Ventilation Air Methane (VAM) Utilisation: Comparison of the Thermal and Catalytic Oxidation Processes

Marzena Iwaniszyn (), Anna Pawlaczyk-Kurek, Andrzej Kołodziej, Adam Rotkegel, Marek Tańczyk, Jacek Skiba, Robert Hildebrandt, Dominik Bałaga, Michał Siegmund and Anna Gancarczyk
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Marzena Iwaniszyn: Institute of Chemical Engineering, Polish Academy of Sciences, Bałtycka 5, 44-100 Gliwice, Poland
Anna Pawlaczyk-Kurek: Institute of Chemical Engineering, Polish Academy of Sciences, Bałtycka 5, 44-100 Gliwice, Poland
Andrzej Kołodziej: Institute of Chemical Engineering, Polish Academy of Sciences, Bałtycka 5, 44-100 Gliwice, Poland
Adam Rotkegel: Institute of Chemical Engineering, Polish Academy of Sciences, Bałtycka 5, 44-100 Gliwice, Poland
Marek Tańczyk: Institute of Chemical Engineering, Polish Academy of Sciences, Bałtycka 5, 44-100 Gliwice, Poland
Jacek Skiba: Central Mining Institute—National Research Institute, Plac Gwarków 1, 40-166 Katowice, Poland
Robert Hildebrandt: Central Mining Institute—National Research Institute, Plac Gwarków 1, 40-166 Katowice, Poland
Dominik Bałaga: Division of Machines and Equipment, KOMAG Institute of Mining Technology, Pszczyńska 37, 44-101 Gliwice, Poland
Michał Siegmund: Division of Machines and Equipment, KOMAG Institute of Mining Technology, Pszczyńska 37, 44-101 Gliwice, Poland
Anna Gancarczyk: Institute of Chemical Engineering, Polish Academy of Sciences, Bałtycka 5, 44-100 Gliwice, Poland

Energies, 2025, vol. 18, issue 6, 1-20

Abstract: 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.

Keywords: ventilation air methane; methane combustion; monolith reactor; catalytic reactor; thermal oxidation; catalytic oxidation; modelling (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: 2025
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