Molecular Dynamics Simulation of CO<sub>2</sub>-ECBM Under Different Moisture Contents

The interactions among water molecules, coal beds, and gases during the process of coal bed methane mining are highly complex. The water and methane (CH<sub>4</sub>)/carbon dioxide (CO<sub>2</sub>) molecules compete for adsorption and undergo a series of reactions that affect...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Xiaoyu Cheng, Xuanping Gong, Cheng Cheng, Quangui Li, Ziqiang Li
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-01-01
Series:Energies
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/2/239
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1832588626007949312
author Xiaoyu Cheng
Xuanping Gong
Cheng Cheng
Quangui Li
Ziqiang Li
author_facet Xiaoyu Cheng
Xuanping Gong
Cheng Cheng
Quangui Li
Ziqiang Li
author_sort Xiaoyu Cheng
collection DOAJ
description The interactions among water molecules, coal beds, and gases during the process of coal bed methane mining are highly complex. The water and methane (CH<sub>4</sub>)/carbon dioxide (CO<sub>2</sub>) molecules compete for adsorption and undergo a series of reactions that affect gas diffusion. In this study, Monte Carlo and molecular dynamics methods were used to investigate the microscopic mechanism of CH<sub>4</sub>/CO<sub>2</sub> competitive adsorption and diffusion during CO<sub>2</sub>-enhanced coal bed methane mining (ECBM) under different moisture contents, and the geological storage potential of CO<sub>2</sub> was predicted. The results showed that when the CO<sub>2</sub> and water binding sites were independent of each other, the water molecules changed the electrostatic potential around the coal molecules, resulting in enhanced CO<sub>2</sub> adsorption performance, as verified by the surface electrostatic potential. When the water molecules formed a water molecule layer, the adsorption capacity of the secondary adsorption sites provided was larger than that of the surface of the coal molecules, so the CO<sub>2</sub> molecules were preferentially adsorbed on the secondary adsorption sites. However, the number of secondary adsorption sites available was not as large as that on the surface of the coal molecules. The interaction energies revealed that when the displacement effect of CH<sub>4</sub> in the process of CO<sub>2</sub>-ECBM and the sequestration effect of CO<sub>2</sub> were considered comprehensively, the best CO<sub>2</sub> sequestration effect and a good CH<sub>4</sub> displacement effect were obtained at a 3% moisture content. The worst CO<sub>2</sub> sequestration effect was found at a 5% moisture content. After CO<sub>2</sub> injection, the main adsorption layer of CH<sub>4</sub> shifted from X = 5 and X = 9 to X = 8.7 and X = 12.5, respectively, and obvious detachment and diffusion occurred. The distribution of the molecular motion and diffusion coefficient revealed the considerable displacement and dispersion of the gas molecules. The distribution of the gas molecular velocity and diffusion coefficient indicated that a 3% moisture content was the ideal condition for CO<sub>2</sub> displacement of CH<sub>4</sub>, and the CO<sub>2</sub> sequestration effect was good.
format Article
id doaj-art-644e8c8dd996426f8a861f5b7fc5d1f3
institution Kabale University
issn 1996-1073
language English
publishDate 2025-01-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Energies
spelling doaj-art-644e8c8dd996426f8a861f5b7fc5d1f32025-01-24T13:30:44ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732025-01-0118223910.3390/en18020239Molecular Dynamics Simulation of CO<sub>2</sub>-ECBM Under Different Moisture ContentsXiaoyu Cheng0Xuanping Gong1Cheng Cheng2Quangui Li3Ziqiang Li4China Coal Energy Research Institute Co., Ltd., Xi’an 710054, ChinaChina Coal Energy Research Institute Co., Ltd., Xi’an 710054, ChinaChina Coal Energy Research Institute Co., Ltd., Xi’an 710054, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Coal Mine Disaster Dynamics and Control, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Coal Mine Disaster Dynamics and Control, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, ChinaThe interactions among water molecules, coal beds, and gases during the process of coal bed methane mining are highly complex. The water and methane (CH<sub>4</sub>)/carbon dioxide (CO<sub>2</sub>) molecules compete for adsorption and undergo a series of reactions that affect gas diffusion. In this study, Monte Carlo and molecular dynamics methods were used to investigate the microscopic mechanism of CH<sub>4</sub>/CO<sub>2</sub> competitive adsorption and diffusion during CO<sub>2</sub>-enhanced coal bed methane mining (ECBM) under different moisture contents, and the geological storage potential of CO<sub>2</sub> was predicted. The results showed that when the CO<sub>2</sub> and water binding sites were independent of each other, the water molecules changed the electrostatic potential around the coal molecules, resulting in enhanced CO<sub>2</sub> adsorption performance, as verified by the surface electrostatic potential. When the water molecules formed a water molecule layer, the adsorption capacity of the secondary adsorption sites provided was larger than that of the surface of the coal molecules, so the CO<sub>2</sub> molecules were preferentially adsorbed on the secondary adsorption sites. However, the number of secondary adsorption sites available was not as large as that on the surface of the coal molecules. The interaction energies revealed that when the displacement effect of CH<sub>4</sub> in the process of CO<sub>2</sub>-ECBM and the sequestration effect of CO<sub>2</sub> were considered comprehensively, the best CO<sub>2</sub> sequestration effect and a good CH<sub>4</sub> displacement effect were obtained at a 3% moisture content. The worst CO<sub>2</sub> sequestration effect was found at a 5% moisture content. After CO<sub>2</sub> injection, the main adsorption layer of CH<sub>4</sub> shifted from X = 5 and X = 9 to X = 8.7 and X = 12.5, respectively, and obvious detachment and diffusion occurred. The distribution of the molecular motion and diffusion coefficient revealed the considerable displacement and dispersion of the gas molecules. The distribution of the gas molecular velocity and diffusion coefficient indicated that a 3% moisture content was the ideal condition for CO<sub>2</sub> displacement of CH<sub>4</sub>, and the CO<sub>2</sub> sequestration effect was good.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/2/239CH<sub>4</sub> productiondisplacementtemperaturemixed gas injection
spellingShingle Xiaoyu Cheng
Xuanping Gong
Cheng Cheng
Quangui Li
Ziqiang Li
Molecular Dynamics Simulation of CO<sub>2</sub>-ECBM Under Different Moisture Contents
Energies
CH<sub>4</sub> production
displacement
temperature
mixed gas injection
title Molecular Dynamics Simulation of CO<sub>2</sub>-ECBM Under Different Moisture Contents
title_full Molecular Dynamics Simulation of CO<sub>2</sub>-ECBM Under Different Moisture Contents
title_fullStr Molecular Dynamics Simulation of CO<sub>2</sub>-ECBM Under Different Moisture Contents
title_full_unstemmed Molecular Dynamics Simulation of CO<sub>2</sub>-ECBM Under Different Moisture Contents
title_short Molecular Dynamics Simulation of CO<sub>2</sub>-ECBM Under Different Moisture Contents
title_sort molecular dynamics simulation of co sub 2 sub ecbm under different moisture contents
topic CH<sub>4</sub> production
displacement
temperature
mixed gas injection
url https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/2/239
work_keys_str_mv AT xiaoyucheng moleculardynamicssimulationofcosub2subecbmunderdifferentmoisturecontents
AT xuanpinggong moleculardynamicssimulationofcosub2subecbmunderdifferentmoisturecontents
AT chengcheng moleculardynamicssimulationofcosub2subecbmunderdifferentmoisturecontents
AT quanguili moleculardynamicssimulationofcosub2subecbmunderdifferentmoisturecontents
AT ziqiangli moleculardynamicssimulationofcosub2subecbmunderdifferentmoisturecontents