Development and Testing of Sorption Isotherm Equipment for Nigerian Coal
Ojo Tolulope Elizabeth
Department of Petroleum and Gas, University of Port Harcourt, P.M.B. 5323 Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria
Adewale Dosunmu *
Department of Petroleum and Gas, University of Port Harcourt, P.M.B. 5323 Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria
Okoro Emeka Emmanuel
Department of Petroleum and Gas, University of Port Harcourt, P.M.B. 5323 Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria
Ekeinde Evelyn Bose
Department of Petroleum and Gas, University of Port Harcourt, P.M.B. 5323 Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Aim: The aim of the study is to investigate the methane content in Nigerian coal.
Study Design: Fabrication of Sorption Isotherm Equipment and Experimental Analysis.
Place and Duration of Study: Department of Petroleum and Gas Engineering, University of Port Harcourt Rivers State, between June, 2014 and January, 2015.
Methodology: This study includes the Fabrication of Isotherm Adsorption Equipment, Methane Sorption test, Proximate Analysis, Ultimate Analysis, and Estimation of Methane Content.
Results: The maximum moisture and fixed carbon was found in Sample D with moisture content of 3.35%, fixed carbon content of 60.41%; and it also has the minimum ash content of 5.61%. The maximum volatile matter was found in Sample B with volatile matter of 33.57%. The estimated methane content from the Meissner’s method differs from those obtained from the adsorption Isotherm equipment by 22%.
Conclusion: The adsorption isotherm models obtained, showed that the total organic carbon content is not a significant factor in the adsorptive and dispersive behaviors exhibited by the shale samples. It was also observed that pressure plays a major role in the adsorption process of methane gas from the coal samples.
Keywords: Coal bed methane, sorption isotherm, isotherm adsorption equipment, proximate and ultimate analysis