Ventilation Air Methane (VAM) Utilisation: Comparison of the Thermal and Catalytic Oxidation Processes
A significant problem in hard coal mining is the utilisation of ventilation air methane (VAM). Two basic methane combustion methods, thermal (homogeneous) and catalytic oxidation, are analysed in detail in this paper. Both processes are compared based on numerical simulations, applying the reaction...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-03-01
|
| Series: | Energies |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/6/1428 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849342056216920064 |
|---|---|
| author | Marzena Iwaniszyn Anna Pawlaczyk-Kurek Andrzej Kołodziej Adam Rotkegel Marek Tańczyk Jacek Skiba Robert Hildebrandt Dominik Bałaga Michał Siegmund Anna Gancarczyk |
| author_facet | Marzena Iwaniszyn Anna Pawlaczyk-Kurek Andrzej Kołodziej Adam Rotkegel Marek Tańczyk Jacek Skiba Robert Hildebrandt Dominik Bałaga Michał Siegmund Anna Gancarczyk |
| author_sort | Marzena Iwaniszyn |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | A significant problem in hard coal mining is the utilisation of ventilation air methane (VAM). Two basic methane combustion methods, thermal (homogeneous) and catalytic oxidation, are analysed in detail in this paper. Both processes are compared based on numerical simulations, applying the reaction kinetics developed in previous works, assuming a few typical monolithic reactor packings. The reactor’s mathematical model and kinetic equations are presented. The results are presented graphically as the temperature and reactant concentration distributions along the reactor, assuming different inlet methane concentrations in the VAM, inlet gas temperature and flow velocity. Interstage reactor cooling is simulated with a higher methane concentration for the catalytic process. The energetic problems of the process are analysed in terms of the heat recovery and resulting exergy, as well as the Carnot efficiency. The problem of toxic carbon monoxide emissions is also modelled and discussed, and the pros and cons of both VAM combustion methods are identified. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-4cc36e19b5e747d18d88b0a4b295d7b4 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1996-1073 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Energies |
| spelling | doaj-art-4cc36e19b5e747d18d88b0a4b295d7b42025-08-20T03:43:30ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732025-03-01186142810.3390/en18061428Ventilation Air Methane (VAM) Utilisation: Comparison of the Thermal and Catalytic Oxidation ProcessesMarzena Iwaniszyn0Anna Pawlaczyk-Kurek1Andrzej Kołodziej2Adam Rotkegel3Marek Tańczyk4Jacek Skiba5Robert Hildebrandt6Dominik Bałaga7Michał Siegmund8Anna Gancarczyk9Institute of Chemical Engineering, Polish Academy of Sciences, Bałtycka 5, 44-100 Gliwice, PolandInstitute of Chemical Engineering, Polish Academy of Sciences, Bałtycka 5, 44-100 Gliwice, PolandInstitute of Chemical Engineering, Polish Academy of Sciences, Bałtycka 5, 44-100 Gliwice, PolandInstitute of Chemical Engineering, Polish Academy of Sciences, Bałtycka 5, 44-100 Gliwice, PolandInstitute of Chemical Engineering, Polish Academy of Sciences, Bałtycka 5, 44-100 Gliwice, PolandCentral Mining Institute—National Research Institute, Plac Gwarków 1, 40-166 Katowice, PolandCentral Mining Institute—National Research Institute, Plac Gwarków 1, 40-166 Katowice, PolandDivision of Machines and Equipment, KOMAG Institute of Mining Technology, Pszczyńska 37, 44-101 Gliwice, PolandDivision of Machines and Equipment, KOMAG Institute of Mining Technology, Pszczyńska 37, 44-101 Gliwice, PolandInstitute of Chemical Engineering, Polish Academy of Sciences, Bałtycka 5, 44-100 Gliwice, PolandA significant problem in hard coal mining is the utilisation of ventilation air methane (VAM). Two basic methane combustion methods, thermal (homogeneous) and catalytic oxidation, are analysed in detail in this paper. Both processes are compared based on numerical simulations, applying the reaction kinetics developed in previous works, assuming a few typical monolithic reactor packings. The reactor’s mathematical model and kinetic equations are presented. The results are presented graphically as the temperature and reactant concentration distributions along the reactor, assuming different inlet methane concentrations in the VAM, inlet gas temperature and flow velocity. Interstage reactor cooling is simulated with a higher methane concentration for the catalytic process. The energetic problems of the process are analysed in terms of the heat recovery and resulting exergy, as well as the Carnot efficiency. The problem of toxic carbon monoxide emissions is also modelled and discussed, and the pros and cons of both VAM combustion methods are identified.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/6/1428ventilation air methanemethane combustionmonolith reactorcatalytic reactorthermal oxidationcatalytic oxidation |
| spellingShingle | Marzena Iwaniszyn Anna Pawlaczyk-Kurek Andrzej Kołodziej Adam Rotkegel Marek Tańczyk Jacek Skiba Robert Hildebrandt Dominik Bałaga Michał Siegmund Anna Gancarczyk Ventilation Air Methane (VAM) Utilisation: Comparison of the Thermal and Catalytic Oxidation Processes Energies ventilation air methane methane combustion monolith reactor catalytic reactor thermal oxidation catalytic oxidation |
| title | Ventilation Air Methane (VAM) Utilisation: Comparison of the Thermal and Catalytic Oxidation Processes |
| title_full | Ventilation Air Methane (VAM) Utilisation: Comparison of the Thermal and Catalytic Oxidation Processes |
| title_fullStr | Ventilation Air Methane (VAM) Utilisation: Comparison of the Thermal and Catalytic Oxidation Processes |
| title_full_unstemmed | Ventilation Air Methane (VAM) Utilisation: Comparison of the Thermal and Catalytic Oxidation Processes |
| title_short | Ventilation Air Methane (VAM) Utilisation: Comparison of the Thermal and Catalytic Oxidation Processes |
| title_sort | ventilation air methane vam utilisation comparison of the thermal and catalytic oxidation processes |
| topic | ventilation air methane methane combustion monolith reactor catalytic reactor thermal oxidation catalytic oxidation |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/6/1428 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT marzenaiwaniszyn ventilationairmethanevamutilisationcomparisonofthethermalandcatalyticoxidationprocesses AT annapawlaczykkurek ventilationairmethanevamutilisationcomparisonofthethermalandcatalyticoxidationprocesses AT andrzejkołodziej ventilationairmethanevamutilisationcomparisonofthethermalandcatalyticoxidationprocesses AT adamrotkegel ventilationairmethanevamutilisationcomparisonofthethermalandcatalyticoxidationprocesses AT marektanczyk ventilationairmethanevamutilisationcomparisonofthethermalandcatalyticoxidationprocesses AT jacekskiba ventilationairmethanevamutilisationcomparisonofthethermalandcatalyticoxidationprocesses AT roberthildebrandt ventilationairmethanevamutilisationcomparisonofthethermalandcatalyticoxidationprocesses AT dominikbałaga ventilationairmethanevamutilisationcomparisonofthethermalandcatalyticoxidationprocesses AT michałsiegmund ventilationairmethanevamutilisationcomparisonofthethermalandcatalyticoxidationprocesses AT annagancarczyk ventilationairmethanevamutilisationcomparisonofthethermalandcatalyticoxidationprocesses |