Research on developing a method to estimate fugitive CH4 emission factors of coal surface mining in Quang Ninh province.

Abstract

This article presents the approach and the results of estimating CH4 emission from surface mining in Quang Ninh province to develop its fugitive CH4 emission factors. The two largest active surface mines were selected named Nui Beo and Cao Son. By applying a direct measurement method with samples using a specific chamber, CH4 emission was collected and calculated for the whole mine. Results showed that CH4 emission varied from mine to mine both the total amount and its range of maximum and minimum. In detail, the total amount of CH4 emission from Cao Son is 19,032.87 m3 with the range of 73.14% while these numbers of Nui Beo are 2,684.47 m3 and 76.38%, respectively. The CH4 emission factors of surface mines then were estimated in the range of 0.0850 m3/ton and 0.0225 m3/ton respect to high emission level and low emission level. These values are close to the emission factors generated from Germany (0.015 - Lignite), Canada (0.088 - Lignite; 0.19 - Bituminous), South Africa (0.002÷0.064 - Bituminous). These emission factors are considered as scientific evidence to propose the national factors of CH4 emission of surface mining.