Ventilation Air Methane Combustion for Surface Appliance Energy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Trona mining releases significant amounts of methane during the mining process, which is diluted in ventilation air and exhausted to the surface, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions and wasting a potential clean energy resource due to the low methane concentration and high air volume, making it difficult to utilize effectively.
Innovation Solution
Recover and utilize ventilation air methane as an energy source by directing it to surface appliances near the mining operation, such as soda ash refineries, for the generation of heat, steam, and/or electricity, reducing the need for external fuels and lowering greenhouse gas emissions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If ventilation air is used to dilute and exhaust methane from the mine, then safety is improved by keeping methane levels below explosive limits, but energy is wasted due to the loss of methane as a potential fuel source
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful waste of venting methane-laden ventilation air into a beneficial energy source by capturing and combusting the methane in surface appliances, transforming an energy loss into a useful fuel resource that generates heat, steam, or electricity for the refinery operations
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the ventilation air stream to separate and utilize the methane component for energy generation while maintaining the primary ventilation function for safety, allowing simultaneous achievement of both safety and energy recovery goals
2Object-affected harmful factors
If methane concentration in ventilation air is kept low for safety, then explosive hazards are reduced, but utilization efficiency deteriorates due to the difficulty of effective energy recovery
Solution Approach 1:
The patent demonstrates that even low-concentration methane in ventilation air can be effectively utilized as a fuel source in surface appliances, converting what was previously considered a wasted resource into a valuable energy source that offsets external fuel requirements
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables the mine ventilation system to serve a dual function: maintaining safety by diluting methane underground and providing fuel for surface operations, making the system self-sufficient by using its own exhaust for energy generation
3Reliability
If ventilation air flow is increased to maintain safety margins, then methane dilution is improved, but energy consumption worsens due to the larger volume of methane exhausted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the energy loss from increased ventilation air flow into a benefit by capturing and combusting the additional methane in surface appliances, transforming what would be a larger energy waste into a larger fuel source for power generation or process heating
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method effectively reduces greenhouse gas emissions by utilizing methane as an energy source, generating heat, steam, and electricity, and provides economic benefits through the sale of carbon credits, while minimizing energy consumption from external sources.
Implementation Method 1
utilizing methane as an energy source, generating heat, steam, and electricity
Data Source
AI summary
Utilization of mine methane produced by mining a non-combustible ore, such as trona, as an energy source for heat, steam, and/or power generation. Such utilization is beneficial for a surface appliance which is close to surface outlet(s) of mine methane recovery system(s). A method for reducing greenhouse gas emissions generated during mining of a non-combustible ore uses the combustion of co-produced mine methane. The mine methane is recovered in a mine ventilation air exhaust with very low methane content, and may be additionally recovered in a drainage gas, such as gob gas, with much higher methane content. The surface appliance may be selected from the group consisting of calciner, dryer, boiler, kiln, furnace, engine, turbine, power generation unit, co-generation unit, and any combinations thereof. Benefits may include reduction in energy purchases, reduction in greenhouse emissions, and/or gain through sale of carbon credits to the carbon market by registering carbon reductions.