Hydrogen-oriented underground coal gasification for Europe (HUGE) : final report
K. Staúczyk ... European Commission, Directorate-General for Research and Innovation, Research Fund for Coal and Steel Unit
An analysis of various options of coal gasification technologies with different gasification media, process parameters and coal types, as well as mathematical and thermodynamic modelling of the planned trials, have been conducted. Moreover, a pseudo-homogeneous mathematical model for the adsorption of CO2 on the CaO-rich minerals was developed. For the purpose of the experiments an ex situ reactor was constructed. The reactor was used for the simulation of real underground conditions in respect to both the coal seams and the surrounding rock layers. Large blocks of coal were prepared for the reactor by the industrial partner of the project. In total, six experiments were performed. The experiments demonstrated the possibility of coal gasification in hard coal block and lignite, and tested the methodology of the experiment. Tests with smaller coal blocks in a pressurised reactor were also performed. Moreover, tests on the migration of heavy metals to water during the gasification process, as well as tests of the behaviour of the strata, have been conducted. The concept of the underground georeactor at a process developmen unit scale was elaborated. The location of the georeactor was chosen and an analysis of the surrounding space was carried out. The process design, together with the technical design of the generator and the monitoring system, has been carried out. After all the necessary infrastructure had been built, an underground trial in the in situ reactor in the experimental mine was conducted. The trial lasted 16 days. The underground experiment enabled the identification of potential problems related to the operation of the UCG process. After the in situ trial, the impact of the UCG process on the natural environment was analysed, as well as the impact of the UCG process on life standards, and the implementation criteria for the selected UCG technological option were elaborated. The results of the project were presented during 17 international conferences, in 15 publications in journals and one patent application.
