UNDERGROUND GASIFICATOIN OF COAL

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80T00246A026800880001-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 27, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 19, 2014
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: June 20, 1958
• Content Type: REPORT

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2014/03/19: CIA-RDP80T00246A026800880001-8
INFORMATION REPORT INFORMATION REPORT
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
This material contains information affecting the National Defense of the United States within the meaning of the Espionage Laws, Title
18, U.S.C. Secs. 793 and 794, the transmission or revelation of which in any manner to an unauthorized person is prohibited by law.
S-E-C-R-E-T
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COUNTRY
USSR REPORT
SUBJECT
Underground Gasification of Coal DATE DISTR.
20 June 1958
NO. PAGES 2
REFERENCES RD
DATE OF
INFO.
PLACE &
DATE ACQ.
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SOURCE EVALUATIONS ARE DEFINITIVE. APPRAISAL OF CONTENT IS TENTATIVE.
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Methods of Underground Gasification of Coal
The methods used in the Soviet Union vary with brown coal and hard coal.-\
The brown coal systems were based on linking between vertical boreholes by
medium pressure air, using reverse linkage. Electro-linkage, although still
used, was proving uneconomical. The actual gasification process was carried
out with low-pressure air and the gasification zone transferred to successive
rows of boreholes. This sequence provided a pre-drying of the lignite.
Hard coal was being gasified with oxygen-enriched air at the main station,
Lisichansk 48-50, E 38-2.27. A, new deposit was being gasified with plain
air. Linkage was established by drilling boreholes either from drifts)
through outcropping seams,or by directionally drilled boreholes. High-
pressure fracture by air or drilling mud was also carried out.
Methods Under Study
The method emphasized for brawn coal was the linkage between vertical
boreholes by reverse combustion; in hard coal, change-direction boreholes
received the most attention. Other methods were still under study but were
diminishing in importance. Vortex patterns did not appear to be under study.
Controls
4. Gasification was controlled by temperature, pressure, gas flow, and gas
composition measurements with manual control on the outlet gas quantities
where required. The latest system used a remote telemetering system with
scanning, all parameters,being converted at the borehole outlets to
electrical impulse.
STATE
ARMY
NAVY
S-E-G-R-E-T
AIR
FBI
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AEC
ORR/EV
(Note: Washington distribution indicated by "X"; Field distribution by "*".)
1
INFORMATION REPORT INFORMATION REPORT
. /I
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2014/03/19: CIA-RDP80T00246A026800880001-8
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2014/03/19 : CIA-RDP80T00246A026800880001-8
S-E-C-R-E-T
Point Utilization
5. The pioneer brown coal station.at Tula g.54-12) E 37.-3 transmitted
gas for burning in local factories. The new brown coal stations at
Shatsk,5.544)2, E 41-437 and Angren zi\T 4100) E 70-127 were being
prepared for power generation at the site) the-planned output being 48
and 100 W?respectiveli. No other application on site was at present
envisaged.
Gas purification
6. The gas from brown coal was given a Cyclone treatment for sand removal
whenever sand occurred infthe.overburden. The gas was subsequently
washed, treated in electrostatic filters andwashed by the Thyloxprocese
for sulphur removal,. The gas from hard coal was water washed and cooled
but not treated for sulphur removal:
Additives
Research carried on with oxygen enrichment of the air-blast and
addition of steam was directed mainly to the production of gas with a
H2:N2 ratio of 3:1, evidently for ammonia synthesis. However, it was
not regarded as of primary interest, the objective being the generation
.of electricity at a cost less than that possible with mining by open-
cast or conventional methods or hydraulic mining. No work had been
done on enrichment of the gas itself. Priority was being given to the
new natural gas lines from Saratov5 51-34; E 46-027 to Moscow. The
low calorific value gas from underground gasification was not considered
an economical proposition for transmission over more than five kilometers.
S-F-P-R-R-T
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2014/03/19: CIA-RDP80T00246A026800880001-8