Experimental Enrichment of Low-Concentration Ventilation Air Methane in Free Diffusion Conditions

Wen Wang, Heng Wang, Huamin Li, Dongyin Li, Huaibin Li and Zhenhua Li
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Wen Wang: School of Energy Science and Engineering, Henan Polytechnic University, Jiaozuo 454003, China
Heng Wang: School of Energy Science and Engineering, Henan Polytechnic University, Jiaozuo 454003, China
Huamin Li: School of Energy Science and Engineering, Henan Polytechnic University, Jiaozuo 454003, China
Dongyin Li: School of Energy Science and Engineering, Henan Polytechnic University, Jiaozuo 454003, China
Huaibin Li: School of Resources and Civil Engineering, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110819, China
Zhenhua Li: School of Energy Science and Engineering, Henan Polytechnic University, Jiaozuo 454003, China

Energies, 2018, vol. 11, issue 2, 1-11

Abstract: The massive emission of low concentrations (?0.5%) of methane (CH 4 ) from ventilation roadways results in resource waste and environmental pollution. To mitigate these emissions, an enrichment tower for low-concentration methane is designed, and segregation and non-segregation experiments are conducted. The results reveal that stable concentrations of methane under segregation and non-segregation states in the enrichment tower gradually increase with height, with a maximum methane concentration of 0.64% and 0.54%, respectively. This shows that the methane enrichment effect in free diffusion conditions is more significant under the segregation state than under the non-segregation state. The stable concentration of methane in the middle and upper sections of the enrichment tower shows an increasing trend. However, the stable concentration of methane in the lower section of the enrichment tower has an increasing trend (less than 0.50%). According to the methane molecule Boltzmann distribution law, methane concentration enrichment decreases with height, and the conversion of the methane from the segregated to non-segregated is irreversible. Consequently, industrial applications of methane enrichment from buoyant forces are not feasible for low concentrations of methane.

Keywords: return air in mine; low-concentration methane; diffusion enrichment; non-segregation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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