Abstract
The worldwide primary demand of energy will keep rising over the coming decades. It becomes essential and desirable to exploit lignite, 23 % reservation of the whole coal energy, by a suitable and effective technique. However, the current technology limitations of the exploiting and utilizing of lignite have caused low exploiting rate and high pollution situation. Owing to the development of the in situ gasification techniques, the lignite has become more attractive in the energy field than ever. The permeability of coal is a crucial factor in determining the tars (liquid phases) and gases production during the in situ gasification process. And the transport properties of the coal will in turn affect the thermal and chemical-mechanical reactions. Here, in this work, the permeability of lignite has been tested from room temperature (25 \(^{\circ }\)C) up to as high as 650 \(^{\circ }\)C through a triaxial rock permeability testing system under different pore pressures. A remarkable decrease of permeability can be observed during the whole temperature zone (25–650 \(^{\circ }\)C) as the pore pressure increasing. The permeability curve versus temperature up to 650 \(^{\circ }\)C has been divided into four stages based on the three peak values of the permeability. The competition between the strength of the frame structure with the shrinkage due to pyrolysis determines the significant fluctuation of the permeability versus temperature. Furthermore, the combined effect of temperature and pressure shows that the valleys and peaks in stage II will shift to higher temperature zone, while the valleys and peaks stay in the same temperature place in stage III and IV. The current investigation results of the permeability property of lignite will provide essential and valuable information for the exploiting and utilizing of lignite, especially by the in situ pyrolysis technique.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Allardice, D.J., Young, B.C.: The utilization of low rank coals. Aust. Coal Rev. 10, 40–46 (2000)
Bergins, C.: Science and technology of the mechanical/thermal dewatering. Dortmund, Germany, 2005. http://hdl.handle.net/2003/25771
Feng, Z.J., Wan, Z.J., Zhao, Y.S., Li, G.W., Zhang, Y., Wang, C., Zhu, N.J.: Experimental study of permeability of anthracite and gas coal masses under high temperature and triaxial stress. Chin. J. Rock Mech. Eng. 29, 689–696 (2010)
Fu, X.H., Qin, Y.: Theories and Techniques of Permeability Prediction of Multiphase Medium Coalbed Methane Reservoirs. China University of Mining and Technology Press, Xuzhou (2003)
Jsainge, D., Ranjith, P.G., Choi, S.K.: Effects of effective stress changes on permeability of Latrobe Valley brown coal. Fuel 90, 1292–1300 (2011)
Khadse, A., Qayyumi, M., Mahajani, S., Aghalayam, P.: Underground coal gasification: a new clean coal utilization technique for India. Energy 32, 2061–2071 (2007)
Li, C.-Z.: Advances in the Science of Victorian Brown Coal. Elsevier, Amsterdam (2004)
Li, C.-Z.: Some recent advances in the understanding of the pyrolysis and gasification behaviour of Victorian brown coal. Fuel 86, 1664–1683 (2007)
Liang, W.G., Zhao, Y.S., Xu, S.G., Dusseault, M.B.: Dissolution and seepage coupling effect on transport and mechanical properties of glauberite salt rock. Transp. Porous Med. 74(2), 185–199 (2008)
Liu, S., Harpalani, S., Pillalamarry, M.: Laboratory measurement and modeling of coal permeability with continued methane production: Part 2—laboratory results. Fuel 94, 117–124 (2012)
Liu, S., Harpalani, S.: Permeability prediction of coalbed methane reservoirs during primary depletion. Int. J. Coal Geol. 113, 1–10 (2013)
Mitra, A., Harpalani, S., Liu, S.: Laboratory measurement and modeling of coal permeability with continued methane production: Part 1—laboratory results. Fuel 94, 110–116 (2012)
Osman, H., Jangam, S.V., Lease, J.D., Mujumdar, A.S.: Drying of low-rank coal (LRC)—a review of recent patents and innovations. Dry. Technol. 29, 1763–1783 (2011)
Pan, Z.J., Connell, L.D.: Modeling permeability for coal reservoirs: a review of analytical models and testing data. Int. J. Coal Geol. 92, 1–44 (2012)
Pillalamarry, M., Harpalani, S., Liu, S.: Gas diffusion behavior of coal and its impact on production from coalbed methane reservoirs. Int. J. Coal Geol. 86, 342–348 (2011)
Perera, M.S.A., Ranjith, P.G., Choi, S.K., Airey, D.: Investigation of temperature effect on permeability of naturally fractured black coal for carbon dioxide movement: an experimental and numerical study. Fuel 94, 596–605 (2012)
Shackley, S., Mander, S., Reiche, A.: Public perceptions of underground coal gasification in the United Kingdom. Engery Policy 34, 3423–3433 (2006)
Stańczyk, K., Howaniec, N., Smoliński, J., Kapusta, K., Grabowski, J., Rogut, J.: Gasification of lignite and hard coal with air and oxygen enriched air in a pilot scale ex situ reactor for underground gasification. Fuel 90, 1953–1962 (2011)
Suuberg, E.M., Peters, W.A., Howard, J.B.: Product composition and kinetics of lignite pyrolysis. Ind. Eng. Chem. Process Des. Dev. 17, 37–46 (1978)
World Energy Council: Survey of Energy Resources. Montreal, Canada (2010)
Xie, K.C.: Coal Structure and Its Reactivity. Science Press of China, Beijing (2002)
Xu, J., Cao, J., Li, B.B., Zhou, T., Li, M.H., Liu, D.: Experimental research on response law of permeability of coal to pore pressure. Chin. J. Rock Mech. Eng. 32(2), 225–230 (2013)
Yang, X., Zhang, Y., Li, C.: An experimental study of temperature effect on seepage rule of coal seam gas. Chin. J. Rock Mech. Eng. 30(12), 1811–1814 (2008)
Zhao, Y.S., Fang, Q., Wan, Z.J., Zhang, Y., Liang, W.G., Meng, Q.R.: Experimental investigation on correlation between permeability variation and pore structure during coal pyrolysis. Trans. Porous Med. 82, 401–412 (2010a)
Zhao, Y.S., Wan, Z.J., Zhang, Y., Zhang, N., Feng, Z.J., Dong, F.K., Wu, J.W., Qu, F.: Experimental study of related laws of rock thermal cracking and permeability. Chin. J. Rock Mech. Eng. 29, 1970–1976 (2010b)
Acknowledgments
The authors are grateful to National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 51104105) and National Science Foundation for Distinguished Young Scholars of China (Grant No. 51225404) for financial support.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Niu, S., Zhao, Y. & Hu, Y. Experimental Ivestigation of the Temperature and Pore Pressure Effect on Permeability of Lignite Under the In Situ Condition. Transp Porous Med 101, 137–148 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11242-013-0236-9
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11242-013-0236-9