Analyses and prevention of coal spontaneous combustion risk in gobs of coal mine during withdrawal period

Abstract

Coal spontaneous combustion (CSC) in gob causes notorious safety issues to workers, especially during withdrawal period. Withdrawal period was normally divided into three stages (initial stage, expanding back channel stage and equipment returning stage) when evaluating and preventing the risk of CSC. This study first analyzed the characteristics of ventilation system at each stage, such as oxidized zone movement, local fire wind pressure and air leakage. Then, principles and specialized measurements were applied to minimize the ranges and effects of CSC in gob. In detail, this includes reducing the total air volume flow of mining face in initial stage, adding windscreen in outlet way and local fan in inlet way to increase the pressure of working face, and lowering external air leakage. Considering the working face ventilation area shrinks at equipment returning stage, keeping it bigger than windscreen’s areas can help to reduce air leakage. Further, foamed gel was grouted into gob to narrow and stop the moving forward of oxidized zone. Field application was applied in Zhang Shuang-lou coal mine. Findings of these studies could be used in other coal mine with similar conditions during withdrawal period.

Keywords:

• Coal spontaneous combustion
• withdrawal
• fire wind pressure
• ventilation system
• foamed gel

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to express special thanks to the editor and reviewers for their suggestions and comments.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.