J.C. Volkwein, A.L. Schoeneman, E.G. Clausen, J.L. Gaddy, E.R. Johnson, R. Basu, N. Ju and K.T. Klasson
United States Department of the Interior, Bureau of Mines, P.O. Box 18070, Pittsburgh, PA 15236-0070, USA
University of Arkansas, Department of Chemical Engineering, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA
Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
Abstract
Biogasification of coal offers significant economic and environmental benefits for the continued utilization of coal resources. Several consortia from various natural sources associated with coal have been shown to produce methane from media containing only coal as the organic carbon source. Methane production of these samples has continued to increase with time. The cultures have remained viable and have continued to produce methane after 5 successive transfers to media containing coal as the sole carbon source. Methane quantities of 4 and 5 volume percent methane (0.03 and 0.04 mmol per tube) have been observed from Pittsburgh and Wyodak coals. Serum tube experiments were scaled to larger column experiments that also indicated that methane is produced from medium containing coal as the only carbon source."
The yields in this report don't seem that high, but other work is underway which indicates much higher efficiencies can be attained. And, the end product reported herein is methane. As we will attempt to document in other dispatches, more complex hydrocarbons, closer to our actual fuel needs, can be biologically synthesized, from coal, and coal mine wastes, as well.