Large-scale laboratory study on the evolution lawof temperature fields in the context of underground coal gasification

This article presents the evolution law of temperature fields in a large-scale laboratory Underground Coal Gasification reactions using Ulanqab lignite under actual conditions.The results show that in the cultivation stage of oxidation zone,the main direction of the temperature field expansion is consistent with the crack direction of the coal seam.In the gasification stabilization stage,the main direction of the temperature field expansion is along the channel.The temperature of the coal seam and the overlying rock mass at its interface with the furnace directly above the gasification channel is equivalent to that of the coal seam temperature,and this temperature is much greater than the temperatures observed near both side walls of the gasification channel at the interface.However,temperatures perpendicular to the axis of the gasification channel are similar at a vertical distance of 40 cm away from the interface.The temperature distributions indicate that the transmission of heat through the overlying rock mass is more rapid in the vertical direction than in the horizontal direction.Moreover,some degree of thermal dispersion is observed in the vertical direction near the outlet.The thermal dispersion coefficient is 0.72 and dispersion angle γ is 78.7°.