Comparative study on different coals from the Lorraine basin (France) by sorption isotherms, thermogravimetric analysis and breakthrough curves for CO2-ECBM recovery

Abstract

Abstract The enhanced coalbed methane recovery using CO2 injection (CO2-ECBM) is widely proposed as a way of achieving the energy transition and reducing atmospheric CO2 in areas such as the Lorrain basin in France, where heavy industry is responsible for huge CO2 emissions and coal mines have been closed for more than a decade. This paper deals with the feasibility of extracting methane from the Lorraine basin using CO2-ECBM by comparing data from sorption isotherms, thermogravimetric analyses and breakthrough curves for two coal samples. One is bituminous (Box 18), from Folschviller (France) and is compared with another sub-bituminous (TH01) from La Houve (France), which is used as a reference because it was identified as a good candidate for CO2-ECBM in a previous research program. The quantities of adsorbed gases (CO2/CH4) obtained by sorption isotherms, thermogravimetry and CO2 breakthrough curves showed that Box 18 adsorbs more CO2 and CH4 than TH01 due to its higher porosity and good affinity for gases (CO2/CH4). Tόth model fits the experimental CH4 and CO2 adsorption isotherms better, reflecting the fact that the adsorption surface of the coals studied is heterogeneous. Adsorption enthalpies obtained by calorimetry indicated physisorption for gas-coal interactions, with higher values for CO2 than for CH4. Thermogravimetric analyses and breakthrough curves carried out at up to 50% relative humidity showed that the adsorption capacity of CO2 decreases with increasing temperature and the presence of water, respectively. The compilation of these experimental data explained the adsorption process of the studied coals and revealed their advantages for CO2-ECBM.

Keywords

• CO2-ECBM
• Geological storage
• Adsorption capacity
• Coal