Impact of Different CO2/N2 Mixing Ratios on Anthracite Pore Structure Evolution
摘要
Injecting mixed gas (CO2/N2) into coal seams is an effective method to realize a win-win situation of CO2 sequestration and enhanced coalbed methane (ECBM) recovery. The ratio of gas mixtures is a critical factor in pore structure evolution. In this study, we used high-pressure saturated systems to examine the effects of different gas mixture ratios on anthracite. The pore structure and mineral content of the CO2/N2-treated coal samples were analyzed by LP-N2 (low-pressure N2 adsorption), NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance), SEM (scanning electron microscopy), and XRD (X-ray diffractometry). The results of NMR and LP-N2 showed that the coal samples’ pore volume, specific surface area, porosity increased after CO2/N2 treatment. The XRD analysis revealed that mineral consumption was dependent on CO2 partial pressure and phase state (especially supercritical state). N2 on the micropore and mesopore was mainly for high-pressure compression, prompting the closure of micropore and transforming mesopores to micropores; on the macropores and microfracture, it was mainly dilatation. This significantly alters pore roughness and complexity and leads to a shift in pore morphology from ink-bottle to slit type. Mineral dissolution, high-pressure compression, and pore throat unblocking were mainly responsible for the pore structure evolution under CO2 and N2 synergistic injection. The highest porosity and micropore volume were obtained when treating coal samples with CO2: N2 ratio of 8:2. Therefore, this ratio is expected to be optimal for implementing long-term gas mixture-ECBM and geologic CO2 sequestration.