Method for in situ biological conversion of coal to methane
Abstract
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.
- Inventors:
-
- Pittsburgh, PA
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), Pittsburgh, PA, Morgantown, WV (United States)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 869924
- Patent Number(s):
- 5424195
- Assignee:
- Secretary of Interior (Washington, DC)
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
C - CHEMISTRY C12 - BIOCHEMISTRY C12M - APPARATUS FOR ENZYMOLOGY OR MICROBIOLOGY
C - CHEMISTRY C12 - BIOCHEMISTRY C12P - FERMENTATION OR ENZYME-USING PROCESSES TO SYNTHESISE A DESIRED CHEMICAL COMPOUND OR COMPOSITION OR TO SEPARATE OPTICAL ISOMERS FROM A RACEMIC MIXTURE {
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- method; situ; biological; conversion; coal; methane; apparatus; provided; comprising; culturing; coal-containing; substrate; consortium; microorganisms; capable; degrading; suitable; conditions; obtained; underground; cavity; abandoned; mine; underwent; change; supplied; sewage; favored; carbon; source; converting; mines; isolated; introduced; hard-to-reach; substrates; lack; otherwise; remain; unrecoverable; comprises; significant; advantage; useable; energy; sites; recovered; safe; efficient; inexpensive; manner; carbon source; converting coal; significant advantage; suitable conditions; inexpensive manner; methane comprising; situ biological; coal mine; organisms capable; comprising cu; biological conversion; containing substrate; /435/
Citation Formats
Volkwein, Jon C. Method for in situ biological conversion of coal to methane. United States: N. p., 1995.
Web.
Volkwein, Jon C. Method for in situ biological conversion of coal to methane. United States.
Volkwein, Jon C. Sun .
"Method for in situ biological conversion of coal to methane". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/869924.
@article{osti_869924,
title = {Method for in situ biological conversion of coal to methane},
author = {Volkwein, Jon C},
abstractNote = {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.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1995},
month = {Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1995}
}