of 80,307 t/CO2-e below that which was projected for the next 12-month period was quantified, at an average cost of A$1.28c t/CO2-e. The mitigation measure outlined here represent a first attempt to the author’s knowledge, in an operating mine, to lower a collieries’ environmental footprint by preventing methane from entering the mine airstream and becoming VAM gas by the deliberate use of mitigation measures.
Reducing climate change related fugitive greenhouse gas emissions from operational longwall coal mines
- Authors: Holmes, Robert
- Date: 2017
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: 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.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Holmes, Robert
- Date: 2017
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: 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.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
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