CanMIND Associates

The VamTurBurner© is a system that was designed for the LOWCARB project to reduce methane in ventilation exhaust from coalmines, which accounts for about 5% to 10 % of the anthropogenic methane released atmospherically on a global scale. This next phase is a newly created consortium being Dr. Daniel Cluff, Dr. Xi Jiang, Chair Engineering, Lancaster University, UK, Dr. D. Mira-Martinez and Dr. M. Vazquez both at the Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC-CNS), Dr Neil Butler, Technical Director, HEL-East Ltd and Dr. Heinz Pitsch, Director of Institut fur Technische Verbrennung, RWTH Aachen University.

The concept of developing the technology that pushes the limits of methane combustion to the lowest possible concentrations is of great significance when attempting to mitigate the anthropogenic emissions from the coal, gas and mining industries. Although this work has particular relevance to the mitigation of methane from industrial sites it may also be of value when the methane trapped in the Arctic begins to release due to climate change. The methane trapped in the permafrost and the clathrates is a serious climate change situation with potential for a significant positive feedback loop capable of accelerating the temperature increase in the Arctic and consequently globally. The previous results from the LOWCARB initiative, the publications in the attached list and a recent abstract provide the foundation for this proposal. This work involves computational fluid dynamics, large eddy simulation of flow and combustion dynamics, prototype design and field-testing. Recently the Canadian and international political will to mitigate methane has increased significantly, which should provide a basis for increased interest in this boundary pushing science.