ucg a chinese necessity - priceless find

Did some more calling around China today and managed to speak with a gentleman from the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Development and Reform Commission and I ask if he could provide information regarding UCG. He spoke highly of UCG and said that it is of great significance to their economy and environment and that the government was fast-tracking the technology.

I proceeded to ask him he could email me through some info in writing so I could post it on this forum... He ended up sending me an email but what I got was even better then what I was expecting.. He provided a link to the Former State Department of Water and Energy Senior Engineer Wang Xinmao's Website which contained a monstrous writeup published by the National Grid Energy Research Institute..

This information is PRICELESS. It has buy all over it.

This is the benefit of calling around China.. Without calling no-one would have ever seen this document because it is in Chinese not English.

I have attached the translation below and the Source also.

Source - Click here to see the Original Non-Translated Website

Google Translation - Click here to see Google Translation of the Website

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With the underground coal gasification (Underground Coal Gasification, hereinafter referred to as UCG) technology matures, UCG technology will change the way coal mining, coal mining to enhance the rate of coal production and use of green, energy saving in China to carry out adjustment economic structure and development of green energy an important way.

First, actively promote the application of UCG technology research and demonstration of strategic significance

(A) accelerate the development of new energy in our country at the same time, we must actively promote the efficient use of clean coal

According to statistics, China's primary energy consumption in 2009 reached a total of 3.14 billion tons of standard coal, which coal consumption of 3.02 billion tons, equivalent to 2.16 billion tons of standard coal, accounting for a 68.7% total energy consumption. China's "second five" and for a long period of time, coal will remain China's main energy and basic energy. Coal-based energy consumption structure is not only the basic features of China's energy, but also an inevitable choice for China's objective conditions, we are faced with the high-carbon-based energy structure and energy to heavy chemical industrial structure and the green, low- Carbon contradiction between the urgent need for development. Therefore, the focus of China's energy development strategy as the "CPC Central Committee on the development of" second five "recommendations" made clear, should be in the "speed up the development of new energy," while "promoting clean and efficient use of traditional energy sources."

As we all know, clean and efficient use of coal, including coal should be safe, efficient, green mining, the coal pre-treatment before use, coal use in pollution control and purification, clean coal combustion, clean coal power generation, safe, efficient transmission, clean coal conversion , coal and coal use in Quito generation of energy saving. Among them, coal Quito generation based on coal as raw material, through a variety of coal conversion technology to optimize integrated together, which can produce a variety of chemicals, liquid fuel and gas, electrical, thermal and other clean energy production process of secondary , it can achieve energy cascade utilization of coal. As the co-production of coal to achieve energy savings Quito resources, environmental protection and CO 2 emissions, so in the clean and efficient use of coal in many ways, research and promotion of coal-Quito-generation technology is an important strategic direction, top priority is to the implementation of coal gasification as the core of the multi-generation energy strategy.

(B) UCG coal gasification is an innovative technology, with a safe, efficient, less pollution, etc.

Line of coal gasification technology in general has three aspects: First, the first gasification resale; second is first gasified and then liquefied sales; third is to use coal gasification to achieve end-users, or known as integrated gasification gas-steam combined cycle (IGCC ), about coal gasification, purification into synthesis gas, and then achieve the gas turbine driven power generation and waste heat utilization, which will convert coal into clean gaseous fuel efficient, so power plants can be selectively separated polluting emissions, for different coal components to achieve a high level of control. Decomposition gasification ash, sulfuric acid, sulfur and other chemicals can also be sold as a by-product, so close to the gas efficiency of coal use. IGCC with co-production, high thermal efficiency, conventional pollution, while production of chemical products, comprehensive utilization of coal resources will help. In the current level of technology, IGCC power generation net efficiency up to 43% to 45%, the future is expected to reach higher; conventional pollutant emissions of coal-fired power station is only 1 / 10,

Than conventional coal-fired power plants can reduce 65% of CO 2 emissions; desulfurization efficiency up to 99%, sulfur dioxide emissions in 25mg/Nm 3 or so, only a conventional power plant nitrogen oxide emissions of 15% to 20%, water consumption, only the conventional plant 1 / 2 ~ 1 / 3, are environmentally friendly. In the future, can also require CO 2 emissions and CCS (carbon capture and storage) technologies mature, and gradually transition to the polygeneration IGCC + + CCS model, can be seen as the most promising clean coal technology.

By gasification of coal gasification site is divided into two kinds of surface gasification and underground gasification. At present, the traditional underground coal mining, the use of integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC), is the ground gasification technology areas. The UCG coal gasification is an innovative technology, it is in underground coal directly controlled burning of coal by thermal effect and chemical reaction produces flammable gases. And compared to traditional underground mining of coal, UCG has a safe, efficient, less pollution and so on.

1, the traditional mechanical mining methods are difficult to use or exploitation of mining uneconomical coal resources, such as: low-quality coal, thin coal seam steep slope, buried depth greater than 1,000 meters, waste coal mine residues, are likely to get through the UCG development and use. Change the physical exploitation of UCG coal chemical extraction, can greatly improve the recovery rate of coal to improve the level of utilization of coal resources.

2, UCG development of coal mining investment and lower cost than traditional investments and costs. Since UCG without coal mining, transport, coal and other processes, also need to deal with coal gangue, coal cinder, etc., to reduce employment accordingly. Thus, UCG low investment costs, good economic returns. The former Soviet Union on the UCG coal technology with the traditional economic indicators conducted, the results show that UCG investment per ton of coal mining method than the traditional savings of 78%, 62% of production cost savings, improved efficiency more than three times; UCG and gas-steam combined cycle combined with power generation (UCG-CC), a lower cost than IGCC power generation. U.S. Gas Technology Co., Ltd. in the U.S. Powder River Basin of Wyoming and the UCG-CC conventional IGCC power generation made a comparison, UCG-CC generation operating cost per KWh is only 46% of the cost of IGCC power generation.

3, by UCG technology to convert coal to fossil energy, clean fuels, including hydrogen production and other high-tech, high value-added energy and chemical products.

4, by UCG technology, clean and efficient power generation, adjust the power structure; or to synthetic oil and natural gas to replace oil and reduce China's dependence on imported oil and gas, thereby enhancing the safety of China's energy level.

5, UCG will help solve the carbon emission reduction and ecological environment. Reduce the use of coal for UCG atmospheric pollution, the production process can be a lot of ash, coal gangue and other retained underground to achieve is not an area, do not pollute the environment and reduce the ground surface subsidence. Production of UCG gas (H 2, CO, CH 4, CO 2, H 2 S mixture, etc.) After purification, the various components can be recycled separately, utilization and storage, greenhouse gases CO 2 and sulfur, nitrogen and other pollutants emissions to a minimum.

6, UCG to solve a variety of geological disasters in the traditional coal mining, coal mining safety to prevent accidents, make coal production more secure, but also greatly reduces the coal mine workers and occupational diseases.

7, UCG gas production, and gas transportation, it can significantly reduce China's west east coal, transport of coal from north to south pressure.

In short, UCG technology has opened a coal efficient, clean, low carbon development and utilization of new ways, will be our country's future energy supply system, construction of coal and coal base, the regional economy (especially in the past to determine the resource depletion region economic) development, significant impact on energy saving. UCG technology breakthrough, for a coal-based energy sources, coal-based power supply to China has great practical significance and long-term strategic significance.

Second, the development of domestic and international overview of UCG

1979 United Nations' World Coal Vision Conference "clearly states that" the development of underground coal gasification is the world's coal mining research is one of the fundamental solution to the traditional mining methods there is a series of technical and environmental issues important way. "

(A) Overview of foreign UCG

1, over the years around the world are actively studying the test, the development of UCG technology to explore an effective way. Especially the former Soviet Union, the 1930s, it has successfully developed underground coal gasification technology, the 1955 production "Nana Bin Sike" gasification station running for 40 years, production of Uzbekistan in 1961, "An Gelin" gasification station, are still commercial operation. 1999, Australia's Cougar, Carbon and Linc and three energy companies, have been in the country live in Queensland established a UCG pilot project, the production of synthesis gas for power generation and natural gas. In the 21st century, many countries are aware that the development of UCG on the environment, energy has extraordinary significance, the United States, Australia, Britain, Canada, South Africa, India and other countries UCG progress rapidly, have achieved the success of industrial test, and the use of UCG has built several large power stations.

2, UCG is divided into a pit, pit, and a combination of both non-hybrid 3 basic gasification mode. Foreign use of "no pit" UCG technology, through a long period, high cost, suitable for more than 10 meters thick coal seam, or one thousand meters deep applications. While Pit suitable for use in coal mines or abandoned application, more than well suited to China's abandoned coal mines, can re-use needs. UCG development business model mainly represented by the UK government under the direct leadership of the development model and to the Australian Government as represented by the state energy company under the control of development model.

3, the trend of foreign UCG are:

(1) UCG and combined gas-steam combined cycle power generation (UCG-CC), such as: the United Kingdom has installed 3.462 million kilowatts, South Africa has installed capacity of 2.1 million kilowatts, New Zealand, has installed capacity of 360,000 kilowatts, etc.;

(2) UCG extraction of low-cost hydrogen industry, UCG hydrogen and fuel cell (AFC) power industry combined. Poland has achieved UCG coal hydrogen Barbara, and in April 2010 for fuel cell power generation;

(3) UCG with carbon capture, utilization and storage industries combined (UCG-CCS). Through the separation of CO 2 can be CO 2 capture, utilization and storage. Such as: the United States to use UCG to get the project to improve oil recovery rate of CO 2, the British use of UCG has been to improve the CO 2 coal-bed methane recovery rate.

(B) Overview of UCG

1, UCG development process

UCG technology research in China began in 1958. Learning experience based on the former Soviet Union, China Coal Research Institute launched a UCG research and experimental work, and in Hegang, Datong mine were 16 UCG trials. Since 1984, China University of Mining Professor Yu Li and so began the "have pit" UCG technology research and industrial trials, greatly advanced the cause of our UCG. In 1990, UCG semi-industrial tests are included in the national "85" science and technology research projects. China University of Mining "underground coal gasification clean energy technology Research Institute", "Underground Coal Gasification Engineering Research Center" and other research units to undertake the UCG technology research. In addition, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Taiyuan University of Technology in dozens of universities have also been carried out the research. In 1992, the National Science and Technology Commission of Science and Technology of China issued long-term development program, "White Paper" in the clear UCG technology development, by 2020 the strategic objectives and key technology is the completion of underground coal gasification pilot study and the establishment of commercial underground coal gasification station. Comrade Qian published articles and many letters, attention, support the implementation of UCG technology research. In May 1994, Jiang Zemin met with Professor Yu Li, and handwritten inscription, encourage and care to carry out this cause. It is not fully understood, our country has in Xuzhou, Tangshan, Xinwen, Feicheng, such as mine were UCG Xiyang industrial test and industrial exploration. Shandong Xinwen Mining has been in production for 10 years and gas for civilian power generation, Inner Mongolia Ulanqab, Gansu Huating other UCG projects are also currently producing gas and electricity. Thus, UCG technology in China under different geological conditions of coal industrial tests have been completed and preliminary commercial application, the production of low calorific value, the calorific value of gas and water gas has been developed for civilian use and power generation. In the basic theory, engineering design and instrumentation have been supporting all aspects of system development. It should be said, China has basically mastered the UCG technology, with the requirements of the State Science Commission in 2020 UCG industry conditions, as soon as possible from the current pilot phase of industrialization into the demonstration application stage, in our energy saving, comprehensive utilization of resources , coal mine safety and improve the ecological environment play an important role.

2, on "a pit" UCG

Countries in the study concluded, based on the UCG process, scrap coal resources in our country's national conditions and increasing year by year, 1990 to Professor Yu Li proposed a research team led by the world's advanced level of the "long tunnel, large section, two-stage" UCG new technology . Under the guidance of the Professor Yu Li, China University of Mining accumulated multidisciplinary scientific research efforts, the spread of underground combustion mechanism of directional control, high-energy ignition start, mobile gas injection technology, two-stage gas technology, control technology for rock fill depth experimental study, made a series of practical new results. The process requires less investment and high economic efficiency, energy saving benefits are obvious, gas calorific value of up to 3000 kcal or more. Xuzhou New River mine, Tangshan Liu Mine are all the successful cases, the technology supported by the British Ministry of Trade and Industry approved the University of Birmingham. In 2004 the British Blue Book has been released into the technology, and in Poland "UCG hydrogen project" was applied.

By the Huating Coal Group Co., Ltd. in collaboration with the China University of Mining of the "hard coal mining integrated guidance and control laws are Pit and underground gasification of low-carbon power generation industry Research" project, there is a well-type 'long tunnel, large section , two-stage 'typical case of application of new technology. Underground mine in Gansu Huating remnants of 600 million tons hard coal mining, resource towers, but because of complex geological conditions, the traditional way of hard coal mining equipment, heavy machinery and high yield recycling. The China University of Mining underground coal gasification of low-carbon energy technology research institute headed by Professor Wang Zuotang technical team, using the UCG process of light fluid filled rock mining equipment and control technology with greatly enhanced the recovery rate of coal resources. Since early May 2010, the project has been successful ignition of gas, 16 Articles Nissan gas, water gas heat value more than 2400 kcal. And, supporting power plant designed capacity of 4000kW, 1000kW unit has been installed, the factory has been transformed to normal operation. November 2010, in Gansu Province and organized by the Office of Science and Technology under the auspices of the Chinese Academy of Engineering Academy of the Su-Ping Peng, chairman of the evaluation committee agreed that the project efficient steady-state combustion of coal in the ground spread-guided control technology has reached international advanced level in the domestic first cryogenic air separation oxygen equipment in underground coal gasification process, will be 99.6% pure oxygen and water vapor with the preparation of the gasification agent, to produce more heat value 9.0MJ/Nm 3 in the calorific value of gas, can The feed gas for power generation, agreed to by scientific and technological achievements. Although this project is the exploitation of UCG and gas-fired power generation technology green industrial test, but it has a medium to large scale gasification industrial demonstration of mine, to get through the entire production process to achieve a complete production system device, which will provide real industrial of the project has laid a solid foundation.

3, on the "no pit" UCG

In recent years a new Inner Mongolia, China University of Mining Group and the Austrian cooperation in Wulanchabu established a production capacity of 15 million standard cubic meters / day of non-pit UCG pilot research and production systems, led by Professor Liang Jie of China Mining University research group without pit UCG coal gasification and new Austrian Wulanchabu Co. jointly conducted the experiment without Pit UCG technology gained initial success.

UCG compared with a pit, pit-free UCG technology not only eliminates the need for the construction of colliery, coal mining and transportation costs, but also to avoid the occurrence of mine accidents. According to the current economic costing of the technology, no pit UCG technology for low-grade, high sulfur, low metamorphic brown coal, thin coal seams, deep coal seams, abandoned colliery, are the traditional methods of coal mining an important supplement.

Third, the current UCG in China to carry out the main problems and recommendations

Relative to the United Kingdom, South Africa, New Zealand and some other countries, China's slow progress in carrying out the work of UCG, the main problems are:

1, a large national energy authorities and energy companies from the energy development strategy has not yet paying attention to the height of

As the frequent changes in national energy authorities and energy management agency is weak, rapid growth in energy demand, national authorities and large energy companies to concentrate used to solve the problem of energy supply, for able to convert coal to clean energy UCG technology, no from

The height of the energy development strategy to focus on, the government in the planning scheme, industrial policy, international cooperation and exchange has played a leading role and support are obviously not enough, especially in the UCG pilot project organization and management, the government of industry, academia, research, with other aspects of the mobilization, organization, coordination is not enough. The large-scale coal enterprises due to coal shortage, change the status quo and does not require urgent, although some private coal companies on the UCG pilot study has a positive but limited, large-scale power generation companies do not know much of UCG technology, which affected the test of UCG technology and demonstration applications forward.

2, subject to funding, technical capacity constraints such as integrated

UCG is one from the "underground coal gasification", "water gas fractionation," "gas utilization" subsystem consisting of three large-scale integrated systems engineering. To carry out a comprehensive test pilot development requires not only the large investment, but also need coal, geological, chemical, environmental protection, electric power, machinery, equipment manufacturing, and other multi-disciplinary integrated technical capacity support. At present, China's UCG project to invest their funds based, and enterprises, especially private enterprises by the financial strength, comprehensive technical capacity and other constraints, it is difficult to play to lead the task of UCG development of innovative technologies.

3, some of the UCG pilot project hydrological and geological structure as the complexity of the technical problems of UCG technology often raises concerns, the impact on the overall knowledge and attitude of UCG

Because some of the UCG project on the basis of experimental data mine seriously enough, not sufficient to carry out preliminary work on the hydrological and geological structure does not fully grasp, directly affect the location is correct, whether there will be groundwater pollution problems, can solve the stability of underground combustion furnace directed and controlled burning of coal tar problem, calorific value, cost, fuel and so on to fill the empty area. When some of the UCG pilot projects technical problems emerged, in turn, increased awareness of UCG technology concerns, the formation of different views and perspectives, impacts on the overall work of UCG technology, knowledge and attitudes.

(B) the proposal

The current restructuring of China's economic, industrial restructuring, energy structure and energy savings of a critical period, we must be based on national conditions, and actively promote UCG technology research and demonstration applications and industrial development, this proposal is as follows:

1, to strengthen the UCG pilot demonstration of the organization and leadership

UCG coal country to work as a strategic task of the measures established by the government, enterprises, experts UCG project leading group, under the expert committee, to strengthen organizational leadership, strategic planning to carry out research and development of UCG industrial policy , pilot demonstration projects to promote the organization to carry out technical exchanges and cooperation at home and abroad.

2, the development of UCG development plan, and included in the relevant national planning

Energy, science and technology authorities should pay greater attention to the work of UCG technology, the development of UCG technology development plan, and UCG technology and long-term development plan included in the national development plan, UCG pilot demonstration projects included in the "second five" national energy development plan.

3, a clear development path for UCG

(1) Basic principles

UCG technology development based on domestic and international situation and future trends, UCG should take "positive research, demonstration started, the overall planning, step by step" approach. The proposed reference to "863" model for technology research "heaven", industrial development, "site", the development of demonstration projects as part of its industrial base.

(2) The basic idea

To domestic and international cooperation, government and research with a joint approach to demonstration projects as a leader, as the carrier of industrial parks in order to achieve comprehensive development and utilization of resources as the goal, and actively develop UCG family of products (including power generation, chemicals, etc.), integration industrial development, and foster new industry growth, and gradually formed the industrial scale.

(3) steps

First, energy, science and technology authorities should immediately proceed with organizing the perfect summary of the experience Huating other UCG projects and processes; Second, energy, science and technology departments and large energy companies, local governments agreed to "second five" UCG pilot demonstration projects, such as: UCG and combined cycle power generation (UCG-CC) of pilot demonstration projects for "Twelve Five" total installed power capacity of 10 million kilowatts; Third, the success of the pilot demonstration basis, "13 Five" in Inner Mongolia , Shanxi Province, northeast and other old mining resources development and utilization of a second, open up the coal and efficient, clean, low-carbon development in new ways.

4, the central and local governments have invested in various stages of special funds, to give fiscal policy to support and encourage the formation of specific government funds, bank lending and corporate self-pattern, and actively promote the work of pilot demonstration projects to support the coal industry restructuring.

5, with the current integration of large coal development opportunities, give full play to large state-owned energy enterprises in technological innovation, and research with integrated talent management, technology, capital, management strengths, and promote the project's commercial and industrial operation .

6, guide enterprises to local conditions, from the technical, economic, environmental and other aspects of overall comparative study, the development of UCG-CC, IGCC, coal and natural gas development strategy and planning.