Residual heat following the closure of a coal mine fire area induces alterations in the physical and chemical structure of coal, which not only interfere with the opening time but also engenders potential catastrophic incidents upon the reopening of the fire area. Therefore, the structural changes in coal before and after pyrolysis were first analyzed by SEM, BET, XPS, 13C NMR and ESR. Second, the crossing-point temperature and constant-temperature differential heat methods were employed to investigate the process and characteristics of alkyl radical oxidation heat production. Quantum chemistry was integrated to analyze the mechanism of coal oxidation activity enhancement when the fire area was unsealed. The experimental results revealed that the residual heat could induce physicochemical structural changes in coal at varying distances. Upon exposure to oxygen, cracks facilitate oxygen migration and water evaporation mitigates heat consumption. The low-energy barrier of the alkyl radical oxidation reactions intensifies the oxidation activity of pyrolyzed coal, which can react with oxygen at room temperature to release heat. Under heat storage conditions, the active groups in coal are stimulated to further react. As a corollary, the substantial release of heat occurs, heightening the risk of coal re-ignition upon reopening of the fire area. The research results are helpful in performing accurate targeted treatment for different temperature gradients in underground fire areas to prevent the reignition of heated coal in closed fire areas.
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