Cyclic flow underground coal gasification process. [Patent application; cyclic reversals of flow direction]

Patent · Fri Dec 17 00:00:00 EST 1976

OSTI ID:5418880

Bissett, L A

The present invention is directed to a method of in situ coal gasification for providing the product gas with an enriched concentration of carbon monoxide. The method is practiced by establishing a pair of combustion zones in spaced-apart boreholes within a subterranean coal bed and then cyclically terminating the combustion in the first of the two zones to establish a forward burn in the coal bed so that while an exothermic reaction is occurring in the second combustion zone to provide CO/sub 2/-laden product gas, an endothermic CO-forming reaction is occurring in the first combustion zone between the CO/sub 2/-laden gas percolating thereinto and the hot carbon in the wall defining the first combustion zone to increase the concentration of CO in the product gas. When the endothermic reaction slows to a selected activity the roles of the combustion zones are reversed by re-establishing an exothermic combustion reaction in the first zone and terminating the combustion in the second zone.

• Assignee: Energy Research and Development Administration
• Patent Number(s): US A 751624
• OSTI ID: 5418880
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
IN-SITU GASIFICATION
REVERSE COMBUSTION
CARBON MONOXIDE
COAL GASIFICATION
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COMBUSTION
GASIFICATION
IN-SITU PROCESSING
OXIDATION
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PROCESSING
010404* - Coal
Lignite
& Peat- Gasification