Method for in situ biological conversion of coal to methane
Patent
·
OSTI ID:869924
- Pittsburgh, PA
A method and apparatus are provided for the in situ biological conversion of coal to methane comprising culturing on a coal-containing substrate a consortium of microorganisms capable of degrading the coal into methane under suitable conditions. This consortium of microorganisms can be obtained from an underground cavity such as an abandoned mine which underwent a change from being supplied with sewage to where no sewage was present, since these conditions have favored the development of microorganisms capable of using coal as a carbon source and converting coal to methane. The consortium of microorganisms obtained from such abandoned coal mines can be isolated and introduced to hard-to-reach coal-containing substrates which lack such microorganisms and which would otherwise remain unrecoverable. The present invention comprises a significant advantage in that useable energy can be obtained from a number of abandoned mine sites or other areas wherein coal is no longer being recovered, and such energy can be obtained in a safe, efficient, and inexpensive manner.
- Research Organization:
- National Energy Technology Laboratory, Pittsburgh, PA, and Morgantown, WV
- Assignee:
- Secretary of Interior (Washington, DC)
- Patent Number(s):
- US 5424195
- OSTI ID:
- 869924
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
/435/
abandoned
advantage
apparatus
biological
biological conversion
capable
carbon
carbon source
cavity
change
coal
coal mine
coal-containing
comprises
comprising
comprising cu
conditions
consortium
containing substrate
conversion
converting
converting coal
culturing
degrading
efficient
energy
favored
hard-to-reach
inexpensive
inexpensive manner
introduced
isolated
lack
manner
methane
methane comprising
method
microorganisms
mine
mines
obtained
organisms capable
otherwise
provided
recovered
remain
safe
sewage
significant
significant advantage
sites
situ
situ biological
source
substrate
substrates
suitable
suitable conditions
supplied
underground
underwent
unrecoverable
useable
abandoned
advantage
apparatus
biological
biological conversion
capable
carbon
carbon source
cavity
change
coal
coal mine
coal-containing
comprises
comprising
comprising cu
conditions
consortium
containing substrate
conversion
converting
converting coal
culturing
degrading
efficient
energy
favored
hard-to-reach
inexpensive
inexpensive manner
introduced
isolated
lack
manner
methane
methane comprising
method
microorganisms
mine
mines
obtained
organisms capable
otherwise
provided
recovered
remain
safe
sewage
significant
significant advantage
sites
situ
situ biological
source
substrate
substrates
suitable
suitable conditions
supplied
underground
underwent
unrecoverable
useable