Classification performance of model coal mill classifiers with swirling and non-swirling inlets

The classification performance of model coal mill classifiers with different bottom incoming flow inlets was experimentally and numerically studied.The flow field adjacent to two neighboring impeller blades was measured using the particle image velocimetry technique.The results showed that the flow field adjacent to two neighboring blades with the swirling inlet was significantly different from that with the non-swirling inlet.With the swirling inlet,there was a vortex located between two neighboring blades,while with the nonswirling inlet,the vortex was attached to the blade tip.The vorticity of the vortex with the non-swirling inlet was much lower than that with the swirling inlet.The classifier with the non-swirling inlet demonstrated a larger cut size than that with the swirling inlet when the impeller was stationary(~0 r·min-1).As the impeller rotational speed increased,the cut size of the cases with non-swirling and swirling inlets both decreased,and the one with the non-swirling inlet decreased more dramatically.The values of the cut size of the two classifiers were close to each other at a high impeller rotational speed(≥120 r·min-1).The overall separation efficiency of the classifier with the non-swirling inlet was lower than that with the swirling inlet,and monotonically increased as the impeller rotational speed increased.With the swirling inlet,the overall separation efficiency first increased with the impeller rotational speed and then decreased when the rotational speed was above 120 r·min-1,and the variation trend of the separation efficiency was more moderate.As the initial particle concentration increased,the cut sizes of both swirling and non-swirling inlet cases decreased first and then barely changed.At a low initial particle concentration(b 0.04 kg·m-3),the classifier with the swirling inlet had a larger cut size than that with the non-swirling inlet.

Breakage and separation mechanism of ZGM coal mill based on parameters optimization model

Sampling ports were firstly drilled on a ZGM95 coal mill in the power plant in China, and the coal samples from various points in the pulverizer were collected under the different operation conditions. The prop- erty of the sampling material from the mill was analyzed, applying the float-sink test, size distribution analysis, proximate analysis and so on. It was indicated that the ＋250 I^m fraction in the pulverized fuel accounted for only 0.02%, while it was 83.2% in the new feed. The circulating ratio and coal flow in the separator and the cone zone were calculated using the mass balance of the circulating load. So, the cir- culating ratio in the separator of the pulverizer was between 8 and 13, and the circulating ratio, the feed flow of separator and cone zone all raised with the increase of the air volume. Furthermore, the parameters of the separation functions were obtained based on the fitting method. It was shown that the mean value of the shape factor B was 0.7617, and the parameter D which is the particle size at 50% cumulative yield in the separator almost kept unchanged.

Structural properties of residual carbon in coal gasification fine slag and their influence on flotation separation and resource utilization:A review

Coal gasification fine slag(FS)is a typical solid waste generated in coal gasification.Its current disposal methods of stockpil-ing and landfilling have caused serious soil and ecological hazards.Separation recovery and the high-value utilization of residual carbon(RC)in FS are the keys to realizing the win-win situation of the coal chemical industry in terms of economic and environmental benefits.The structural properties,such as pore,surface functional group,and microcrystalline structures,of RC in FS(FS-RC)not only affect the flotation recovery efficiency of FS-RC but also form the basis for the high-value utilization of FS-RC.In this paper,the characteristics of FS-RC in terms of pore structure,surface functional groups,and microcrystalline structure are sorted out in accordance with gasification type and FS particle size.The reasons for the formation of the special structural properties of FS-RC are analyzed,and their influence on the flotation separation and high-value utilization of FS-RC is summarized.Separation methods based on the pore structural characterist-ics of FS-RC,such as ultrasonic pretreatment-pore-blocking flotation and pore breaking-flocculation flotation,are proposed to be the key development technologies for improving FS-RC recovery in the future.The design of low-cost,low-dose collectors containing polar bonds based on the surface and microcrystalline structures of FS-RC is proposed to be an important breakthrough point for strengthening the flotation efficiency of FS-RC in the future.The high-value utilization of FS should be based on the physicochemical structural proper-ties of FS-RC and should focus on the environmental impact of hazardous elements and the recyclability of chemical waste liquid to es-tablish an environmentally friendly utilization method.This review is of great theoretical importance for the comprehensive understand-ing of the unique structural properties of FS-RC,the breakthrough of the technological bottleneck in the efficient flotation separation of FS,and the expansion of the field of the high value-added utilization of FS-RC.

Numerical analysis on the factors affecting post-peak characteristics of coal under uniaxial compression

The post-peak characteristics of coal serve as a direct reflection of its failure process and are essential parameters for evaluating brittleness and bursting liability.Understanding the significant factors that influence post-peak characteristics can offer valuable insights for the prevention of coal bursts.In this study,the Synthetic Rock Mass method is employed to establish a numerical model,and the factors affecting coal post-peak characteristics are analyzed from four perspectives:coal matrix mechanical parameters,structural weak surface properties,height-to-width ratio,and loading rate.The research identifies four significant influencing factors:deformation modulus,density of discrete fracture networks,height-to-width ratio,and loading rate.The response and sensitivity of post-peak characteristics to single-factor and multi-factor interactions are assessed.The result suggested that feasible prevention and control measures for coal bursts can be formulated through four approaches:weakening the mechanical properties of coal pillars,increasing the number of structural weak surfaces in coal pillars,reducing the width of coal pillars,and optimizing mining and excavation speed.The efficacy of measures aimed at weakening the mechanical properties of coal is successfully demonstrated through a case study on coal burst prevention using large-diameter borehole drilling.

Geological characteristics and exploration breakthroughs of coal rock gas in Carboniferous Benxi Formation,Ordos Basin,NW China

To explore the geological characteristics and exploration potential of the Carboniferous Benxi Formation coal rock gas in the Ordos Basin,this paper presents a systematic research on the coal rock distribution,coal rock reservoirs,coal rock quality,and coal rock gas features,resources and enrichment.Coal rock gas is a high-quality resource distinct from coalbed methane,and it has unique features in terms of burial depth,gas source,reservoir,gas content,and carbon isotopic composition.The Benxi Formation coal rocks cover an area of 16×104km^(2),with thicknesses ranging from 2 m to 25 m,primarily consisting of bright and semi-bright coals with primitive structures and low volatile and ash contents,indicating a good coal quality.The medium-to-high rank coal rocks have the total organic carbon(TOC)content ranging from 33.49%to 86.11%,averaging75.16%.They have a high degree of thermal evolution(Roof 1.2%-2.8%),and a high gas-generating capacity.They also have high stable carbon isotopic values(δ13C1of-37.6‰to-16‰;δ13C2of-21.7‰to-14.3‰).Deep coal rocks develop matrix pores such as gas bubble pores,organic pores,and inorganic mineral pores,which,together with cleats and fractures,form good reservoir spaces.The coal rock reservoirs exhibit the porosity of 0.54%-10.67%(averaging 5.42%)and the permeability of(0.001-14.600)×10^(-3)μm^(2)(averaging 2.32×10^(-3)μm^(2)).Vertically,there are five types of coal rock gas accumulation and dissipation combinations,among which the coal rock-mudstone gas accumulation combination and the coal rock-limestone gas accumulation combination are the most important,with good sealing conditions and high peak values of total hydrocarbon in gas logging.A model of coal rock gas accumulation has been constructed,which includes widespread distribution of medium-to-high rank coal rocks continually generating gas,matrix pores and cleats/fractures in coal rocks acting as large-scale reservoir spaces,tight cap rocks providing sealing,source-reservoir integration,and five types of efficient enrichment patterns(lateral pinchout complex,lenses,low-amplitude structures,nose-like structures,and lithologically self-sealing).According to the geological characteristics of coal rock gas,the Benxi Formation is divided into 8 plays,and the estimated coal rock gas resources with a buried depth of more than 2000 m are more than 12.33×10^(12)m^(3).The above understandings guide the deployment of risk exploration.Two wells drilled accordingly obtained an industrial gas flow,driving the further deployment of exploratory and appraisal wells.Substantial breakthroughs have been achieved,with the possible reserves over a trillion cubic meters and the proved reserves over a hundred billion cubic meters,which is of great significance for the reserves increase and efficient development of natural gas in China.

Disasters of gas-coal spontaneous combustion in goaf of steeply inclined extra-thick coal seams

In light of the escalating global energy imperatives,mining of challenging-to-access resources,such as steeply inclined extra-thick coal seams(SIEC),has emerged as one of the future trends within the domain of energy advancement.However,there is a risk of gas and coal spontaneous combustion coupling disasters(GCC)within the goaf of SIEC due to the complex goaf structure engendered by the unique mining methodologies of SIEC.To ensure that SIEC is mined safely and efficiently,this study conducts research on the GCC within the goaf of SIEC using field observation,theoretical analysis,and numerical modeling.The results demonstrate that the dip angle,the structural dimensions in terms of width-to-length ratio,and compressive strength of the overlying rock are the key factors contributing to the goaf instability of SIEC.The gangue was asymmetrically filled,primarily accumulating within the central and lower portions of the goaf,and the filling height increased proportionally with the advancing caving height,the expansion coefficient,and the thickness of the surrounding rock formation.The GCC occurs in the goaf of SIEC,with an air-return side range of 41 m and an air-intake side range of 14 m,at the intersection area of the“<”-shaped oxygen concentration distribution(coal spontaneous combustion)and the“>”-shaped gas concentration distribution(gas explosion).The optimal nitrogen flow rate is 1000 m3/h with an injection port situated 25 m away from the working face for the highest nitrogen diffusion efficacy and lowest risk of gas explosion,coal spontaneous combustion,and GCC.It has significant engineering applications for ensuring the safe mining of SIEC threatened by the GCC.

Stability analysis of longwall top-coal caving face in extra-thick coal seams based on an innovative numerical hydraulic support model

The relationship between support and surrounding rock is of great significance to the control of surrounding rock in mining process.In view of the fact that most of the existing numerical simulation methods construct virtual elements and stress servo control to approximately replace the hydraulic support problem,this paper establishes a new numerical model of hydraulic support with the same working characteristics as the actual hydraulic support by integrating numerical simulation software Rhino,Griddle and FLAC3D,which can realize the simulation of different working conditions.Based on this model,the influence mechanism of the supporting strength of hydraulic support on surrounding rock stress regulation and coal stability in front of the top coal caving face in extra thick coal seam were researched.Firstly,under different support intensity,the abutment pressure of the bearing coal and the coal in front of it presents the “three-stage”evolution characteristics.The influence range of support intensity is 15%–30%.Secondly,1.5 MPa is the upper limit of impact that the support strength can have on the front coal failure area.Thirdly,within a displacement range of 2.76 m from the coal wall,a support strength of1.5 MPa provides optimal control of the horizontal displacement of the coal.

Theoretical analysis of hydrogen solubility in direct coal liquefaction solvents

The cyclic hydrogenation technology in a direct coal liquefaction process relies on the dissolved hydrogen of the solvent or oil participating in the hydrogenation reaction.Thus,a theoretical basis for process optimization and reactor design can be established by analyzing the solubility of hydrogen in liquefaction solvents.Experimental studies of hydrogen solubility in liquefaction solvents are challenging due to harsh reaction conditions and complex solvent compositions.In this study,the composition and content of liquefied solvents were analyzed.As model compounds,hexadecane,toluene,naphthalene,tetrahydronaphthalene,and phenanthrene were chosen to represent the liquefied solvents in chain alkanes and monocyclic,bicyclic,and tricyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.The solubility of hydrogen X(mol/mol)in pure solvent components and mixed solvents(alkanes and aromatics mixed in proportion to the chain alkanes+bicyclic aromatic hydrocarbons,bicyclic saturated aromatic hydrocarbons+bicyclic aromatic hydrocarbons,and bicyclic aromatic hydrocarbons+compounds containing het-eroatoms composed of mixed components)are determined using Aspen simulation at temperature and pressure conditions of 373–523 K and 2–10 MPa.The results demonstrated that at high temperatures and pressures,the solubility of hydrogen in the solvent increases with the increase in temperature and pressure,with the pressure having a greater impact.Further-more,the results revealed that hydrogen is more soluble in straight-chain alkanes than in other solvents,and the solubility of eicosanoids reaches a maximum of 0.296.The hydrogen solubility in aromatic ring compounds decreased gradually with an increase in the aromatic ring number.The influence of chain alkanes on the solubility of hydrogen predominates in a mixture of solvents with different mixing ratios of chain alkanes and aromatic hydrocarbons.The solubility of hydrogen in mixed aromatic solvents is less than that in the corresponding single solvents.Hydrogen is less soluble in solvent compounds containing heteroatoms than in compounds without heteroatoms.

Depositional Environment and Origin of Inertinite-rich Coal in the Ordos Basin

Inertinite-rich coal is widely distributed in the Ordos Basin,represented by the No.2 coal seam of the Middle Jurassic Yan'an Formation.This paper combined coal petrology and geochemistry to analyze the origin of inertinite,changes in the coal-forming environment and control characteristics of wildfire.Research has shown that there are two forms of inertinite sources in the study area.Alongside typical fusinization,wildfire events also play a substantial role in inertinite formation.There are significant fluctuations in the coal-forming environment of samples at different depths.Coal samples were formed in dry forest swamp with low water levels and strong oxidation,which have a high inertinite content,and the samples formed in wet forest swamp and limnic showed low inertinite content.Conversely,the inertinite content of different origins does not fully correspond to the depositional environment characterized by dryness and oxidation.Nonpyrogenic inertinites were significantly influenced by climatic conditions,while pyrofusinite was not entirely controlled by climatic conditions but rather directly impacted by wildfire events.The high oxygen level was the main factor causing widespread wildfire events.Overall,the combination of wildfire activity and oxidation generates a high content of inertinite in the Middle Jurassic coal of the Ordos Basin.

Geochemical and petrological studies of high sulfur coal and overburden from Makum coalfield (Northeast India) towards understanding and mitigation of acid mine drainage

Opencast coal mining produces trash of soil and rock containing various minerals,that are usually dumped nearby the abandoned sites which causes severe environmental concern including the production of acid mine drainage(AMD)through oxidation pyrite minerals.The current study entailed assessing the potential production of AMD from an opencast coal mining region in Northeast part of India.In order to have a comprehensive overview of the AMD problem in Makum coalfield,the physico-chemical,geochemical,and petrological characteristics of the coal and overburden(OB)samples collected from the Makum coalfield(Northeast India)were thoroughly investigated.The maceral compositions reveal that coal features all three groups of macerals(liptinite,vitrinite,and inertinite),with a high concentration of liptinite indicating the coal of perhydrous,thereby rendering it more reactive.Pyrite(FeS_(2))oxidation kinetics were studied by conducting the aqueous leaching experiments of coal and(OB)samples to interpret the chemical weathering under controlled laboratory conditions of various temperature and time periods,and to replicate the actual mine site leaching.Inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy(ICP-OES)was operated to detect the disposal of some precarious elements from coal and OB samples to the leachates during our controlled leaching experiment.The Rare earth element(REE)enrichment in the samples shows the anthropogenic incorporation of the REE in the coal and OB.These experiments reveal the change in conductivity,acid producing tendency,total dissolved solid(TDS),total Iron(Fe)and dissolved Sulfate(SO_(4)^(2−))ions on progress of the leaching experiments.Moreover,the discharge of FeS_(2) via atmospheric oxidation in laboratory condition undergoes a significant growth with the rise of temperature of the reaction systems in the environment and follows pseudo first order kinetics.A bio-remediative strategies is also reported in this paper to mitigate AMD water by employing size-segregated powdered limestone and water hyacinth plant in an indigenously developed site-specific prototype station.Apart from neutralisation of AMD water,this eco-friendly AMD remediation strategy demonstrates a reduction in PHEs concentrations in the treated AMD water.

Agglomeration of coal and polyethylene mixtures during fixed‑bed co‑gasification

The article presents the results of experimental studies on the gasification of mixtures of brown coal and polyethylene(up to 20 wt%fraction)in a laboratory reactor.The work aims to study the agglomeration process during the heating and oxidation of the mixtures.The measurement results(gas composition,pressure drop)provide indirect information on the dynamics of thermal decomposition and structural changes in the fuel bed.We have shown that the interaction between polyethylene and a coal surface leads to the formation of dense agglomerates,in which the molten polymer acts as a binder.Clinkers form as a result of interfacial interactions between components and filtration flow rearranging.The hydrogen/carbon ratio in the solid residue of coal-polyethylene co-gasification increases from 0.07–0.2 to 1.11,indicating the formation of stable hydrocarbon compounds on the carbon surface.The conducted research makes it possible to identify possible interactions between chemical reactions and transfer processes that lead to agglomeration in mixtures of coal with polyethylene.

Coal/Gangue Volume Estimation with Convolutional Neural Network and Separation Based on Predicted Volume and Weight

In the coal mining industry,the gangue separation phase imposes a key challenge due to the high visual similaritybetween coal and gangue.Recently,separation methods have become more intelligent and efficient,using newtechnologies and applying different features for recognition.One such method exploits the difference in substancedensity,leading to excellent coal/gangue recognition.Therefore,this study uses density differences to distinguishcoal from gangue by performing volume prediction on the samples.Our training samples maintain a record of3-side images as input,volume,and weight as the ground truth for the classification.The prediction process relieson a Convolutional neural network(CGVP-CNN)model that receives an input of a 3-side image and then extractsthe needed features to estimate an approximation for the volume.The classification was comparatively performedvia ten different classifiers,namely,K-Nearest Neighbors(KNN),Linear Support Vector Machines(Linear SVM),Radial Basis Function(RBF)SVM,Gaussian Process,Decision Tree,Random Forest,Multi-Layer Perceptron(MLP),Adaptive Boosting(AdaBosst),Naive Bayes,and Quadratic Discriminant Analysis(QDA).After severalexperiments on testing and training data,results yield a classification accuracy of 100%,92%,95%,96%,100%,100%,100%,96%,81%,and 92%,respectively.The test reveals the best timing with KNN,which maintained anaccuracy level of 100%.Assessing themodel generalization capability to newdata is essential to ensure the efficiencyof the model,so by applying a cross-validation experiment,the model generalization was measured.The useddataset was isolated based on the volume values to ensure the model generalization not only on new images of thesame volume but with a volume outside the trained range.Then,the predicted volume values were passed to theclassifiers group,where classification reported accuracy was found to be(100%,100%,100%,98%,88%,87%,100%,87%,97%,100%),respectively.Although obtaining a classification with high accuracy is the main motive,this workhas a remarkable reduction in the data preprocessing time compared to related works.The CGVP-CNN modelmanaged to reduce the data preprocessing time of previous works to 0.017 s while maintaining high classificationaccuracy using the estimated volume value.

Thermogravimetric characteristics of corn straw and bituminous coal copyrolysis based the ilmenite oxygen carriers

Herein,the co-pyrolysis reaction characteristics of corn straw(CS)and bituminous coal in the presence of ilmenite oxygen carriers(OCs)are investigated via thermogravimetry coupled with mass spectrometry.The results reveal that the participation of OCs weakens the devolatilization intensity of co-pyrolysis.When the CS blending ratio is<50%,the mixed fuel exhibits positive synergistic effects.The fitting results according to the Coats-Redfern integral method show that the solid-solid interaction between OCs and coke changes the reaction kinetics,enhancing the co-pyrolysis reactivity at the high-temperature zone(750-950C).The synergistic effect is most prominent at a 30%CS blending ratio,with copyrolysis activation energy in the range of 26.35-40.57 kJ·mol^(-1).

Organic petrographic and mineralogical composition of the No. 6 coal seam of the Soutpansberg Coalfield, South Africa: Insights into paleovegetation and depositional environment

This study investigates the paleodepositional conditions of the No.6 Seam of the Madzaringwe Formation in Makhado and Voorburg south area of the Soutpansberg Coalfield(Limpopo Province,South Africa)utilizing organic petrography and inorganic geochemical proxies.The coals are predominantly high-volatile bituminous B-A rank with high ash yields(avg.36.1 wt%),characterized by high-vitrinite(~41.5 vol%),moderate-to-high inertinite(9.8 vol%–33.7 vol%)and low liptinite(~2.3 vol%).The distribution of inertinite varies among different coal horizons(from bottom-lower to middle-upper),suggesting differential oxidation conditions and/or paleofire occurrence.Vitrinite-to-inertinite(V/I)ratio,tissue preservation–gelification index(TPI–GI),and groundwater–vegetation index(GWI–VI)plots,indicate that the peat-forming forest-swamp vegetation accumulated under mesotrophic-to-rheotrophic hydrological conditions.The presence of structured macerals(i.e.,telinite,collotelinite,fusinite,and semifusinite)suggests well-preserved plant tissues,whereas framboidal pyrite and sulphur content(0.24 wt%–2.16 wt%)point to brackish-water influence at the peat stage.The coals contain quartz,kaolinite,siderite,muscovite,dolomite,calcite,and pyrite minerals,most of which were likely sourced from felsic igneous rocks.The Al/(Al+Fe+Mn)and(Fe+Mn)/Ti ratios for the studied samples range between 0.24–0.97 and 0.57–70.10,respectively.The ratios,Al–Fe–Mn plot,and presence of massive botryoidal-type pyrite imply some influence of meteoric waters or fluids from hydrothermal activity post-deposition.Moreover,the chemical index of alteration(CIA:98.25–99.67),chemical index of weathering(CIW:92.04–97.66),and A–CN–K ternary diagram suggest inorganic matter suffered strong chemical weathering,indicating warm paleoclimatic conditions during the coal formation.

Whole petroleum system in Jurassic coal measures of Taibei Sag in Tuha Basin,NW China

Based on the latest results of near-source exploration in the Middle and Lower Jurassic of the Tuha Basin,a new understanding of the source rocks,reservoir conditions,and source-reservoir-cap rock combinations of the Jurassic Shuixigou Group in the Taibei Sag is established using the concept of the whole petroleum system,and the coal-measure whole petroleum system is analyzed thoroughly.The results are obtained in three aspects.First,the coal-measure source rocks of the Badaowan Formation and Xishanyao Formation and the argillaceous source rocks of the Sangonghe Formation in the Shuixigou Group exhibit the characteristics of long-term hydrocarbon generation,multiple hydrocarbon generation peaks,and simultaneous oil and gas generation,providing sufficient oil and gas sources for the whole petroleum system in the Jurassic coal-bearing basin.Second,multi-phase shallow braided river delta–shallow lacustrine deposits contribute multiple types of reservoirs,e.g.sandstone,tight sandstone,shale and coal rock,in slope and depression areas,providing effective storage space for the petroleum reservoir formation in coal-measure strata.Third,three phases of hydrocarbon charging and structural evolution,as well as effective configuration of multiple types of reservoirs,result in the sequential accumulation of conventional-unconventional hydrocarbons.From high structural positions to depression,there are conventional structural and structural-lithological reservoirs far from the source,low-saturation structural-lithological reservoirs near the source,and tight sandstone gas,coal rock gas and shale oil accumulations within the source.Typically,the tight sandstone gas and coal rock gas are the key options for further exploration,and the shale oil and gas in the depression area is worth of more attention.The new understanding of the whole petroleum system in the coal measures could further enrich and improve the geological theory of the whole petroleum system,and provide new ideas for the overall exploration of oil and gas resources in the Tuha Basin.

Theoretical analysis and engineering application of controllable shock wave technology for enhancing coalbed methane in soft and low‑permeability coal seams

Coalbed methane(CBM)is a significant factor in triggering coal and gas outburst disaster,while also serving as a clean fuel.With the increasing depth of mining operations,coal seams that exhibit high levels of gas content and low permeability have become increasingly prevalent.While controllable shockwave(CSW)technology has proven effective in enhancing CBM in laboratory settings,there is a lack of reports on its field applications in soft and low-permeability coal seams.This study establishes the governing equations for stress waves induced by CSW.Laplace numerical inversion was employed to analyse the dynamic response of the coal seam during CSW antireflection.Additionally,quantitative calculations were performed for the crushed zone,fracture zone,and effective CSW influence range,which guided the selection of field test parameters.The results of the field test unveiled a substantial improvement in the gas permeability coefficient,the average rate of pure methane flowrate,and the mean gas flowrate within a 10 m radius of the antireflection borehole.These enhancements were notable,showing increases of 3 times,13.72 times,and 11.48 times,respectively.Furthermore,the field test performed on the CSW antireflection gas extraction hole cluster demonstrated a noticeable improvement in CBM extraction.After antireflection,the maximum peak gas concentration and maximum peak pure methane flow reached 71.2%and 2.59 m^(3)/min,respectively.These findings will offer valuable guidance for the application of CSW antireflection technology in soft and low-permeability coal seams.

Influence mechanism of government subsidy on the green transformation of coal company in China

The optimization of government subsidies to enhance the efficiency of coal companies’green transformation constitutes a critical component in the pursuit of global sustainability.We investigate the influence mechanism of government subsidies on the green transformation using data from the listed coal companies in China from 2007 to 2022.According to our findings and hypothesis testing,previous government subsidies did not have a significant direct impact on coal companies’green transformation.Nevertheless,government subsidies can help coal companies transition to greener practices by promoting innovative green initiatives.Furthermore,we confirmed an indirect route:that government subsidies enable the adoption of low-carbon initiatives,which in turn could facilitate the transition of coal companies towards green practices.In addition,we discovered that the coal company’s digitization will improve this indirect route.Thus,we propose increasing the effectiveness of government subsidies in facilitating coal companies’transition to green practices by focusing on technological advancements and enhancing company digitalization.

Mechanical properties and energy evolutions of burst-prone coal samples with holes and fillings

During the mining process of impact-prone coal seams,drilling pressure relief can reduce the impact propensity of the coal seam,but it also reduces the integrity and strength of the coal mass at the side of the roadway.Therefore,studying the mechanical properties and energy evolution rules of coal samples containing holes and filled structures has certain practical significance for achieving coordinated control of coal mine rockburst disasters and the stability of roadway surrounding rocks.To achieve this aim,seven types of burst-prone coal samples were prepared and subject to uniaxial compression experiments with the aid of a TAW-3000 electro-hydraulic servo testing machine.Besides,the stress–strain curves,acoustic emission signals,DIC strain fields and other data were collected during the experiments.Furthermore,the failure modes and energy evolutions of samples with varying drilled hole sizes and filling materials were analyzed.The results show that the indexes related to burst propensity of the drilled coal samples decline to some extent compared with those of the intact one,and the decline is positively corelated to the diameter of the drilled hole.After hole filling,the strain concentration degree around the drilled hole is lowered to a certain degree,and polyurethane filling has a more remarkable effect than cement filling.Meanwhile,hole filling can enhance the strength and deformation resistance of coal.Hole drilling can accelerate the release of accumulated elastic strain energy,turning the acoustic emission events from low-frequency and high-energy ones to high-frequency and low-energy ones,whereas hole filling can reduce the intensity of energy release.The experimental results and theoretical derivation demonstrate that hole filling promotes coal deformability and strength mainly by weakening stress concentration surrounding the drilled holes.Moreover,the fillings can achieve a better filling effect if their elastic modulus and Poisson’s ratio are closer to those of the coal body.

Features of rare earth elements geochemistry in coals of Central Kazakhstan

This research presents the results of a comprehensive study of mineralogical and geochemical features of REE distribution in coals of Central Kazakhstan deposits—Karaganda coal basin and Shubarkol deposit,which have large hard coal reserves and are industrially important for the coal industry of Kazakhstan;the research is based on 205 samples of clayey interlayers and coal seams.It shows basic patterns of distribution and features of concentration for impurity elements,gives an estimate of the impurity elements concentration,including REE,defines conditions and factors of their accumulation,and studies features of their forms in coal and coal-bearing rocks,which allows estimating the mechanisms of their migration and conditions of accumulation.According to the results of geochemical indicators,the article establishes the factors of REE dislocation,reveals the composition of margin rocks that have influenced REE concentration in coal seams,and the presented latest data on mineralogy allowed to establish the ways of their transportation to the paleobasin during the synand epigenetic periods of formation of the coal deposits of Central Kazakhstan being researched.It was found that the coals are insignificantly enriched with heavy lanthanides from Ho to Lu.The distribution curves of UCC normalized REE values in the coals are similar and coincide,but they are less than the average value for world coal,and amount to only one-third of the UCC.It was found that the highest concentrations of all REE are characteristic of clayey interlayers and oxidized coals.The La/Yb ratio in this case increases upwards along the section,indicating mainly clastogenic mechanism of REE delivery to the coals.In coal and clay samples,the predominant mineral form of REE is light lanthanide phosphates.Identified particles of REE from minerals and their composition peculiarities suppose autigene nature of their formation.The formation of the bulk of autigene minerals occurred during the maturation of brown coals and their transformation into hard ones.

Mechanical heterogeneity characterization of coal materials based on nano-indentation experiments

To investigate the complex macro-mechanical properties of coal from a micro-mechanical perspective,we have conducted a series of micro-mechanical experiments on coal using a nano-indentation instrument.These experiments were conducted under both dynamic and static loading conditions,allowing us to gather the micro-mechanical parameters of coal for further analysis of its micro-mechanical heterogeneity using the box counting statistical method and the Weibull model.The research findings indicate that the load–displacement curves of the coal mass under the two different loading modes exhibit noticeable discreteness.This can be attributed to the stress concentration phenomenon caused by variations in the mechanical properties of the micro-units during the loading process of the coal mass.Consequently,there are significant fluctuations in the micro-mechanical parameters of the coal mass.Moreover,the mechanical heterogeneity of the coal at the nanoscale was confirmed based on the calculation results of the standard deviation coefficient and Weibull modulus of the coal body’s micromechanical parameters.These results reveal the influence of microstructural defects and minerals on the uniformity of the stress field distribution within the loaded coal body,as well as on the ductility characteristics of the micro-defect structure.Furthermore,there is a pronounced heterogeneity in the micromechanical parameters.Furthermore,we have established a relationship between the macro and micro elastic modulus of coal by applying the Mori-Tanaka homogenization method.This relationship holds great significance for revealing the micro-mechanical failure mechanism of coal.