Coal Quality Research Articles

Inorganic geochemical attributes of Jaintia Hills coals, India: Implications for paleo-depositional conditions

The Paleogene coal deposits of the Jaintia Hills of Meghalaya have undergone examinations by various researchers, primarily focusing on organic petrography and geochemistry and highlighting the rank, type, and grade, with perspectives on potential utilization. However, the genesis of these coals has received limited attention from the researchers. This research article addresses this gap by conducting a comprehensive examination of the geochemical and mineralogical aspects of these coals. Coal samples from two coal seams at nine locations in the Sampar coalfield in Jaintia Hills were collected and studied. The samples are subjected to X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction analyses, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, proximate, and ultimate analysis to study geochemical and mineralogical composition and ash yield. The study utilizes various geochemical proxies based on the inorganic constituents, providing insights into the paleo-depositional conditions and contributing to a deeper understanding of the unique characteristics of Meghalayan coals. The research indicates that these coals were formed in coastal swamps and lagoons on stable platforms, experiencing minimal tectonic activity, influenced by seawater incursions. These coals were deposited in reducing to significantly reducing conditions and warm and humid to semi-arid climatic conditions. No signature of a geothermally active fluid has been recorded.

Detailed Characterization of Vitrinite-Rich Subbituminous and Bituminous Coals for Utilization in Carbon Fiber Precursor Production

Detailed Characterization of Vitrinite-Rich Subbituminous and Bituminous Coals for Utilization in Carbon Fiber Precursor Production

Preparation and performance study of OPC-MF-PEG microcapsules based on strong antioxidant groups against spontaneous coal combustion

In order to solve the problem of spontaneous combustion of coal in the air-mining area, flame-retardant microcapsules were prepared by in-situ polymerization. OPC-MF-PEG flame-retardant microcapsules were prepared by selecting proanthocyanidin (OPC) as the core material of the microcapsules, polyethylene glycol-modified Melamine resin (hereinafter referred to as modified resin) as the shell. The microcapsules were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), stability analysis experiments, thermogravimetric analyzer (TG), and other experiments in terms of their surface morphology, dispersion, encapsulation, pyrolysis, and other properties. On this basis, the microcapsules were mechanically mixed with coal samples to prepare chemically inhibited coal samples. The effects of microcapsules with different core-to-wall ratios on the spontaneous combustion characteristics of coal were investigated by TG experiments. The results showed that the flame retardant effect was best when the core-to-wall ratio was 3:1. According to the analysis of the combustion experiment results, the CO concentration of the coal samples treated with microcapsules was reduced by 57.5% and 22.5% compared with that of the pure coal and OPC-treated coal samples.

Optimizing coal mine planning and design for sustainable development in the context of mass exploitation of coal deposits

Sustainable mining practices is a concept that embeds the principles of sustainable development into the whole mine life-cycle, from exploration, extraction and processing through to mine closure. The optimization of coal mine planning and the developing a standardized design for its sustainable development is very challenging and requires more effort. The present research attempts to address the conditions of sustainability and necessary measures for sustainable development, thereby providing appropriate solutions for each stage of mining operation besides expressing the necessity of sustainable development integration at different stages of mining life cycle (MLC). The approach of systems engineering is essential to assist the sustainability goals which are integrated with the expected results. Hence a method depending more on systems engineering principles and optimization can be incorporated to attain better results. Several socio-environmental factors associated with sustainability depends on the geographic condition and few mining engineering considerations such as mine location, topography, coal seam characteristics and so on. These systems engineering approach can be further enhanced by incorporating tools like Geographic Information System (GIS), which provides more accuracy and precision of the geographic conditions of the site identified for the coal mining plan. In order to begin this way of approach towards the sustainability development and mining planning, the appropriate optimization parameters should be identified. The outcome of these optimization parameters can be also achieved by optimizing coal mining system models.

New insights into dynamic disaster monitoring through asynchronous deformation induced coal-gas outburst mechanism of tectonic and raw coal seams

The coalbed methane energy resources waste, environmental pollution and miner's health remain challenging problems in worldwide mining operations accompanied by coal-gas outbursts; thus, the safe and efficient yield of these resources plays a vital role in the world's energy market. The tectonic coal development is a significant geological feature of coal and gas outburst sites, and the study of coal and gas outburst mechanism should be based on more precise geological occurrence characteristics. In this paper, the geological characteristics of coal and gas outburst sites were analyzed. The failure law of coal body under the stratified occurrence of tectonic coal and raw coal seam with different thickness was studied. The mechanical equilibrium equation of non-synchronous deformation of tectonic coal and raw coal was constructed, the initiation criterion of coal and gas outburst was established based on the support body model, and a case study was carried out. The results show that with the thickness increase of the tectonic coal seam, the peak displacement of the driving face increases. The outburst start-up and development of coal and gas outburst, coal and gas extrusion outburst and coal and gas collapse outburst were deeply analyzed, as well as the internal reasons of the occurrence of coal-gas outburst portent are explained, based on the support body model. The development process from the start to the end of coal and gas outburst is revealed, and a new perspective is proposed for the prevention and control of coal and gas outburst: improving the strength of support body is also of great significance for the prevention and control of coal and gas outburst.

Desorption Characteristics of CH4-C2H6 Mixed Gas in Heavy Hydrocarbon-Rich Coal Seams.

The gas desorption characteristics of coal are closely related to the gas content of the coal seam. The gas in heavy hydrocarbon-rich coal seams contains CH4 and C2H6 heavy hydrocarbons. However, most current research on the gas desorption characteristics of coal seams focuses on CH4 analysis, ignoring the influence of the C2H6 heavy hydrocarbon gas. To accurately determine the gas content of a heavy hydrocarbon-rich coal seam, methods based on CH4 analysis are inadequate and the desorption characteristics of CH4-C2H6 mixed gas must be clarified. This work experimentally and theoretically studies the desorption characteristics of single-component gas and CH4-C2H6 mixed gas from coal samples. The results show that increasing the adsorption-equilibrium pressure was found to increase the desorption quantity and desorption speed of single-component gas and increase the desorption quantity, desorption ratio, and diffusion coefficient of mixed gas. Under the same adsorption-equilibrium pressure, the desorption quantity and rate of single-component CH4 gas exceeded those of C2H6. The quantity and speed of mixed gas desorption increased with rising CH4 concentration and decreased with rising C2H6 concentration. The change in the mixed gas concentration during desorption reflects the distribution characteristics of light hydrocarbon components on the outer surface and heavy hydrocarbon components on the inner surface of coal. From the desorption characteristics of mixed gas, desorption models of mixed gas were obtained at different concentrations, laying a theoretical foundation for accurate determinations of gas contents in heavy hydrocarbon-rich coal seams.

More evidence on primary sulfate emission from residential coal combustion in northern China: Insights from the size-segregated chemical profile, morphology, and sulfur isotope

This study addresses the ongoing debate concerning the origin of ambient sulfate in northern China, and provides more evidence for primary sulfate from the perspective of source emission. An extensive field experiment was conducted, involving the collection of size-segregated particulate matter emitted under various coal types and combustion conditions for subsequent analysis. Our findings reveal that residential coal combustion (RCC) emits significant amounts of primary sulfate, constituting approximately 26.48 ± 15.43% of the particulate mass. Moreover, these emissions exhibit a strong association with NH4+, leading to the formation of stable ammonium sulfate compounds. The emission of sulfate is intricately linked to both coal quality and combustion conditions. Notably, the oversight of δ34S isotope enrichment in RCC particulate matter, which distinctly differs from the raw coal, introduces uncertainties in the quantitative assessment of sulfate sources and formation pathways. Therefore, more in-depth explorations are necessary to elucidate the precise processes involved in RCC sulfate transformation and to accurately determine its environmental impact.

Analysis of the quality of tunnel roof topography by automatic cutting control under the coupling of multiple factors.

The automatic cutting of coal and rock surface morphology modeling based on the actual geological environment of coal mine underground excavation and mining is of great significance for improving the surface quality of coal and rock after cutting and enhancing the safety and stability of advanced support. To this end, using the principle of coordinate transformation, the kinematic trajectory of the cutting head of the tunneling machine is established, and the contour morphology of the cutting head under variable cutting technology is obtained. Then, based on the regenerative vibration theory of the cutting head, a dynamic model of the cutting head coal wall is established, and the coordinate relationship of the cutting head in the tunnel coordinate system under vibration induction is analyzed. Based on fractal theory and Z-MAP method, a simulation method for the surface morphology of coal and rock after cutting is proposed, which is driven by the cutting trajectory Under the coupling effect of cutting vibration induction and random fragmentation of coal and rock, simulation of the surface morphology of comprehensive excavation tunnels was conducted, and relevant experiments were conducted to verify the results. A 1:3 similarity experimental model of EBZ160 tunneling machine was used to build a cutting head coal and rock system cutting experimental platform for comparative experiments of cutting morphology. Furthermore, statistical methods were used to compare and evaluate the simulated roof with the actual roof. The results show that the relative errors between the maximum range of peaks and valleys, the peak skewness coefficient of height standard deviation, and the kurtosis coefficient of the actual roof are 1.3%, 24.5%, 16%, and 2.9%, respectively. Overall, this indicates that the surface morphology distribution characteristics of the simulated roof and the actual roof are similar, verifying the effectiveness of the modeling and simulation method proposed in this paper, and providing theoretical support for the design and optimization of advanced support in the future.

Study on precursor features of coal and rock loading failure based on difference network

In order to reveal the spatio-temporal precursor features of coal and rock loading failure, and accurately identify the critical state of coal and rock failure, the development of coal and rock loading failure is regarded as the spatio-temporal evolution dynamical process of the complex network system, the spatio-temporal evolution dynamical characteristics of coal and rock dynamic disasters are analyzed. The precursor features indicators I(t) and Ia(t) of the coal and rock failure based on the difference network are proposed, Brazilian splitting experiments of different types of coal and rock are carried out. Combined with the damage theory, the load model of coal and rock damage characterization based Ia(t) is established. The results show that when the coal-rock system is in the warning critical period, the damage is accelerated, with high potential energy, low rebound and weak robustness, which is reflected in the acoustic emission (AE) and electromagnetic radiation (EMR) data at different spatial monitoring points. When the coal-rock system is in the stable stage, the structure of the correlation network at adjacent moment is similar, and the number of edges in the difference network is small. While when coal or rock is about to fracture, the correlation network at adjacent moment has great structure differences, and there are many edges in the difference network. I(t) and Ia(t) synthesize the signal characteristics of different spatial monitoring points, and reflect the spatio-temporal evolution process and damage state of coal and rock. The damage characterization load based on Ia(t) is in good agreement with the measured load, and the correlation coefficients between the measured load and the calculated load based on Ia(t) of most rock samples are more than 0.80. The research results can be used as the precursor features of coal and rock failure, and have certain significance for the early warning of coal and rock dynamic disasters.

From abandoned mines to carbon sinks: Assessing the CO2 storage capacity of Austrian low-rank coal deposits

This study represents the first assessment of CO2 storage potential in Austrian coal seams. Coal samples were taken from Fohnsdorf and Leoben abandoned coal mines, with particular emphasis on the Fohnsdorf coal since Leoben coal reserves were largely mined during previous coal production. Several methods were used to compare coal characteristics, including Rock-Eval pyrolysis (RE), organic petrography, and low-pressure N2 and CO2 sorption measurements. Both Fohnsdorf and Leoben coal samples show low sulfur and ash yields, as well as correspondingly high total organic carbon (TOC) contents. The pyrolysis Tmax and vitrinite reflectance values agree with a low coal rank for both sites. According to the N2 adsorption measurements at 77 K, low-lying mire coals from Fohnsdorf show a higher BET-specific surface area (BET-SSA) and BJH pore volume compared to raised-mire coals from Leoben. However, sapropelic shales and high-ash coals from Leoben show the highest BET-SSA and BJH pore volumes of all investigated samples and considerably exceed the N2 adsorption volumes of pure coals from both locations (N2 uptake up to 16 cm3/g; avg. for all samples 5.4 cm3/g). In contrast, the mean adsorbed CO2 uptake measured at 273 K and ∼ 1 bar followed the order of Fohnsdorf low-lying mire coals > Leoben raised-mire coals > Leoben sapropelic coals and shales, ranging at ∼0.8 mmol/g, ∼0.7 mmol/g, and ∼ 0.2 mmol/g, respectively. This shows that BET-SSA and BJH equations did not allow for adequate estimation of CO2 adsorption capacity trends in the investigated sample set. Furthermore, based on the existence of a hysteresis loop between CO2 adsorption and desorption branches for all investigated samples, the occurrence of weak chemisorption phenomena during CO2 adsorption is indicated. This effect helps to increase CO2 uptake and storage safety since the chemisorption process is not fully reversible upon pressure decrease. Ultimately, the theoretical CO2 sequestration potential of the remaining unmined Fohnsdorf coal reserves was estimated at 4.65 million tons, with an additional potential for enhanced coal bed methane production due to the gas-rich nature of Fohnsdorf coals with an estimated 1.2 billion m3 of CH4 in place.

Characterisation and double parallel random pore model fitting kinetic analysis of faulty coal oxygen-enriched co-combustion

This study used various analytical techniques to explore the structural characteristics of anthracite, lean coal, and bituminous coal. Thermogravimetric analysis assessed the combustion performance of individual coals and their blends. Results revealed distinct structural differences among the three coals. Although lean coal's functional groups distribution resembled bituminous coal, its carbon ordering aligned with anthracite. Increasing the proportion of bituminous coal minimally improved combustion in air. Under O2 + N2, rising oxygen levels lowered ignition and burnout temperatures, enhancing the comprehensive combustion index. At high heating rates, 30 %O2 + 70 %CO2 outperformed 30 %O2 + 70 %N2. The fitting performance of the double parallel random pore model (DRPM) was superior to that of the random pore model (RPM). Kinetic analysis suggested a DRPM for lean coal and bituminous coal co-combustion, unfolding in two stages. Activation energy increased with O2 concentration in O2 + N2 but remained lower than in O2 + CO2.

Research on rockburst prevention systems based on the attenuation law of coal and rock vibration wave energy

During the coal and rock mass fracture process, elastic properties are released and vibration waves are radiated outward. The energy attenuation characteristics of these waves can describe the cumulative damage and elastic energy accumulation of the mass. To investigate coal and rock mass failure characteristics and energy attenuation rules during rockburst, numerical simulation and laboratory testing were utilized to study the energy transfer laws under various parameters. Six variables, including elastic modulus, Poisson’s ratio, bulk density, cohesion, internal friction angle, and void ratio, were selected to simulate the rockburst energy release process under different parameter combinations by adding surface pressure to the model. The coal and rock mass energy attenuation coefficient was obtained by fitting the node energy straight line using the least squares method. The six variables’ influence on vibration wave energy transfer was obtained using analytic hierarchy process program written in MATLAB, and a comprehensive calculation formula was proposed. Using the energy attenuation coefficient, the rock layer energy diffusion distance was calculated and compared with the roof collapse rock layer step distance, resulting in the roof rock layer cutting distance determination. By roof rock strata precutting, rockburst occurrence can be prevented, ensuring safe and efficient coal mine production.

Influence of saturation level on the acoustic emission characteristics of gas hydrate-bearing coal

To study the effects of gas hydrates on the prevention and control of coal and gas protrusions, this paper reports the results of acoustic emission experiments on coal bodies containing gas hydrates with different saturation levels. The results showed that few acoustic emission events were generated in the elasticity stages of coal bodies containing gas hydrates, and the first sudden increase in the number of ringing counts generally occurred before and after the yielding point. Additionally, the acoustic emission events in the yielding stage were more active, and the cumulative number of ringing counts increased faster. The peak ringing counts appeared around the damage point, and a small number of acoustic emission events were still generated after destruction of the coal samples. The cumulative ringing counts decreased linearly with increasing saturation. The effect of saturation on the cumulative ringing counts in the elasticity stage of the gas hydrate-containing coal samples was small, but the difference between the cumulative ringing counts in the yielding stage and those in the destruction stage was larger. The total cumulative ringing counts and the cumulative ringing counts during each stage for the gas hydrate-containing coal samples decreased with increasing enclosure pressure. The energy and amplitude of the loading process were consistent with the trend for the ringing counts. The acoustic emission ringing counts of gas-containing coals were greater than those of gas hydrate-containing coals in the yielding and destructing stages.

Mixture composition and coal size effect on coal water mixture quality

Coal usage as a primary energy source is targeted to continue to increase and replace petroleum as the main energy source. Further processing is required to achieve the standard fuel characteristics, one of which is through a process called Coal Water Mixture (CWM) by adding water and additives to coal to produce fuel with characteristics like heavy oil. This research was conducted to analyze the best composition and size of the coal for CWM processing using variations in coal composition (20 %; 30 %; 40 %; 50 %; and 60 %) and coal particle size (40, 80, and 120 mesh). The parameters studied for each CWM product are product quantity, inherent moisture, density, pH, and calorific value. The results of the initial analysis show that the CWM product with a coal composition of 50 % has characteristics that most closely resemble Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO). CWM product with a coal composition of 50 % with all three variations of coal size was then tested for its calorific value and the respective values ​​were 3476.3153 cal/g; 4025.5551 cal/g; and 4488.4248 cal/g. The resulting product meets the physical characteristics qualifications, but to substitute HFO as fuel, it is necessary to use high quality coal, namely anthracite with a higher calorific value or upgrade the coal raw materials that will be used for the CWM processing.

Comprehensive evaluation of low-temperature oxidation characteristics of low-rank bituminous coal and oil shale

The coexistence of coal and oil shale mining conditions exacerbates the complexity of coal spontaneous combustion (CSC) prevention, so conducting in-depth research on the spontaneous combustion characteristics of coal, oil shale, and their mixed samples is necessary. A programmed heating system simulated the low-temperature oxidation process of bituminous coal and oil shale under different air volumes. It was found that CO concentration, C2H4 concentration, and Graham's fire coefficient (R1, R2) can be used as indicator gases to predict the CSC process. Compared with oil shale and mixed samples, bituminous coal has a higher CO production rate, oxygen consumption rate, heat release intensity, and lower apparent activation energy during the slow oxidation stage. Meanwhile, bituminous coal also has lower peak values of minimum float coal thickness, lower limit oxygen concentration, and maximal air leakage intensity, which means that bituminous coal in the goaf is more prone to oxidation. However, the abundant free hydrogen bonds in oil shale can stabilize the hydrogen-deficient functional groups of bituminous coal, which weakens the oxidation ability of the mixed sample during the accelerated oxidation stage. In addition, the increased air volume fraction increases the oxygen adsorption efficiency of the mixed sample throughout the low-temperature oxidation process, which means that the M70 sample has a higher CSC risk. The results have enriched the research on the spontaneous combustion characteristics of coal, oil shale, and mixed samples, which may strengthen the management and control of CSC in coal and oil shale co-mining mines.

Investigation on Combustion Characteristics and Molecular Structures of Heiyanquan Mining Area, Xinjiang, China.

In order to comprehend the molecular composition of coal and better understand the process of coal combustion, this study involved the development of a molecular structure model for Heiyanquan coal in Xinjiang, as well as the optimization and annealing dynamics simulation of the model. Thermogravimetric analysis (TG), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) were utilized to investigate the spontaneous combustion characteristics of coal at different temperatures (room temperature, 50-500 °C with 50 °C interval). The findings revealed that the coal primarily consists of aromatic carbon, with the aromatic structure mainly comprising naphthalene, anthracene, and phenanthrene, and the aliphatic carbon mainly consisting of CH2 and CH, along with a small quantity of minerals. The empirical molecular formula of Heiyanquan coal was determined to be C175H125O21N3. After the optimization, the total energy of the model was significantly reduced, and the aromatic layers tended to align in a regular parallel manner, with van der Waals energy playing a crucial role in maintaining structural stability. As the temperature increased, the activation energy of the three stages also increased, with the combustion stage exhibiting the highest activation energy. The presence of hydroxyl groups and oxygen-containing functional groups was found to mainly participate in the reaction, while the content of aromatic hydrocarbons remained relatively stable, C=C exhibited a decreasing trend, and C-O displayed an increasing trend. Moreover, it was observed that 1 × 1 and 2 × 2 were the predominant aromatic stripes in the coal samples, accounting for more than 90% of the total stripes.

Study of the mutual coupling characteristics of the oxidation thermal effect and microstructural evolution of gas-containing coal

Besides be affected by coal confining pressure, coal seams are also be affected by the surrounding pressure during mining. To understand the heat release characteristics and microstructural evolution of oxidization within coal under different gas pressures is of great significance. For this reason, a combination of theoretical research and test analysis was adopted, which includes differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and mercury intrusion method (MIP). The influences of gas phase transformation and migration on the oxidation and spontaneous combustion processes of gas-containing coal under different gas pressures were explored. The distributions and variations in heat release, gas derivation, pore structure and functional group characteristics during the oxidation of gas-containing coal were analysed. We clarified the cross-coupling attributes of heat, seepage and chemical properties in the oxidation of gas-containing coal. The experimental results show that the methane within coal migrates outward in pores with the increase of temperature, which inhibits the penetration and adsorption of oxygen, thereby inhibiting the coal‑oxygen composite reaction and delaying the heat accumulation within coal. There is a positive correlation between loose and porous characteristics of coal and gas pressure. With the continuous increase of coal temperature, the pore connectivity of high-pressure gas-containing coal is enhanced, which increases the risk of coal spontaneous combustion. The research results are of great significance to the theoretical research on the prevention and prediction of spontaneous combustion of gas-containing coal.

Failure Behavior and Fracture Evolution Mechanism of Coal with Fissures around Holes.

The fracture of coal is the main channel of gas flow and an important factor affecting the stability and efficiency of gas drainage boreholes. The coal structure, the development of hole cracks, and the degree of deformation are different. It affects the strength and mechanical deformation characteristics of coal to a great extent. In order to investigate the law of fracture evolution around the borehole of fractured coal, uniaxial and triaxial compression tests of raw coal samples have been carried out. The stress field evolution characteristics of fractured coal under compression were analyzed by Particle Flow Code (PFC2D). The strength, deformation, and fracture evolution behavior of fractured coal around boreholes under different confining pressures were studied. The results show that the compressive strength and fracture morphology evolution characteristics of coal around the hole are obviously related to the confining pressure and fracture occurrence of raw coal. The borehole structure itself has an important influence on the distribution location of the shear failure zone of the fracture around the hole, and its influence degree increases with the decrease of borehole confining pressure. During the deformation of coal with cracks around the hole, the initiation, propagation, and union behavior of cracks are related to the crack angle β. The cracks with β 0 and 180° are most easily closed during compression and the cracks with β 90° have little effect on the crack propagation zone. When the crack angle β is 45°, it is most easy to sprout and expand at the end; when the coal is compressed to the ultimate strength, the increase rate of the tensile crack increases, and the polymerization and combination behavior of the crack is more obvious. The evolution cloud map of the stress field can better reflect the evolution characteristics of fracture development, expansion, and fracture in the process of coal loading. Studying the failure behavior and fracture evolution mechanism of the coal around the hole can better predict and control the gas migration and extraction effect, which is of great significance to prevent the occurrence of gas accidents.

Evolution of pore structure and changes in oxidation characteristics of coal after heating freezing treatment

To study the spontaneous combustion characteristics of preheated coal treated by liquid nitrogen (LN2), surface structure test, thermal analysis experiment and chemical characteristic analysis experiment were used to study the change characteristics of surface structure, oxidation characteristic and chemical structure of coal under the action of LN2 quenching. The results showed that with the increase of preheating temperature, the fractal dimension, specific surface area, pore volume and average pore diameter of the LN2 treated coal (quenched-coal) increase. With the increase of preheating temperature, under the oxidation condition, the CO and CO2 produced at ST of 230 ℃ are 1.19 times and 1.21 times higher than those at ST of 70 ℃. The CO/CO2 emission of quenched-coal is significantly increased, and the secondary oxidation capacity is stronger. Due to the more developed pore cracks of coal under pyrolysis and quenching conditions, the natural characteristics of coal are stronger. The oxygen adsorption capacity and apparent activation energy of pyrolysis coal in the stageⅠ affected by LN2 are stronger. Oxidized coal shows stronger oxidation and heat release ability in the stageⅡ under the action of LN2, resulting in higher apparent activation energy in this endothermic stage. The addition of LN2 blocked the oxidation reaction of preheated coal and sealed the structure of -C = O, –COOH and –OH. The bridge bond –CH2- structure of pyrolysis coal is further destroyed, and the ratio of –CH2/–CH3 is reduced. The increase of alkyl free radicals in pyrolysis coal and alkyl oxygen free radicals in oxidation coal accelerates the spontaneous combustion oxidation of coal. The research results have important guiding significance for the occurrence and prevention of coal reignition disaster after LN2 fire quenching.

Internal stress transfer characteristics of coal–rock medium under concentrated force based on particle flow method

To solve the problem that the macroscopic deformation and failure of coal–rock medium under external loads are easy to be observed while the internal stress transfer mode and path are unclear. Based on the discrete element idea, the numerical models for pure coal or rock samples and coal–rock combination samples with different lithologies and combination methods under concentrated force are established by PFC2D software. Then the influence of coal or rock strength and combination methods on the internal stress transfer law and distribution evolution characteristics of coal–rock medium are discussed from the perspectives of macroscopic stress and mesoscopic force chain, respectively. The results showed that under concentrated load, the macroscopic stress transfer paths within pure coal or rock samples and coal–rock combination samples are primarily in the form of ‘point source radiation’. However, when transferring between coal–rock interfaces, there is a certain interface effect. For pure coal or rock samples, differences in lithology does not change the transfer rules and macro distribution patterns of internal stress, but it can cause changes in internal unit transfer stress value and local area transfer direction. For coal–rock combination samples, the greater the difference in lithology between the two sides of the interface, the more likely the interface effect will occur. In addition, the internal stress transfer is also influenced by the relative stratigraphic relationships of coal and rock. When the stress is transferred from a higher-strength rock to a lower-strength coal mass, the interface effect will be more significant. However, regardless of the combination pattern, the locations where significant stress surges occur are always within the higher strength rock mass near the interface. The findings are helpful to understand the mechanical properties and failure mechanism of mining coal and rock mass, and provide a theoretical basis for the study of the mining-induced mechanical behavior of the floor under the action of the coal pillar.