Spontaneous Combustion Of Coal Seams Research Articles

Study and application on fire extinguishing and preventing with light-paste material for coalmine

For preventing and extinguishing the spontaneous combustion of coal seam, based on the importance for sealing air leakage channels in roadway, developed a material of light-paste for coalmine, and research its ingredient, proportion and performance. The result indicates that the component ratio of the material is which PB exciting agent is 20%, complex reinforcing agent is 2%, complex expansion agent is 1%, and A-material is 77%. The performances of compressive strength, swelling ratio and expansion time are optimum. The light-paste material can effectively seal air leakage channels for preventing and extinguishing the spontaneous combustion of coal seam in coalmine.

A comprehensive hazard evaluation system for spontaneous combustion of coal in underground mining

The traditional identification of spontaneous combustion hazard of coal in China is unilateral and inaccurate, which is singly attributed to the properties of coal. Based on current research findings on coal fires, we've reconsidered the influential factors that lead to the spontaneous combustion of coal seams, and have ultimately built a comprehensive system for evaluating the hazard of spontaneous combustion. Applying holistic scoring method and Analytic Hierarchy Process, we integrated all of the factors into a quantitative model, and classified the ratings into five levels. Additionally, a Visual Basic 6.0 based application program has been developed to assist the evaluation, as well as three domestic colliery cases with varying fire hazards have been tested. Through practical application, the hazard evaluations have proved to be objective and valid, so the system is applicable to Chinese coal mines.

Fayalite from Fe-rich paralavas of ancient coal fires in the Kuzbass, Russia

Fayalite is a common mineral of Fe-rich paralavas related to spontaneous combustion of coal seams. Fayalite has also been found in parabasalts from burned coal waste piles of the Chelyabinsk coal basin. Among paralavas from different combustion metamorphic (CM) complexes of the world, fayalite is the most widespread in the fused rocks of the Kuznetsk coal basin (Kuzbass) and the Ravat area in Tajikistan. The optimal conditions for fayalite formation as products of coal fires in the Kuzbass and Ravat resulted from a favorable combination of the composition of fused protolith (parental rocks) composed of pelitic and Fe-rich sediments and the redox conditions of the deep subsurface (\( f_{O_2 } \) is lower than the QFM buffer). In the Kuzbass, fayalite is commonly hosted in high-silica aluminous Fe-rich paralavas composed of Fe-cordierite (sekaninaite), tridymite, hercynite-magnetite, cristobalite, aluminous clinoferrosilite, and Al-K silicic glass. The composition of all Kuzbass fayalites is close to the Fe2SiO4 end member. Kuzbass fayalites are characterized by a negligibly low CaO content and higher MnO and P2O5 contents like fayalites from burned rocks of other CM complexes. In Kuzbass paralavas, Fe-olivine is the late phase that crystallized after sekaninaite and tridymite, immediately before melt quenching.

Synthesis of zeolitic materials from natural clinker: A new alternative for recycling coal combustion by-products

In this study, we report an innovative process of zeolite synthesis through transforming of natural raw clinker (NRC) via (1) conventional hydrothermal alkaline activation and (2) alkaline fusion prior to hydrothermal reaction. Both methods were evaluated at 100 °C as a function of the alkaline agent, although in the first method other variables such as concentration of the activation solution and reaction time were selected, whereas in the second method similar ratios of alkaline activator/NRC and H 2O/alkali fused product during different reaction times were used. Experimental results indicate that the method, alkali activator, concentration and time have a strong effect on the type and degree of crystallinity of the synthesized zeolite. Low-silica sodium or potassium zeolitic materials were synthesized, which include Na-phillipsite, hydroxysodalite and hydroxycancrinite, K-chabazite, zeolite K-F, faujasite and zeolite Linde Type A. The use of a recycling process of NRC in zeolite synthesis could become an area of important interest and research, playing an active role in encouraging and promoting technological advances, research and technology transfer related to the use and disposal of mining wastes, remaining after the natural and spontaneous combustion of coal seams. NRC-based zeolites (NRCZs) synthesized under well-optimized experimental conditions could be used in applications for environmental waste treatment.

The spontaneous combustion of coal and its by-products in the Witbank and Sasolburg coalfields of South Africa

Abstract Spontaneous combustion of coal seams in the Witbank and Sasolburg coalfields, South Africa, was studied in order to determine if toxic chemical elements and compounds are being mobilised into the environment. Samples of the minerals forming on the surface of coal seams, and gases escaping from vents, were analysed to verify the presence of these elements and compounds. Gas temperature measurements at coal-fire vents range from 34 °C to 630 °C. The coal-fire gas minerals (CFGM) identified included sulphur compounds and salammoniac. X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies of CFGM by-products confirmed the presence of mascagnite ((NH4)2SO4), illite ((Al,Si)4O10[(OH)2,H2O]) letovicite ((NH4)3H(SO4)2), phlogopite (KMg3(AlSi3)O10(F,OH)2), titanium dioxide (TiO2), barite (BaSO4), iron sulphate (FeSO4), gypsum (CaSO4·2H2O) and silicate. An unknown and unclassified sulphur–nitrogen–chlorine CFGM was also identified. The minerals are interpreted to have formed by condensation or sublimation; several may be alteration products. Other heavy elements found in the CFGM's are mercury, arsenic, lead, zinc, and copper. Arsenic and mercury were the major elements of potential environmental significance found accumulating around coal-fire vents. Relatively high concentrations of toluene, benzene and xylene were found in the gas collected at both Witbank and Sasolburg coalfields. Benzene, toluene and xylenes are known to possess carcinogenic proprieties. Thirty-two aliphatic compounds were detected, as well as halogenated compounds including bromomethane, iodomethane and trichloromethane in low concentrations, and dichloromethane and chloromethane in high concentrations. The highest concentrations of halogenated compounds were measured for gas samples from the Witbank coalfield. High concentrations of carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and methane were also detected. The nature of the risks to human health and the environment of most of the compounds in gas and CFGM by-products of spontaneous combustion at the Witbank and Sasolburg coalfields are unknown and merit investigation. Fires caused by spontaneously combusted coal are pervasive in the coalfields and the health consequences of exposure to hazardous elements are a serious risk. It would be prudent to undertake an environmental impact assessment of these elements in order to determine the extent of their impact on mine workers and the environment in the Witbank and Sasolburg coalfields.

Rock-magnetic properties of TRM carrying baked and molten rocks straddling burnt coal seams

The subsurface spontaneous combustion of coal seams in Xinjiang (NW China) during Pleistocene to recent times produced large areas of thermally altered sedimentary rocks with large magnetic moments. The natural remanent magnetization (NRM) and thermoremanent magnetization (TRM) intensities and low-field susceptibilities of such combustion-metamorphic rocks range from 0.1 to 10 A/m and 100×10 −4 to 1000×10 −4 SI, respectively, which is two to three orders of magnitude higher than values typical of their sedimentary protoliths. The dominant magnetic carriers in the burnt rocks appear to include relatively pure forms of magnetite, maghemite and hematite as well as more complex spinel phases. These magnetic phases mainly occur as fine pseudo-single-domain (PSD) particles. Conspicuous is the presence of pure metallic iron (αFe) in some samples. This highly magnetic phase is inferred to appear as more or less elongated super paramagnetic and single-domain (SD) inclusions in host silicate phases, which prevent them from oxidizing. The SD αFe particles can carry a highly stable remanence, having remanent coercivities ranging 70−140 mT. The ARM and IRM stability of all burnt rock samples to alternating fields is shown to be relatively high; median destructive fields, B (1/2)A and B (1/2)I, respectively, range of 25−46 and ∼20−30 mT for dominant spinel-bearing samples, 34−36 and 47−53 mT for maghemite–hematite-bearing samples, and 48−89 and 64−84 mT for metallic iron-bearing samples. Consequently, burnt rocks are high-quality geomagnetic field recorders. Their very nature makes them useful for paleointensity determinations, although age determination is a limiting factor. Furthermore, remanence intensities and susceptibilities of these magnetically enhanced rocks are sufficient to produce observable magnetic anomalies. This property illustrates the potential to delineate the areal extent and depth of (extinct) coal fires with magnetic exploration. Such information is necessary to refine estimates of hazardous CO 2 emission and furthers our understanding of natural coal fires.

Geomagnetic field intensity during the Plio-Pleistocene derived from the thermo-remanence of porcellanites and palaeo-slags (Czechoslovakia)

The present paper deals with the derivation of the intensity of the geomagnetic field in the Plio-Pleistocene, Central Europe. The intensity was derived from the thermo-remanence of porcellanites and palaeo-slags. These rocks represent a common product of intense thermal alteration of loams due to spontaneous combustion of coal seams. Porcellanites and palaeo-slags show outstanding palaeomagnetic properties, their remanent magnetization is of thermo-remanent origin and they were ‘mineralogically stabilized’ under natural conditions in the geological past, during the coal combustion. It was found, that the intensity of the geomagnetic field during the Plio-Pleistocene oscillated about the value of the present-day intensity.