Engeneering sciences/ 10 Mining

Akhmatnurov D.R., Akhmatnurov R.R., Musin R.A., Mayer E.A., Sadykov A.S.

Karaganda State Technical University, Kazakhstan

The sorption relationship of methane and coal

 

The coal seams the main quantity of gas is physically or chemically bound state preferably as a solution in a solid (absorption) in condensed form on the pore surface (adsorption) and condensed in supramolecular pores micropores with very small their volume (comparable to the volume of methane molecule) is an area of influence of the sorption forces. These micropores and gas in the intermolecular space of coal substance (solid solution of Coal and Gas) determine the basic amounts of methane in coal seams.

Modern ideas about the connection of methane with coal based on theoretical concepts and experimental data of physical chemistry of artificial sorbents. Sorption of methane in coal is due to the presence of micropores. Now to the micropores relate the void size of not more than 3 nm. In addition to the micropores, in fossil coals distinguish transient pores ranging in size from 3 to 300 nm and macropores having a size of more than 300 nm. It is considered that the micropores and transitional pores partially constitute the main reservoir of gas are adsorbed and sorbed amounts.

The adsorbed methane is held dynamically by the coal dispersion forces that occur between nonpolar molecules. Dispersion forces determine the physical nature of the connection of methane with coal. This bond makes possible the reversibility of the sorption processes, i.e. the full correspondence between the amount of gas adsorbed and desorbed under identical thermodynamic conditions.

To determine the nature of the relationship of methane with coal was adopted by the following condition: if the relationship is of a physical nature, the relationship between the energy of the dispersion interaction of the sorbate molecules and the magnitude of sorption on coal must be linear.

The value of sorption of methane on coal (dm3/kg) at temperature T=288 oK and pressure of 0,1 MPa depends on the energy dispersion relation E in the form:

,

(1.1)

where  – is the mole fraction of gas sorption per unit of quantity in the free state at a temperature of 288o K and pressure 1 Pa (); Åd.e – critical value of the dispersion energy of the sorbate, below which the sorption of gas on the sorbent does not occur; for the case of the analyzed Åd.k.=0.5 J/mol; Åd – is the energy dispersion relation sorbate, defined by the formula:

,

 

(1.2)

where a – is the polarizability of the sorbate, m3; J – is the gas ionization potential, J/mol; r – is the distance from the center of the molecule, m.

As can be seen from (1.2), with increasing distance between the molecules the dispersion interaction energy decreases inversely proportional to the sixth power of the distance. Therefore, dispersion forces are short range and Fd is practically cease to exist at a distance of 1-2 nm from the surface of the sorbent. Such distances and the dimensions of the micropores which, as mentioned, along with a partially transient pores are the main reservoir of sorbed gas, suggesting that the system methane-coal is, in fact, solid solution, where the gas in the pores of coal represents the condensate. So now for the interpretation of sorption isotherms on coal seems more reasonable to use the developed school M.M. Dubinin Theory of volume filling, which comes from the knowledge about the porosity of sorbent. To describe sorption of methane on coal the theory of volume filling used M.F. Yanovsky, I.L. Ettinger, N.In. Shulman and others. The Main equation of adsorption in the theory of volume filling is:

 

(1.3)

where x – is the adsorption under these conditions, dm3/kg; x0 – adsorption completely filled with the sorption volume, dm3/kg; A – is the differential molar work of adsorption, J/mol; E –is the characteristic energy of adsorption is equal to the molar differential work of adsorption isotherms at the point where the filling of the sorption volume of 368%, J/mol; n – coefficient characterizing the pore size of the sorbent (mineral coal n=3-4).

An important constant in the theory of volume filling of micropore volume is. According to the data of some coals of Donbass this value varies from 0,03 to 0,09 dm3/kg. For the transition of gas molecules from the free phase into the adsorbed state, you need to meet the conditions:

,

(1.4)

where Åd is the energy of dispersion interaction of one mole of gas, J/mol; R=8,31 J/(mol oÊ) is the gas constant. Obviously:

(1.5)

where U1 and U2 are respectively the contributions of the molecules of gas and coal in the energy dispersion relation, J/mol.

Using (1.3) and (1.5), the condition (1.4) for one mole of gas can be expressed as:

(1.6)

The equal sign determines the state of dynamic equilibrium, the sign of inequality – the process of sorption of gas absorption.

From (1.5) it follows an important rule: depending on the molecular structure of the coal gas in the state of sorption equilibrium has a different dispersion energy of attraction, which, in particular, specifies that each sorbate in the sorption takes the volume of its distinctive importance on energy, localized area.

References:

1. Krivitskaya R.M., Ettinger I.L., Lidin K.L. i dr. Molekulyarno-sitovoy effekt pri sorbtsii gazov iskopayemymi uglyami // Khimiya tverdogo topliva. - 1973. - ¹2. - S. 152-154.

2. Biryukov YU.M., Pimenov A.A., Khodzhayev R.R. Nauchnyye osnovy tekhnogennoy gazodinamicheskoy bezopasnosti vedeniya gornykh rabot v uglenosnoy tolshche. - Kaliningrad: FGOU VPO «KGTU», 2009. - 316 s.