Utilization of Unmined Coal – Centennial of the Invention

Utilization of Unmined Coal – Centennial of the Invention

University
of Wyoming
(1)
Advanced Coal Technologies
2010
Utilization of Unmined Coal –
Centennial of the Invention
International Advanced coal Technologies Conference 2010
by A.Y.Klimenko
Div. of Mechanical Eng. The University of Queensland
Dept. of Mechanical Eng., University of Wyoming;
University
of Wyoming
(2)
Advanced Coal Technologies
2010
OUTLINE







UCG becomes widely known
Early mentions of UCG
Invention of unmined coal utilization and UCG
A.G.Betts and his inventions
Ramsay’s experiment
First Soviet UCG experiments
Conclusion
(3)
University
of Wyoming
Advanced Coal Technologies
2010
UCG becomes widely known
Sir William Ramsay
(1852 –1916)
Ramsay spoke at
•Dinner of International Smoke Abatement
Exhibition, March 1912
•Dinner of the Institution of Mining Engineers,
June 1912
(4)
University
of Wyoming
Advanced Coal Technologies
2010
Early mentions of UCG
Sir William Siemens
(1823 –1883)
Placing gas producers into mines
J. Chemical Society, 1868
Prof. Dmitri Mendeleev
(1834 –1907)
Collected Works, 1888-1999
“… a time will come when coal will not
be taken out of the earth but converted
into flammable gases underground and
distributed by pipes over long distances "
Siemens Gas Producer
University
of Wyoming
(5)
Advanced Coal Technologies
2010
Invention of utilisation of unmined coal by
Anson G. Betts
Three patents were
granted to A.G.Betts
100 year ago in 1910
The US (first) patent claims 1)invention of
utilisation of unmined coal and 2) its specific
implementation through underground gasification
The UK (last) patent claims only
improvements of utilisation of unmined coal and
explicitly excludes CBM production as a previously
suggested technology
•Method of utilizing buried coal, U.S. Patent 947,608, filed 1906, issued 1910.
•Process of gasifying unmined coal, Canadian Patent 123,068, filed 1909, issued 1910.
•An improved process for utilizing unmined coal, UK Patent 21674, filed 1909, issued
1910.
University
of Wyoming
(6)
Advanced Coal Technologies
2010
Invention of utilisation of unmined coal by
Anson G. Betts
Gasification in a channel
Blind borehole method
University
of Wyoming
(7)
Advanced Coal Technologies
2010
Who is Anson G. Betts ?
Born 1876 in upstate NY into Betts Family of first
Connecticut settlers from UK:
•Great Grandfather: Capitan in the War for
Independence
•Grandfather Henry Betts: inventor (printing, steel
making)
•Father and younger brother: businessmen
Education Ph.B (Chem) Yale (1897), AM Columbia
U. (1898)
1900s and 1910s Staying with his family, author of
one book (1908) more than 20 inventions
1910s and 1920s establishing his consulting
business (A.Betts &Co) and travelling over US
(California, North Carolina, …)
1930s – settling in Massachusetts
A.G.Betts died in 1976
University
of Wyoming
(8)
Advanced Coal Technologies
2010
Ramsay’s planned experiment
With support of Sir Hugh Bell, Ramsay prepared 1st UCG trial at
Tursdale mine near Durham UK; coal seam 0.6m thick and 40 m deep
2m
0.6m
40m
Widely reported “Ramsay Scheme”
As recalled by Sir Maurice Bell: 6
feet shaft connected to a drift
University
of Wyoming
(9)
Advanced Coal Technologies
2010
First Soviet UCG experiments
Krutova (Moscow coal
basin), March 1933
Shahty (Donetsk coal
basin), Nov 1933
University
of Wyoming
(10)
Advanced Coal Technologies
2010
First Soviet UCG experiments
Lisichansk (Donetsk basin)
experiment lead by Kirichenko:
•began Feb, 1934
•June, 1934 producing gas 1300kcal/m3
from a borehole for 15 days
Two DICC
experiments in
Lisichansk
(Donetsk Institute
of Coal Chemistry,
Skafa, …)
•April 1934
•September 1934
60m
Outlay of Lisichansk
experimental facility
University
of Wyoming
(11)
Advanced Coal Technologies
2010
DICC experiments in Lisichansk (Skafa, Matveev, etc)
Gasification in a channel experiment
April 14/1934, O2, 2700 kcal/m3
Figures as
mentioned by
Kirichenko
1936
Blind hole / fire drilling experiment
Sept 5-8/1934, O2→air, 600 kcal/m3
Date
time
University
of Wyoming
(12)
Advanced Coal Technologies
2010
First Soviet UCG Pilot
DICC Pilot operation in
Gorlovka (Donetsk coal basin)
commenced February, 1935
Method according to USSR Patent
947608, (Skafa et al) filed 1934, issued
1938. The method improves gasification
in a channel by considering the effect of
subsidence.
University
of Wyoming
(13)
Advanced Coal Technologies
2010
Conclusion

UCG as a method of utilizing of unmined coal was invented by
A.G. Betts 100 years ago
 The patents by Betts represent first know mention of the
principle of utilisation of unmined coal in a patented document
although these ideas were contributed by Siemens, Mendeleev
and also by someone (most likely from UK) who introduced the
concept of CBM recovery and utilisation.
 Ramsay can be credited only with planning first UCG
experiment in UK that followed Betts ideas
 Betts ideas are visible in first successful Soviet UCG
experiments
University
of Wyoming
(14)
Advanced Coal Technologies
2010
Utilisation of unmined coal and its impact today
Utilisation of
unmined
coal
Underground Coal Gasification (UCG)
Recovery of Coal Bed Methane (CBM)
CO2 sequestration into coal seams
Associated technologies:
Other areas:
• Directional drilling (oil industry)
• Oil shale
• Combustion linking and combustion drilling
• Shale gas
• Coal hydro-fracturing
• Geo-sequestration
• Coal electro-linking
• Geothermal
• Underground measurements, imaging and
control
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