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Fine coal covering for preventing spontaneous combustion of coal pile

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Abstract

In order to investigate the effect of fine coal covering around the bottom of coal stockpile on spontaneous combustion prevention, a two-dimensional math model was established to numerically simulate the fine coal covering coal pile and a coal pile temperature-rising experimental system was setup to study the two-dimensional heat and mass transfer characteristics of air diffusion in the horizontal direction and air heat convection in the vertical direction inside coal stockpiles covered by different thicknesses of fine coal. The results showed that (1) the fine coal located at the bottom of the coal pile can effectively inhibit air convection and diffusion, cut off oxygen replenishment, and prevent the temperature rise inside coal pile, and (2) thicker fine coal has more obvious effect. Finally, the field experiments on the fine coal covering coal piles for preventing self-ignition of coal pile were carried out successfully. The results showed that the uncovered or exposed coal piles self-ignited rapidly within a very short period (18 days), while the coal pile covered with 1 m fine coal lasted for 123 days with a maximum coal temperature of only 59.9 °C. The characteristics of temperature distribution and diffusion inside coal stockpile were studied, and the high-temperature region was found in the region 1.3 m high and 2–3 m deep in the coal pile. The effects of environment temperature and precipitation on self-ignition of coal pile were also analyzed in field experiment. The experimental results proved that the fine coal covering technology can effectively prevent the spontaneous combustion of coal stockpiles.

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Acknowledgments

This study is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 51304189), the National Basic Research Program of China (973 Program) (No. 2011CB201200), and A Project Funded by the Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Room No. 502, Mine Science Center, 1 The University Road, Xuzhou, 221116, Jiangsu, People’s Republic of China

    Yongliang Yang

  2. School of Safety Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou, 221116, Jiangsu, China

    Yongliang Yang, Zenghua Li, Yibo Tang, Zhen Liu & Huaijun Ji

  3. Key Laboratory of Gas and Fire Control for Coal Mines, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou, 221116, Jiangsu, China

    Yongliang Yang, Zenghua Li, Yibo Tang, Zhen Liu & Huaijun Ji

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  1. Yongliang Yang
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  2. Zenghua Li
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  3. Yibo Tang
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  4. Zhen Liu
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  5. Huaijun Ji
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Correspondence to Yongliang Yang.

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Yang, Y., Li, Z., Tang, Y. et al. Fine coal covering for preventing spontaneous combustion of coal pile. Nat Hazards 74, 603–622 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-014-1203-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-014-1203-7

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