Biao Kong

Free radical reaction characteristics of coal low-temperature oxidation and its inhibition method.

Study on the mechanism of coal spontaneous combustion is significant for controlling fire disasters due to coal spontaneous combustion. The free radical reactions can explain the chemical process of coal at low-temperature oxidation. Electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy was used to measure the change rules of the different sorts and different granularity of coal directly; ESR spectroscopy chart of free radicals following the changes of temperatures was compared by the coal samples applying air and blowing nitrogen, original coal samples, dry coal samples, and demineralized coal samples. The fragmentation process was the key factor of producing and initiating free radical reactions. Oxygen, moisture, and mineral accelerated the free radical reactions. Combination of the free radical reaction mechanism, the mechanical fragmentation leaded to the elevated CO concentration, fracturing of coal pillar was more prone to spontaneous combustion, and spontaneous combustion in goaf accounted for a large proportion of the fire in the mine were explained. The method of added diphenylamine can inhibit the self-oxidation of coal effectively, the action mechanism of diphenylamine was analyzed by free radical chain reaction, and this research can offer new method for the development of new flame retardant.

Research on the Composition and Distribution of Organic Sulfur in Coal.

The structure and distribution of organic sulfur in coals of different rank and different sulfur content were studied by combining mild organic solvent extraction with XPS technology. The XPS results have shown that the distribution of organic sulfur in coal is related to the degree of metamorphism of coal. Namely, thiophenic sulfur content is reduced with decreasing metamorphic degree; sulfonic acid content rises with decreasing metamorphic degree; the contents of sulfate sulfur, sulfoxide and sulfone are rarely related with metamorphic degree. The solvent extraction and GC/MS test results have also shown that the composition and structure of free and soluble organic sulfur small molecules in coal is closely related to the metamorphic degree of coal. The free organic sulfur small molecules in coal of low metamorphic degree are mainly composed of aliphatic sulfides, while those in coal of medium and high metamorphic degree are mainly composed of thiophenes. Besides, the degree of aromatization of organic sulfur small molecules rises with increasing degree of coalification.

A review on the mechanism, risk evaluation, and prevention of coal spontaneous combustion in China

In recent years, the ecology, security, and sustainable development of modern mines have become the theme of coal mine development worldwide. However, spontaneous combustion of coal under conditions of oxygen supply and automatic exothermic heating during coal mining lead to coalfield fires. Coal spontaneous combustion (CSC) causes huge economic losses and casualties, with the toxic and harmful gases produced during coal combustion not only polluting the working environment, but also causing great damage to the ecological environment. China is the world’s largest coal producer and consumer; however, coal production in Chinese mines is seriously threatened by the CSC risk. Because deep underground mining methods are commonly adopted in Chinese coal mines, coupling disasters are frequent in these mines with the coalfield fires becoming increasingly serious. Therefore, in this study, we analyzed the development mechanism of CSC. The CSC risk assessment was performed from the aspects of prediction, detection, and determination of the “dangerous area” in a coal mine (i.e., the area most susceptible to fire hazards). A new geophysical method for CSC determination is proposed and analyzed. Furthermore, the main methods for CSC fire prevention and control and their advantages and disadvantages are analyzed. To eventually construct CSC prevention and control integration system, future developmental direction of CSC was given from five aspects. Our results can present a reference for the development of CSC fire prevention and control technology and promote the protection of ecological environment in China.

Evolution of Coal Permeability with Cleat Deformation and Variable Klinkenberg Effect

The characteristics of the gas flow in reservoir have a great impact on exploiting coalbed methane (CBM), so many researchers have carried out the experiments to test the coal sample permeability in the laboratory. The Klinkenberg effect is an important factor in the apparent permeability which is obtained in the laboratory, and it also be recognized as a constant value for a specific gas. From the principle of the Klinkenberg effect, the Klinkenberg coefficient is closely related to the width of the gas flowing path. The coal cleat width changes because of the compressibility and sorption-induced strain features. Therefore, the Klinkenberg coefficient can not be treated as a constant. By using the cubic conceptual model of coal, the deformation behaviors of the coal matrix and fracture are analyzed in this paper, and the influential factors of the Klinkenberg coefficient are obtained. The theoretical equation of methane’s Klinkenberg coefficient was also established. The evolution equation of the cleat width is derived by coupling the effective stress and gas sorption, and the Klinkenberg coefficient model is also rewritten. Using the parameters of the coal sample, some results are obtained. The Klinkenberg coefficient increases with the increase in the pore pressure because of the sorption-induced strain at the constant effective stress; The Klinkenberg coefficient varies with the increase in the pore pressure because of the competition between the stress–strain and sorption-induced strain at the constant mean stress; The Klinkenberg coefficient increases with the increase in the mean stress at a constant pore pressure. The results improve the understanding of the Klinkenberg effect for the gas flow in a coalbed and provide theoretical guidance for CBM exploitation.