Methane Explosions and Causes of Their Origin in Highly Productive Sections of Coal Mines

Abstract

The analysis is presented for explosion examination materials in mining gently dipping and inclined coal seams with mechanized equipment. It is shown that the most probable cause of explosion origin is methane-and-air mixture inflammation and subsequent blasts initiated by coal self-ignition foci in the mined-out space. In this case, burning gas is brought to stoping face and adjacent mine workings by blast wave, which causes explosions of coal dust. The mechanism of coal self-ignition in the edge parts of pillars between longwalls being under effect of rock pressure is described.