Underground coal gasification technology in the USSR. [76 references]

Technical Report · Thu Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1976

OSTI ID:7258365

Dossey, J L

Over forty years of available, translated Soviet literature on the technology of underground gasification of coal has been reviewed. During that period a large program was undertaken estimated cumulatively at over $2 billion U.S. dollars equivalent. Many underground gasification experiments were conducted in coals of rank from lignite to anthracite and in a variety of geological and hydrological conditions. Many difficult technical problems were solved and by methods which avoided underground labor. Theoretical and experimental investigations were made to define aerodynamic flow of the blast and combustion within the ''channel.'' Extensive development and experimentation enabled optimization of process variables as a function of coal type and conditions such that the calorific value of the produced gas, the process efficiency, and the percent of coal recovered are maximized while production costs are minimized. Coping with inherent moisture in the coal and water inflow into the seam and evacuation of the product gas at an optimal location and temperature in the channel are most important. Instrumentation was developed to facilitate process control, including: burn front localization, channel temperature measurement, and product gas analyses. Advanced developments include: aerodynamic means to direct the blast more directly at the burn front, heat exchangers at the gas withdrawal boreholes to enhance process efficiency, and recovery of by-products principally for use by agricultural consumers. Although it seems evident that much progress was made, it appears that the program was cut back several years ago without the construction of industrial size facilities. The author concludes that the cost of producing gas of low calorific value from underground gasifiers was not sufficiently attractive economically to the Soviets to warrant further investment at that time. (LTN)

• Research Organization: Sandia Labs., Albuquerque, N.Mex. (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: E(29-1)-789
• OSTI ID: 7258365
• Report Number(s): SAND-76-0380
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
010404* -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Gasification
COAL GASIFICATION
DOCUMENT TYPES
ECONOMICS
EUROPE
EVALUATION
GASIFICATION
IN-SITU GASIFICATION
IN-SITU PROCESSING
PROCESSING
REVIEWS
USSR