Progress in Research on Coalbed Methane Purification Technology against the Background of Carbon Peak and Carbon Neutrality

Abstract

Coalbed methane is released externally due to coal mining activities. Given its low concentration, which renders utilization challenging, China annually vents approximately 285 billion cubic meters of coalbed methane into the atmosphere, leading to significant energy waste and greenhouse gas emissions. To enhance the utilization rate of coalbed methane, mitigate these emissions, and promote a “green and low-carbon” energy supply, this article investigates pressure swing adsorption technology for purifying coalbed methane and analyzes the advantages, disadvantages, and application scopes of three processes: separation based on equilibrium effects, kinetic effects, and steric hindrance effects. The research findings reveal that equilibrium effect-based adsorption is particularly advantageous for purifying low-concentration coalbed methane, effectively capturing methane (CH4). Conversely, when dealing with medium- to high-concentration coalbed methane, methods leveraging kinetic effects prove more favorable. Within the context of equilibrium effects, activated carbon serves as a suitable adsorbent; however, achieving high-purity products entails substantial energy consumption. The methane saturation adsorption capacity of novel activated carbons has reached 2.57 mol/kg. Kinetic effect-based adsorbents, primarily carbon molecular sieves and zeolite molecular sieves, are characterized by lower energy demands. Currently, coal-based molecular sieves have achieved a CH4/N2 equilibrium separation factor of 4.21, and the amount of raw coal required to produce one ton of carbon molecular sieve has decreased to 2.63 tons. In light of the rapid advancement of intensive coal mining operations and the swift implementation of smart mine construction, there is an urgent need to intensify research on large-scale purification technologies for low-concentration coalbed methane. This will provide the technical foundation necessary for achieving “near-zero emission” of mine gas and facilitate the achievement of the goals of carbon peak and carbon neutrality.