Zhenlu Shao

Controlling coal fires using the three-phase foam and water mist techniques in the Anjialing Open Pit Mine, China

Coal fires are a serious environment, health, and safety hazard throughout the world. They damage the environment, threaten the health of people living nearby, burn away non-renewable coal, and result in significant economic losses. In this paper, the characteristics of the ignition and propagation of coal fires are illustrated first. Semi-enclosed environments (loose zones and abandoned roadways) favor the ignition of coal fires. The “upper fire” is pointed out to be prevalent and difficult to be controlled. Furthermore, the advantages and disadvantages of several commonly used techniques for controlling coal fires are analyzed. The three-phase foam and water mist techniques are believed to be effective in controlling coal fires, especially the “upper fires” in loose zones and abandoned roadways, respectively. Then, the three-phase foam coal fire extinguishing system is improved, and the water mist coal fire extinguishing system is developed. Finally, these two techniques are applied to control coal fires in the Anjialing Open Pit Mine. The results show that the three-phase foam and water mist techniques control coal fires efficiently and ensure the safe production of the mine as well as the security of personnel and equipments. Most importantly, this study provides a valuable method for the control of other coal fires.

TERAHERTZ MEASUREMENT OF INDICATOR GAS EMISSION FROM COAL SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION AT LOW TEMPERATURE

Abstract Coal spontaneous combustion is an extremely complicated physical and chemical changing process. In order to improve the indicator gases detection technology and coal spontaneous combustion monitoring, a novel forecast method for toxic gases emission from coal oxidation at low temperature is presented in this paper. The experiment system is setup combined with frequency-domain terahertz technology and coal temperature programming device. The concentration curves of carbon monoxide and sulphur dioxide gases from coal spontaneous combustion are estimated according to molecule terahertz spectra. The influences of coal rank and oxygen supply on coal spontaneous combustion characteristics are discussed. Both carbon monoxide and sulphur dioxide gases absorption spectra show the characteristic equi-spaced absorption peaks. Results demonstrate that under the condition of lean oxygen, there exists a critical oxygen concentration in the process of coal oxidation at low temperature. Comparing with Fourier infrared spectrum testing, the presented method is highly accurate and more sensitive, especially suitable for early-stage monitoring of the indicator gases produced by coal spontaneous combustion. Abstrakt Spontaniczny zapłon węgla jest bardzo skomplikowanym procesem fizycznym i chemicznym. W artykule opisano usprawnienia technologii wykrywania gazów i monitorowania wskaźników spontanicznego zapłonu węgla, wynikające z opracowania nowatorskiej metody przewidywania emisji gazów toksycznych z utleniania węgla w niskiej temperaturze. Układu doświadczalny był zbudowany z systemu technologii częstotliwości terahercowych w połączeniu z technologią programowania temperatury węgla. Przebiegi krzywych stężenia tlenku węgla i ditlenku siarki z gazów samozapłonu węgla szacowane są na podstawie widma terahercowego. Przedstawiono wpływ rodzaju węgla i zaopatrzenia w tlen na cechy charakterystyczne samoistnego zapłonu węgla. Widma absorpcji obu gazów, tj. tlenku węgla i ditlenku siarki, wykazują charakterystyczne, tak samo odległe, piki absorpcji. Wyniki pokazują, że w warunkach niskiej zawartości tlenu istnieje pewne krytyczne stężenie tego gazu w procesie utleniania węgla w niskiej temperaturze. Porównując wyniki badań z widmem Fouriera w podczerwieni, można uznać, że przedstawiona metoda jest dokładniejsza i czulsza, nadając się szczególnie do monitorowania wczesnej fazy wytwarzania gazów wskaźnikowych, produkowanych przy samozapłonie węgla

Detection, extinguishing, and monitoring of a coal fire in Xinjiang, China

Coal fire is a global catastrophe. Xinjiang suffers the most severe coal fire in China and even in the world. Coal firefighting work has been being conducted for decades in Xinjiang. In this paper, coal fire detection, extinguishing, and monitoring approaches that were derived from coal firefighting experience are introduced in detail by taking the Fifth Fire Area (FFA) of the Heshituoluogai coal fire for instance. We first introduce the geology and fire situation in the FFA. Before developing efficient strategies to extinguish it, magnetic and self-potential methods are adopted to delineate the extent of the fire. A composite index is proposed to better indicate the fire. The comprehensive coal firefighting method is illustrated in detail, which consists of surface cooling, excavation and leveling, borehole drilling, borehole water injection and grouting, and loess backfill. The subsequent temperature and CO monitoring records show that the fire is extinguished successfully without burnback. The methodology presented here provides guidance and reference for putting out other coal fires around the world.