Methods and Models for Analyzing Methane Sorption Capacity of Coal Based on Its Physicochemical Characteristics

The authors study the influence of physicochemical parameters on methane adsorption capacity of coal and offer the analytical method for the methane adsorption capacity for three-phased condition of methane. It is found that in the depth interval to 300 m below surface, methane adsorption capacity measured in lab can exceed natural gas content of coal obtained from geological exploration data by 30%, and the change in the thermodynamic condition of coal–methane system brings irreversible physicochemical consequences in terms of the altered ratios of physical states of the main components. There is no linear connection between natural gas content of a coal bed and its methane adsorption capacity with respect to occurrence depth. The application of Big Data in treatment and interpretation of large data flows is described. The theoretical data predicted using the proposed method and the experimental data on methane content of Kuzbass coal agree.