Pumping carbon and hydrogen out of the ground using the hydrocarb process
A new concept for UCG is proposed in which underground coal seams are hydrogenated with a hydrogen-rich gas in an injection-well to form a methane-rich production-well gas stream. The exit methane-rich gas stream, is decomposed to carbon black and a hydrogen-rich gas stream above ground. Part of the hydrogen-rich gas stream is withdrawn as a clean product gas and the remainder is recycled underground to, once again, hydrogenate the coal underground. Unlike conventional steam gasification of coal, which is an endothermic process requiring either oxygen or air to combust with coal underground to provide the endothermic heat of reaction, the hydrogenation of coal underground is exothermic which maintains the temperature of the bed in the reaction between the coal and hydrogen to methane. This process thus, in effect, pumps carbon fuel out of the ground with the use of hydrogen. Furthermore, it is a much safer system to operate than the steam-oxygen gasification of underground coal. 2 refs., 2 figs.
- Research Organization:
- Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- DOE/FE
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC02-76CH00016
- OSTI ID:
- 5540945
- Report Number(s):
- BNL-42490; CONF-891058-2; ON: DE90000034
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: International underground coal gasification symposium, Delft (Netherlands), 9-11 Oct 1989
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
COAL
HYDROGENATION
HYDROGEN
REGENERATION
METHANE
DECOMPOSITION
CARBON BLACK
EFFICIENCY
IN-SITU GASIFICATION
THERMODYNAMICS
WASTE MANAGEMENT
YIELDS
ALKANES
CARBON
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
ELEMENTS
ENERGY SOURCES
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GASIFICATION
HYDROCARBONS
IN-SITU PROCESSING
MANAGEMENT
MATERIALS
NONMETALS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PROCESSING
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
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