Program (B.

Tech) – Semester (V)

Course ( Advance Mine Ventilation)
Session No (12)
Methane Content of coal
By
Prof. Satya Prakash

Disclaimer: This PPT is the property of the ICFAI University, Jharkhand and can be used only for the educational purpose of the students of the University
Table of Contents

1) Factors controlling the emission of

methane
2) Streaming and layering of methane
3) Methane drainage
Learning Objectives

After this session the learner will be able to:

1 Understand about the factors

controlling emission of methane

2 Understand about the streaming

and layering of methane

3 Understand about the methane

drainage
Introduction

• In this lecture we will discuss about the

factors controlling the emission of methane
• We will also discuss about the streaming
and layering of methane
• Later we will discuss about the methane
drainage
 Factors controlling the emission of methane:
• Gas content of coal: The gas content of coal in situ depends chiefly on
depth though other geological factors can introduce a variation even
within the precincts of the same mine.
•Permeability of coal: This controls migration of gas to the face. It is the
cracks and fissures produced by mining stresses that mainly control the
immediate migration of gas to the face rather than the permeability of
virgin coal.
•Density of coal beds or highly carbonaceous strata in the coal measure.
This gives a measure of the total gas that can be possibly released to the
mine.
• Method of mining: This affects the rate of methane emission to a large
extent. In a retreating method of mining, the gas emission at the face
has been found to be much less as compared to an advancing method
of mining as in the previous case much gas is already released from the
development openings prior to extraction.
•System of ventilation: The system of face ventilation does affect the
amount of gas emitted at the face. With an advancing face, a
bidirectional ventilation system causes a certain amount of leakage of
air from the intake to the return gate through the goaf, thus helping in
removing some gas from the goaf directly to the return gate. This
reduces the gas emitted at the face. A boundary ventilation system
however drives a fair amount of the gas from the waste to the face
causing a high gas concentration at the return end of the face. With a
retreating face, the effect is reverse. A bidirectional ventilation system
causes more gas emission at the face as compared to a unidirectional
system.
• Another type of gas emission from strata is in form of blowers or feeders which
continuously blow, sometimes at a fairly high pressure, for a few minutes to several
years.
• Sometimes, methane may be given out from the strata in violent outbursts which
emit large volumes of gas in a short time along with a lot of small coal and fine
dust. Outbursts generally occur in the vicinity of areas of geological disturbance
owing to the sudden release of confined gas in the disturbed zone, as the confining
pressure is released by a working approaching the area.
Question:
• Samples of air collected in the intake and return gates of an advancing
longwall face show 0.2 and 0.7% CH₄ respectively. Calculate the methane
emission per tonne of coal mined, if the production from the face averages 1000
tonne per day and an air quantity of 20 m³/s circulates along the face.
 Streaming and layering of methane :
• Because of low density, methane has a tendency for streaming
particularly in steeply dipping roadways. Methane emitted at the roof
travels up the dip in a layer near the roof depending on the velocity of
air-current and the roughness of the roof
• With turbulent air-flow and a rough roof with obstructions such as roof
bars etc. the tendency to streaming is reduced.
• If the air-current travels down the dip, it breaks up streaming and
carries the methane down the dip. The tendency for streaming is
greater with an up-the-dip air velocity where the critical velocity
becomes higher.
• Stable methane layers can also develop at the roof of horizontal
airways depending chiefly on the rate of gas emission, particularly at
the roof, the velocity of air and the size of the airways, though other
factors affecting methane layering are the roughness of the airway
surface, presence of bends, obstructions etc. nearby and the nature
and location of the sources of methane emission
THANK YOU