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Title: Method for increasing the calorific value of gas produced by the in situ combustion of coal

Abstract

The present invention relates to the production of relatively high Btu gas by the in situ combustion of subterranean coal. The coal bed is penetrated with a horizontally-extending borehole and combustion is initiated in the coal bed contiguous to the borehole. The absolute pressure within the resulting combustion zone is then regulated at a desired value near the pore pressure within the coal bed so that selected quantities of water naturally present in the coal will flow into the combustion zone to effect a hydrogen and carbon monoxide-producing steam-carbon reaction with the hot carbon in the combustion zone for increasing the calorific value of the product gas.

Inventors:
 [1]
  1. Morgantown, WV
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), Pittsburgh, PA, Morgantown, WV (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
863116
Patent Number(s):
4095650
Assignee:
United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
Patent Classifications (CPCs):
E - FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS E21 - EARTH DRILLING E21B - EARTH DRILLING, e.g. DEEP DRILLING
Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y10 - TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC Y10S - TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
Resource Type:
Patent
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
method; increasing; calorific; value; gas; produced; situ; combustion; coal; relates; production; relatively; btu; subterranean; bed; penetrated; horizontally-extending; borehole; initiated; contiguous; absolute; pressure; resulting; zone; regulated; desired; near; pore; selected; quantities; water; naturally; flow; effect; hydrogen; carbon; monoxide-producing; steam-carbon; reaction; hot; product; situ combustion; btu gas; calorific value; coal bed; product gas; combustion zone; carbon monoxide; gas produced; steam-carbon reaction; absolute pressure; subterranean coal; pore pressure; desired value; water natural; hot carbon; /166/48/

Citation Formats

Shuck, Lowell Z. Method for increasing the calorific value of gas produced by the in situ combustion of coal. United States: N. p., 1978. Web.
Shuck, Lowell Z. Method for increasing the calorific value of gas produced by the in situ combustion of coal. United States.
Shuck, Lowell Z. Sun . "Method for increasing the calorific value of gas produced by the in situ combustion of coal". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/863116.
@article{osti_863116,
title = {Method for increasing the calorific value of gas produced by the in situ combustion of coal},
author = {Shuck, Lowell Z},
abstractNote = {The present invention relates to the production of relatively high Btu gas by the in situ combustion of subterranean coal. The coal bed is penetrated with a horizontally-extending borehole and combustion is initiated in the coal bed contiguous to the borehole. The absolute pressure within the resulting combustion zone is then regulated at a desired value near the pore pressure within the coal bed so that selected quantities of water naturally present in the coal will flow into the combustion zone to effect a hydrogen and carbon monoxide-producing steam-carbon reaction with the hot carbon in the combustion zone for increasing the calorific value of the product gas.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {1978},
month = {1}
}