31–40 of 54 posts
Earlier quoted context omitted.
This one will sort itself out. Once sea levels rise high enough, the mine will be submerged and the fire will go out.
Sea level rise if all ice melts: 230 ft. Sea level rise to historical maximum: 660 ft. (100m years ago; the difference is largely because of thermal expansion of water and changing shape of ocean basins.) Elevation of Centralia, PA: 1467 ft.
"Coal fires are a problem all over the world. Such fires endanger nearby communities, waste precious resources and produce tons of noxious and greenhouse gases. Centralia is not the only coal fire burning in the United States. In fact, it’s just one of 38 burning in Pennsylvania alone. The hundreds of underground fires in the United States, from Pennsylvania to Alabama to Wyoming, combined with the thousands thought…
Why doesn't any of the states with coal fires offer a monetary prize to stop such fires? Put money on the table, and a hero (in a form of a robotic firefighting startup) will come.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Sea level rise if all ice melts: 230 ft. Sea level rise to historical maximum: 660 ft. (100m years ago; the difference is largely because of thermal expansion of water and changing shape of ocean basins.) Elevation of Centralia, PA: 1467 ft.
Ok fine, I guess we have to do something about this.
How much is a fire like this contributing to CO2 emissions? Seems like 60 million is a small price to pay if it stops ongoing burning and combustion products.
Large smoldering fires contribute roughly 15% of total greenhouse gas emissions according to Dr. Guillermo Rein. http://guillermo-rein.blogspot.com/2016/06/erc-haze-reducing...
"Coal fires are a problem all over the world. Such fires endanger nearby communities, waste precious resources and produce tons of noxious and greenhouse gases. Centralia is not the only coal fire burning in the United States. In fact, it’s just one of 38 burning in Pennsylvania alone. The hundreds of underground fires in the United States, from Pennsylvania to Alabama to Wyoming, combined with the thousands thought…
One can compare such permanent fires with a dragon that lives near a village and eats people from time to time. And every time, it takes a reward from a village chief to find a hero and kill the dragon. Why doesn't any of the states with coal fires offer a monetary prize to stop such fires? Put money on the table, and a hero (in a form of a robotic firefighting startup) will come.
"Coal fires are a problem all over the world. Such fires endanger nearby communities, waste precious resources and produce tons of noxious and greenhouse gases. Centralia is not the only coal fire burning in the United States. In fact, it’s just one of 38 burning in Pennsylvania alone. The hundreds of underground fires in the United States, from Pennsylvania to Alabama to Wyoming, combined with the thousands thought…
Wikipedia claims they account for 3% of CO2 emissions. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coal_seam_fire (at the end of the intro paragraphs)
Can’t they just enclose it so it uses up all the oxygen? Or detonate charges?
if you knew all of the entrances and didn't have to worry about permeation, sure. But who really knows how many possible places air is entering that fire.
Both are very interesting reading if you find these as fascinating as I do.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
One can compare such permanent fires with a dragon that lives near a village and eats people from time to time. And every time, it takes a reward from a village chief to find a hero and kill the dragon. Why doesn't any of the states with coal fires offer a monetary prize to stop such fires? Put money on the table, and a hero (in a form of a robotic firefighting startup) will come.
It cannot be fixed with robots. Thousands of R2D2s running into mines with fire extinguishers wouldn't make a dent. These are fires spread throughout many square-miles, cubic-miles, of permeable rock. Quenching them must involve external containment. Massive concrete domes/walls surrounding the burning material. Then you must wait many many years for temperatures to cool. It is a multi-decade project imho.
It could be a good jobs program and perhaps the concrete barriers could be built as functional structures for the local community?
Earlier quoted context omitted.
It's actually already taken care of. Basically, most of them are beyond what the current technology can achieve. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coal_seam_fire This is a good read. So the one mentioned in OP may work for some but it may be only useful for very limited set of these fires. We know too little about things under the surface. I'd say we have zero chance to conquer them until we can have a deep earth CT (jus…
How far along are we with ground penetrating radar? I’d imagine if they struggle to find tunnels dug under borders of high tech countries that they will probably struggle with these.
Plain old drilling is pretty effective though.