EU-Funded Methane Extraction Project

Trolex’s (UK) Sentrum system has been specified for an EU-funded methane extraction project focusing on accelerating the development of energy technologies towards cost-effectiveness for a more sustainable energy economy for Europe.

Coal mining is a major industry in China and India, yet coal mine methane drainage is employed with relatively low yields of gas and purity. Two gassy coal mines in China and a coal mine with recent coal mine methane experience in a coalfield in India have been selected as pilot sites for the project.

The project is jointly carried out with the Royal School of Mines at Imperial College, London. The aim of the project is to achieve significant improvements in methane drainage efficiency and purity to demonstrate European know-how and develop the necessary technologies to achieve this objective.

Sentrum systems utilise state-of-the-art software to deliver the most accurate and reliable methane recovery monitoring on the market today. Methane is now a valuable commodity. It is also an extremely potent and dangerous greenhouse gas yet its capture and utilisation can have enormous environmental, economic and social benefits.
Trolex will also provide a mine upcast ventilation shaft airflow and methane concentration monitoring system to assist with a ventilation air methane utilisation system research and feasibility assessment. A data communication system will also be installed to log and transmit the data continuously to the UK for analysis.

Funded under the 7th Framework Programme, it aims to enhance the dynamism, creativity and excellence of European research at the frontier of knowledge in all scientific and technological fields, including engineering, socio-economic sciences and the humanities.
As well as supplying equipment to the project, Trolex will be providing methane monitoring advice to ensure everything runs smoothly.

Until now, most methane recovery monitoring systems have been inaccurate due to the presence of other gases and compounds in the gas mixture which can fool conventional sensors into errors of up to 30% and sometimes even more. These kind of errors can endanger lives, damage valuable equipment and machinery which can lead to problems with regulatory authorities. Sentrum utilises proven technology to deliver bespoke, high accuracy solutions to suit specific requirements.