Thermal simulation of peat as an original matter of coal generation and its application to the study of coalbed gas

High temperature and pressure apparatus is emp loyed in the simulation experiment on gas generation of peat as an original matter of coal generation, under conditions of temperature ranging from 336.8~600℃, a pressure of 50 MPa and two rates of temperature rise of 20℃/h and 2℃/h. The yields of gaseous prod ucts, such as methane, C₂-C₅ hydrocarbon gas, carbon dioxide, hydrogen and sulfured hydrogen, and their relative percent contents are obtained; the gaseous component and evolution of thermal simulaiting products of peat are studied. The results show that the gaseous products are mainly comprised of carbon dioxide, methane and C₂-C₅ hydrocarbon gas. With the experimental temperature increas ing, non-hydrocarbon gases tend to decrease but hydrocarbon gases increase. The gas generation in the process of peat pyrolysis exhibits various characteristics under the conditions of different rates of temperature rise. This reflects that the process and amount of hydrocarbon gas generation of peat are mainly contro lled by time factor, which is consistent with the chemical reactive kinetic prin ciple that time and temperature are complementary each other. Based on the therm al simulating results, the geochemical significance for coalbed gas generation is discussed. The result indicates that peat has a higher potential of hydrocarbo ngeneration than that of coal rock by contrasting to the characteristics of hyd rocarbon gas generation of coal rock.