MEMS
COAL
COAL
IN-SITU PRODUCTION OF ELECTRICITY OR HYDROGEN FROM COAL(PATENT
PENDING)
In-Situ production of electricity or hydrogen from coal represents a new paradigm for
useful recovery of energy from coal seams without emission of CO2 into the atmosphere.
The process is referred to as "MEMSCOAL" because one of the components of the
system are microfluidic devices (MEMS) that are bundled in a coaxial production tubing.
The figure above shows the major elements of the concept.
1. A horizontal drilling rig inserts steel coaxial production tubing (see Figure 2) into the
underground coal formation.
2. The coaxial production tubing (see Figure 2) has at least two sections, an inner tube
for transport of solvents, surfactants or electrical power for heating and an outer tube
filled with specialized MEMS devices that can digest fluids or gases from the coal to
produce electricity or hydrogen. The coaxial tubing has insulating spacers that hold the
inner tube apart from the outer tube. This allows the inner tube to be part of a circuit that
can carry the electricity to the surface. Such an electrical circuit is described in Eastlund,
"Method and System for Introducing Electric Current Into a Well"
Bernard J. Eastlund, Kenneth J. Schmitt, Ronald M. Bass, John M. Harrison
US Patent Number: 4,716,960 Issue Date: 1/5/88
3. The electricity produced is available on the surface.
PENDING)
In-Situ production of electricity or hydrogen from coal represents a new paradigm for
useful recovery of energy from coal seams without emission of CO2 into the atmosphere.
The process is referred to as "MEMSCOAL" because one of the components of the
system are microfluidic devices (MEMS) that are bundled in a coaxial production tubing.
The figure above shows the major elements of the concept.
1. A horizontal drilling rig inserts steel coaxial production tubing (see Figure 2) into the
underground coal formation.
2. The coaxial production tubing (see Figure 2) has at least two sections, an inner tube
for transport of solvents, surfactants or electrical power for heating and an outer tube
filled with specialized MEMS devices that can digest fluids or gases from the coal to
produce electricity or hydrogen. The coaxial tubing has insulating spacers that hold the
inner tube apart from the outer tube. This allows the inner tube to be part of a circuit that
can carry the electricity to the surface. Such an electrical circuit is described in Eastlund,
"Method and System for Introducing Electric Current Into a Well"
Bernard J. Eastlund, Kenneth J. Schmitt, Ronald M. Bass, John M. Harrison
US Patent Number: 4,716,960 Issue Date: 1/5/88
3. The electricity produced is available on the surface.
METHOD OF OPERATION
The coaxial production tubing is the heart of the
concept. The inner tube is steel and is
separated from the outer tube by plastic spacers
that are electrically insulating as shown in Figure
2. It is also segmented as shown in Figure 3.
The inner or outer tubes can transport gases
and fluids in and out of the outer tubing.
Typically solvents or surfactants are pumped
into the formation and convert the coal into
gases or coal liquids that are drawn back into
the tubing. The sections receiving the coal
gases or liquids are lined with MEMS fluidic
refining and electricity producing cells that
convert them to molecular species that can
operate fuel cells built into the MEMS fluidic
devices.
The electricity generated from the fuel cells is
transported to the surface in the circuit formed
by the inner and outer tubing. (Such a circuit has
been built and operated in production oil wells.
See "Method and System for Introducing Electric
Current Into a Well" Bernard J. Eastlund,
Kenneth J. Schmitt, Ronald M. Bass, John M.
Harrison US Patent Number: 4,716,960 Issue
Date: 1/5/88.)
MEMS type fuel cells have been developed. Also,
Microreactors that include microchannel network
configurations distribute fluid flow for catalyst
utilization and are integrated with on-chip
heaters and fuel cells.
The coaxial production tubing is the heart of the
concept. The inner tube is steel and is
separated from the outer tube by plastic spacers
that are electrically insulating as shown in Figure
2. It is also segmented as shown in Figure 3.
The inner or outer tubes can transport gases
and fluids in and out of the outer tubing.
Typically solvents or surfactants are pumped
into the formation and convert the coal into
gases or coal liquids that are drawn back into
the tubing. The sections receiving the coal
gases or liquids are lined with MEMS fluidic
refining and electricity producing cells that
convert them to molecular species that can
operate fuel cells built into the MEMS fluidic
devices.
The electricity generated from the fuel cells is
transported to the surface in the circuit formed
by the inner and outer tubing. (Such a circuit has
been built and operated in production oil wells.
See "Method and System for Introducing Electric
Current Into a Well" Bernard J. Eastlund,
Kenneth J. Schmitt, Ronald M. Bass, John M.
Harrison US Patent Number: 4,716,960 Issue
Date: 1/5/88.)
MEMS type fuel cells have been developed. Also,
Microreactors that include microchannel network
configurations distribute fluid flow for catalyst
utilization and are integrated with on-chip
heaters and fuel cells.
