The Coal Mine Methane Utilization Folder

Author: Chris van der Zande, Business Development Manager, G.I. Dynamics  
Publication: Coal Mine Methane Utilization Folder  

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The Coal Mine Methane Utilization Folder
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Utilization of Coal Mine Methane
The Nitech^TM NRU technology is unique in its process to purify the captured methane from coal mines (CMM) and meet the stringent gas pipeline specifications. The Coal Mine Methane Utilization application provides the possibility to either inject the purified methane (high quality natural gas) into nearby gas pipelines or compress it into LNG.

The capture of methane gas from coal mines (CMM) is increasingly important for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Methane is second only to carbon dioxide in contributing to global warming. In addition to its environmental significance, CMM can be used to increase revenue or cut operating costs. Once captured, it can be sold and injected into the pipeline or converted to LNG for transportation to specific motor fuel grade markets.
The integrated process removes nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide, and water from contaminated CMM. The process, using the NRU technology, produces an upgraded gas stream that meets stringent as pipeline sales specifications.

Drivers to Recover Methane from Coal Mines

1. Mine Safety (Welfare)
Methane is released during the coal extraction process. The released methane then mixes with air, which becomes highly explosive if the methane concentration levels reach 5-15%. Capturing the CMM will ensure safety in the underground coal mines.

2. Capture of Methane (Environment)
The recovery of methane released during coal mining, plays an important role in the global efforts to reduce emissions and mitigate climate change. The Global Warming Potential (GWP) of methane is greater than 20 folds than that of CO₂.

3. Energy Production (Commercial)
Methane is a valuable energy resource; 95-99% of natural gas is methane. The Nitech^TM NRU technology is an unique technology that creates a possibility of to directly inject the purified methane into the existing gas pipeline network as a supplement or replace conventional natural gas.

Nitech NRU Technology - Technical Process

In the processing facility, (3) oxygen removal unit removes most of the oxygen and compresses the inlet gas to an intermediate pressure. The remaining oxygen in the outlet gas is approximately 10 parts per million. Next, the gas is further compressed to the final process pressure and routed to a conventional amine (4) CO₂ removal system. The remaining CO₂ in the process is reduced to comply with both pipeline specifications and NitechTM NRU requirements. The CO₂-free gas is then routed to the (5) dehydration system, and the liquid amine, now rich in CO₂, is routed to the amine regeneration system (where the CO₂ is removed, allowing the regenerated amine to be used again).
Before entering the NitechTM NRU unit, the dehydration system (6) removes water from the inlet gas. The gas is cooled through a series of heat exchangers and Joule-Thomson valves before entering the fractionation tower where (7) liquid methane is separated from the (7) nitrogen vapour. Nitrogen exits the tower overhead and can be used for the production of liquid nitrogen.
Lastly, both low and high pressure streams are routed to the sales gas
(8) compression unit for boosting to pipeline pressure.First, unprocessed gas mixtures are captured from area wells and (1) gathered in low-pressure lines. Then, booster compressor stations throughout the field (2) compress the gas mixture which is subsequently fed into a high-pressure trunk line that leads to the gas processing facility.

Why using the Nitech^TM NRU Technology?
The Nitech^TM NRU process is a high quality technology for the Coal Mine Methane utilization market and has specifically been designed for natural gas streams from an inlet flow rate of 30 million m³ per year and is able to reach inlet flow rate up to 3000.

It is an economically feasible unit (excluding any kind of subsidy) and becomes mo competitive, against other technologies, when applied in larger sizes (especially if a inlet flow rate of 50 million m³ per year). Furthermore, it is one of the few processes which is capable to remove (almost) completely all contaminations from the CMM.

Advantages
The major advantages of Nitech^TM NRU process are that it contains only three major components and there are no cryogenic rotating equipment, it delivers the efficiency of traditional cryogenic processes, typically in excess of 99%, with a less complex, more reliable and lower cost design. Additional advantages of the Nitech^TM NRU process are:

• small footprint;
• Minimal operator attention required with average runtimes in excess of 99%;
• Recompression horsepower requirements which compare favourably with even the most efficient conventional cryogenic process designs;
• Typically much lower power and compression requirements than non-cryogenic technologies;
• Inlet N₂ contents ranging from 5% to 70% can be reduced to 1%, depending on requirements;
• The process is CO₂ tolerant.

Disadvantages

• Pipeline purity standards are high - In some countries the gas pipeline specifications are very strict. The Nitech^TM NRU unit is capable to purify the methane up to 99%, adjustable to local situation.
• Requires access to pipeline - The process operates optimal when a nearby gas pipeline is located. If this is not the case, conversion towards CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) or LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas).
• High(er) inlet flow rate are required - The average required inlet flow rate is higher in comparison with other technologies/techniques, but the when the process can be applied the average profitability is higher.

We can give you more details about the business performance and commercial achievements in reference projects and make the business model specific for your situation. We could also show a live-control panel of the installed units. 

Chris van der Zande
Business Development Manager

Phone: +31 (0)70 300 22 31
Cell: +31 (0)6 125 77 224
Email: ccm.vanderzande@gidynamics.nl