National Assessment of Environmental and Economic Benefits from Methane Control and Utilization Technologies at U.S. Underground Coal Mines

摘要

The report gives results of EPA research into the emission processes and control strategies associated with underground coal mines in the U.S. Goals of the EPA program have been to assess the economic performance and emissions reductions of methane control strategies for underground coal mines, and to develop modeling tools and data bases that miners can use to conduct their own site-specific methane control analyses. To this end, nine standard or model mines were designed to closely simulate existing mines in the major coal producing regions. Cost performance and methane reductions were then calculated for a number of methane recovery and utilization combinations at these model mines. Algorithms were developed using site-specific mine designs, geologic parameters, and costs, with the assistance of mine operators, mining consultants, degasification system consultants, and the U.S. Bureau of Mines.