New Approaches for Increasing the Incubation Period of Spontaneous Combustion of Coal in an Underground Mine Panel

In the extraction of coal underground, the incubation period is customarily used as a tool, for deciding the size of an underground coal mine panel, so that coal therein can be extracted within this period without any sign or symptoms of spontaneous heating. Nevertheless, in compatible geomining conditions, spontaneous combustion occurs frequently within the proclaimed incubation period of the mine panel; resulting huge quantities of coal being left un-extracted due to premature sealing. The aim of the present study is, therefore—to develop and test methods and technologies for uprising the incubation period of spontaneous combustion of coal in an underground mine panel. The methods comprise the development of objective models (equations) for the assessment and evaluation of causative factors playing significant roles in abrupt change of incubation period; the rise of temperature due to, increased rate of oxidation, fragmentation, impact and friction after commencing of the roof fall; and propagation of fire into the interconnected workings. The technologies comprise the development and application of water fog, chemical fog, gel fog and inert gel fog at various Indian mines, and other methodologies.