Enrichment conditions and resource potential of coal-rock gas in Ordos Basin,NW China

To reveal the enrichment conditions and resource potential of coal-rock gas in the Ordos Basin,this paper presents a systematic research on the sedimentary environment,distribution,physical properties,reservoir characteristics,gas-bearing characteristics and gas accumulation play of deep coals.The results show that thick coals are widely distributed in the Carboniferous–Permian of the Ordos Basin.The main coal seams Carboniferous 5~#and Permian 8~#in the Carboniferous–Permian have strong hydrocarbon generation capacity and high thermal evolution degree,which provide abundant materials for the formation of coal-rock gas.Deep coal reservoirs have good physical properties,especially porosity and permeability.Coal seams Carboniferous 5^(#)and Permian 8^(#)exhibit the average porosity of 4.1%and 6.4%,and the average permeability of 8.7×10^(-3)μm^(2)and 15.7×10^(-3)μm^(2),respectively.Cleats and fissures are developed in the coals,and together with the micropores,constitute the main storage space.With the increase of evolution degree,the micropore volume tends to increase.The development degree of cleats and fissures has a great impact on permeability.The coal reservoirs and their industrial compositions exhibit significantly heterogeneous distribution in the vertical direction.The bright coal seam,which is in the middle and upper section,less affected by ash filling compared with the lower section,and contains well-developed pores and fissures,is a high-quality reservoir interval.The deep coals present good gas-bearing characteristics in Ordos Basin,with the gas content of 7.5–20.0 m^(3)/t,and the proportion of free gas(greater than 10%,mostly 11.0%–55.1%)in coal-rock gas significantly higher than that in shallow coals.The enrichment degree of free gas in deep coals is controlled by the number of macropores and microfractures.The coal rock pressure testing shows that the coal-limestone and coal-mudstone combinations for gas accumulation have good sealing capacity,and the mudstone/limestone(roof)-coal-mudstone(floor)combination generally indicates high coal-rock gas values.The coal-rock gas resources in the Ordos Basin were preliminarily estimated by the volume method to be 22.38×10^(12)m^(3),and the main coal-rock gas prospects in the Ordos Basin were defined.In the central-east of the Ordos Basin,Wushenqi,Hengshan-Suide,Yan'an,Zichang,and Yichuan are coal-rock gas prospects for the coal seam#8 of the Benxi Formation,and Linxian West,Mizhi,Yichuan-Huangling,Yulin,and Wushenqi-Hengshan are coal-rock gas prospects for the coal seam#5 of the Shanxi Formation,which are expected to become new areas for increased gas reserves and production.

Effect of slurry conditioning on flocculant-aided filtration of coal tailings studied by low-field nuclear magnetic resonance and X-ray micro-tomography

The present work aimed to study the effect of slurry conditioning on flocculant-aided filtration of coal tailings by the analysis of filtration kinetics and filter cake structure.Laboratory filtration tests of the coal tailings showed that both the shear rate and agitation time have significant effects on filtration rate and cake moisture.Moderate agitation at the shear rate of 92 s^-1 was favorable for fast filtration,but high cake moisture was encountered.The low-field 1H nuclear magnetic resonance(NMR)measurements of the filter cake showed that the slurry conditioning has a significant effect on the residual water in large pores and a negligible effect on the residual water in small pores.The X-ray micro-tomography(XRM)measurements indicated that the filter cake formed at the shear rate of 92 s^-1 has more macro-pores and higher porosity than that formed at the shear rate of 53 s1,hence more residual water was entrapped in filter cake.The slurry conditioning in the presence of flocculant will change the structure of filter cake and affect the filtration performance.There was a paradox between fast filtration rate and low filter cake moisture.The findings enable better understanding of the effect of slurry conditioning on flocculant-aided filtration of coal tailings.

Modeling of fine coal flotation separation based on particle characteristics and hydrodynamic conditions

Flotation is a complex multifaceted process that is widely used for the separation of finely ground minerals. The theory of froth flotation is complex and is not completely understood. This fact has been brought many monitoring challenges in a coal processing plant. To solve those challenges, it is important to understand the effect of different parameters on the fine particle separation, and control flotation performance for a particular system. This study is going to indicate the effect of various parameters （particle Characteristics and hydrodynamic conditions） on coal flotation responses （flotation rate constant and recovery） by different modeling techniques. A comprehensive coal flotation database was prepared for the statistical and soft computing methods. Statistical factors were used for variable selections. Results were in a good agreement with recent theoretical flotation investigations. Computational models accurately can estimate flotation rate constant and coal recovery （correlation coefficient 0.85, and 0.99, respectively）. According to the results, it can be concluded that the soft computing models can overcome the complexity of process and be used as an expert system to control, and optimize parameters of coal flotation process.

Physical simulation of hydrodynamic conditions in high rank coalbed methane reservoir formation

In order to select highly productive and enriched areas of high rank coalbed methane reservoirs, based on hydrologic geology as one of the main factors controlling coalbed methane （CBM） reservoir formations, the effect of hydrodynamic forces controlling CBM reservoir formations was studied by a physical simulation experiment in which we used CBM reservoir simulation facilities. The hydrodynamic conditions of high coal rank reservoirs in the Qinshui basin were analyzed. Our experiment shows the following results： under strong hydrodynamic alternating action, 6C~ of coalbed methane reservoir changed from the start at -2.95% ~ -3.66%, and the lightening process occurred in phases; the CI-I4 volume reduced from 96.35% to 12.42%; the CO2 vo- lume decreased from 0.75% in sample 1 to 0.68% in sample 2, then rose to 1.13% in sample 3; the N2 volume changed from 2.9% in sample 1 to 86.45% in sample 3. On one hand, these changes show the complexity of CBM reservoir formation; on the other hand, they indicate that strong hydrodynamic actions have an unfavorable impact on CBM reservoir formation. It was found that the gas volume and hydrodynamic intensity were negatively correlated and low hydrodynamic flow conditions might result in highly productive and enriched areas of high rank CBM.

Effect of chemical conditioning on the triboelectrification of coal and mineral particles

Chemical conditioning was used to modify the triboelectrification of coal and mineral particles.The chemicals tested included starch,lignin,kerosene,ethanol,acetic acid,salicylic acid,sodium oleate,Sodium Hexametaphosphate(SH),sodium silicate, Sodium Dodecylbenzenesulfonate(SDBS),Sodium Bicarbonate(SB) and ammonia.A high-speed,dry mixing method was employed.The charge-to-mass ratio of the coal and mineral samples,both untreated and treated,was tested using a Faraday cup. Dielectric constants were determined by measuring capacitance.It is found that the selectivity of the additives toward coal or minerals is not consistent.Salicylic acid is the optimal additive to enhance the triboelectrification performance of coal samples.Starch, lignin and sodium oleate are suitable for removal of pyrite.SH,sodium silicate,SDBS,SB and ammonia are suitable additives for the removal of ash-forming minerals.

Study of a low-disturbance pressure-preserving corer and its coring performance in deep coal mining conditions

With the increasing depth of coal mining,the requirements for coring devices that maintain pressure are increasing.To adapt to the special environment in deep coal seams and improve the accuracy of testing gas content,a low-disturbance pressure-preserving corer was developed.The measurement of gas content using this corer was analyzed.The coring test platform was used to complete a coring function test.A pressurized core with a diameter of 50 mm was obtained.The pressure was 0.15 MPa,which was equal to the pressure of the liquid column of the cored layer,indicating that the corer can be successfully used in a mud environment.Next,a pressure test of the corer was conducted.The results showed that under conditions of low pressure(8 MPa)and high pressure(25 MPa),the internal pressure of the corer remained stable for more than 1 h,indicating that the corer has good ability to maintain pressure.Therefore,the corer can be applied at deep coal mine sites.The results of this research can be used to promote the safe exploitation of deep coal mines and the exploitation of methane resources in coalbeds.

Effect of pH conditions on the depolymerization of Wucaiwan coal by mixed acids/ultrasound method and the product structures and performance

The cleavage of the aliphatic chain or ether bond connecting the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in coal can be achieved by not only hydrogenation reduction but also oxidative acid treatment. In this paper, coal samples from Wucaiwan in Xinjiang were pretreated with HNO3 followed by mixed acids/ultrasound treatment. The depolymerized coal samples obtained under different pH conditions were then separated by fractional washing. The structures and properties of the resulting coal samples were studied by elemental analysis, FT-IR, XRD, TG-DTA, TEM, UV-Vis, and PL. The results showed that when pH = 0.012, the obtained coal samples were fragments stripped off from the raw coal samples by ultrasound in strong acid conditions, aliphatic hydrocarbons linked with oxygen-containing groups such as nitro group, a small amount of small aromatic molecules and mineral salts; when pH -- 1.99-4.09, the obtained coal samples were polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons linked with oxygen-containing groups such as nitro group,possessing the annulus wall of multilayer graphene fragment structures built up by sp2 carbons, and they are typical fluorescent substances of carbon nanoparticle structure. The former has no solubility in organic solvents, while the latter can be well dissolved in polar solvents such as acetone. All the depolymerized coal samples obtained under different pH conditions exhibited good absorption and ability of fluorescence emission.

Settlement behavior of coal mine waste in different surrounding rock conditions

In order to investigate the influence of complex conditions of in-situ surrounding rocks on the settlement behavior of nubbly coal mine waste subjected to high gravity pressure,four kinds of loading chambers made of different similar materials with different elastic moduli in experiments were used to simulate the deformation features of in-site rocks,including soft,moderate hardness,hard and extra-hard rocks. The results show that all the settlement-axial load (or axial strain-stress) curves obtained under four different surrounding rock conditions present power-exponential function feature. The final settlement of coal mine waste under the same axial load is closely related to the lumpiness gradations and the deformation behavior of chamber materials used to simulate behaviors of different in-situ surrounding rocks. In the same surrounding rock condition,the final settlement under the same maximum axial load decreases with the decrease of the proportion of larger gradation of coal mine waste. While for the same lumpiness gradation case,the settlement increases with the decrease of elastic modulus of simulated surrounding rocks and the lateral pressure induced by axial load increases with the increase of elastic modulus of loading chambers that are used to simulate different surrounding rocks. The test results also reveal that both the compaction curve and lateral pressure curve show a three-stage behavior,and the duration of each stage,which is closely related to gradations and the deformation feature of loading chamber materials,decreases with the increase of the proportion of the small size of coal mine waste and elastic modulus of the simulated rock materials.

A Fuzzy Model for Evaluating the Mining Condition of Underground Coal Mines

In mining industries no mines are identical and each mine has its own unique set of mining conditions. In order to study thecondition of mines for efficiency, safety and economy reasons, a fuzzy model is presented based on fuzzy evaluation. Relevant data fromfive mines were collected and the model was used to evaluate the mining condition of these mines. The evaluation results are in conformity with the real situation.

Application of highwall mining system in weak geological condition

Almost all the coal is produced from open cut mines in Indonesia. As a consequence of open cut mine application, a great deal of coal is left out in the highwalls of the mined-out pits. Highwall mining systems can be used to recover this coal. The use of highwall mining systems has increasingly come into play in the US and Australia. However, it is not common in Indonesia. Moreover, Indonesia coal measure is categorized as weak geological condition. Some problems are likely to arise during the application of the highwall mining system for example instability of openings and highwalls due to the roof and pillar failures. Therefore, study of highwall mining system application in Indonesia is needed in order to increase the recovery rate of coal mining in Indonesia. This paper described the characteristics of the highwa!l mining system and discussed the appropriate highwall mining system application in weak geological condition, Indonesia. From the results of a series of laboratory tests and numerical analyses, it can be concluded that the stability of pillars and mine openings in auger mining systems is much higher than that in CHM and an auger mining system is suitable for such as very weak/poor strata conditions. Moreover, the application of backfilling system is very effective for improvement of the stability of pillar and openings.

CBM geology conditions study of Gemudi syncline,Western Guizhou Province

Through the analysis of the surrounding rock, coal seam burial depth, coal quality and hydrologic geological condition, the methane-bearing property characteristics of the coal reservoir in the Gemudi syncline were elucidated. Most of the wall rock of the coal reservoir is mudstone and silt, which is a favourable enclosing terrane. Burial depth of the main excavating coat seam is moderate. The groundwater activity is thin, and there are absolute groundwater systems between each coal seam, which make poor intercon- nections to accelerate CBM enrichment. In our research, the area coal reservoir meta- morphosis is high, CBM content is high, hole-cranny system development degree is high, and permeability of the great mass of the main coal seam exceeds 0.1×10^-3 μm2, The result demonstrates that the southeast of the Gemudi syncline has the best conditions for prospecting and exploiting CBM.

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.

An analytical transient coal permeability model:Sorption non-equilibrium index-based swelling switch

Long-term permeability experiments have indicated that sorption-induced swelling can switch from internal to bulk depending on the evolutive sorption status.However,this sorption swelling switch mechanism has not been considered in current analytical permeability models.This study introduces a normalized sorption non-equilibrium index(SNEI)to characterize the sorption status,quantify the dynamical variations of matrix swelling accumulation and internal swelling partition,and formulate the sorption swelling switch model.The incorporation of this index into the extended total effective stress concept leads to an analytical transient coal permeability model.Model results show that the sorption swelling switch itself results in the permeability switch under stress-constrained conditions,while the confined bulk swelling suppresses the permeability recovery to the continuous reduction under displacement-constrained conditions.Model verifications show that current experimental observations correspond to the early stages of the transient process,and they could be extended to the whole process with these models.This study demonstrates the importance of the sorption swelling switch in determining permeability evolution using simple boundary conditions.It provides new insights into experimentally revealing the sorption swelling switch in the future,and underscores the requirement of a rigorous model for complex coupled processes in large-scale coal seams.

Study on the Safety and Prevention Technology of Coal Mining under the River in Xingyuan Coal Mine

Coal mining-induced surface subsidence poses significant ecological and infrastructural challenges, necessitating a comprehensive study to ensure safe mining practices, particularly in underwater conditions. This project aims to address the extensive impact of coal mining on the environment, infrastructure, and overall safety, focusing on the Shigong River area above the working face. The study employs qualitative and quantitative analyses, along with on-site engineering measurements, to gather data on crucial parameters such as coal seam characteristics, roof rock lithology, thickness, water resistance, and structural damage degree. The research encompasses a multidisciplinary approach, involving mining, geology, hydrogeology, geophysical exploration, rock mechanics, mine surveying, and computational mathematics. The importance of effective safety measures and prevention techniques is emphasized, laying the foundation for research focused on the Xingyun coal mine. The brief concludes by highlighting the potential economic and social benefits of this project and its contribution to valuable experience for future subsea coal mining.

Performance of Nonwoven Filter Materials Based on the Operating Condition

The practical condition of needle-punched filters applied in coal-fired power plants is investigated. According to the actual operating conditions, two common filters (glass fiber filter and polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) filter) are selected for experiment. The performance of these two kinds of filter is compared based on a series of tests such as resistance to the acid and alkali, oxidation resistance,hydrolysis resistance,and wear resistance. Experimental results show that PPS filter materials have better properties than those of glass filter material except oxidation resistance. Composite filter mixed glass fiber and PPS is recommended for polluters because of its good properties in all aspects.

Experimental and mechanistic study on chemical looping combustion of caking coal

Under high-temperature batch fluidized bed conditions and by employing juye coal as the raw material,the present study determined the effects of the bed material,temperature,OC/C ratio,steam flow and oxygen carrier cycle on the chemical looping combustion of coal.In addition,the variations taking place in the surface functional groups of coal under different reaction times were investigated,and the variations achieved by the gas released under the pyrolysis and combustion of Juye coal were analyzed.As revealed from the results,the carbon conversion ratio and rate were elevated significantly,and the volume fraction of the outlet CO_(2)remained more than 92%under the oxygen carriers.The optimized reaction conditions to achieve the chemical looping combustion of Juye coal consisted of a temperature of 900℃,an OC/C ratio of 2,as well as a steam flow rate of 0.5 g·min^(-1).When the coal was undergoing the chemical looping combustion,volatiles primarily originated from the pyrolysis of aliphatic-CH_(3)and-CH_(2),and CO and H_(2)were largely generated from the gasification of aromatic carbon.In the CLC process,H_(2)O and CO_(2)began to separate out at 270℃,CH4 and tar began to precipitate at 370℃,and the amount of CO_(2)was continuously elevated with the rise of the temperature.

Effect of CO_(2)on coal P-wave velocity under triaxial stress

As P-wave velocity is sensitive to the variations in coal reservoir parameters,it is possible to monitor the injected CO_(2)through P-wave velocity during CO_(2)sequestration in coal.However,the effects of CO_(2)on the coal P-wave velocity under triaxial stress are not clearly discerned.In the present study,different boundary conditions and gases were utilised to investigate the factors affecting the P-wave velocity after the interaction of coal with CO_(2).Experiments with helium indicated that the pore pressure primarily affected the P-wave velocity by altering the effective stress.Experiments with CH4 and CO_(2)indicated that matrix swelling induced-cleats porosity decline significantly promoted P-wave velocity.Moreover,CO_(2)caused a wider scale and severe weakening of coal matrix than CH4,thereby significantly decreasing the P-wave velocity,and the decline in P-wave velocity increases with vitrinite content.Furthermore,experiments under different boundary conditions showed that with the boundary condition having more constraints,the decrement of pore pressure on P-wave velocity is more weaken,whereas the improvement of matrix swelling on P-wave velocity is more evident.This study contributes to understanding the mechanism of effect of CO_(2)on P-wave velocity under triaxial stress condition and provides guidance for monitoring CO_(2)sequestration in coal.

Geophysical criterion of pre-outburst coal outsqueezing from the face space into the working

The initial process of coal and gas sudden outburst is studied in the article when under the influence of rock and gas pressure the part of a coal seam layer(a coal section)is squeezed out from the mouth of the future outburst cavity in a jump-like manner into the working.Geo-mechanical criterion for a part of a coal seam layer outsqueezing in the form of the relation of active(squeezing out)and passive(preventing the outsqueezing)forces is defined in the article.Based on it,the geophysical criterion is defined by expressing basic physical parameters through geo-physical ones:the current stress is defined by spectral-acoustic method through the ratio of high frequency and low-frequency components of an acoustic signal,which is generated into a face working space by the mining equipment operating in the face;in-situ gas pressure is defined by gas analytical method by the concentration of methane in the atmosphere of the working;the strength of the most broken coal layer is defined by a strength measuring device(a device for measuring the depth of a steal cone punched into the coal by a spring mechanism).This paper studies the influence of acoustic,strength and filtrating and collecting properties of a face working space on the limit value of an obtained geophysical criterion of pre-outburst squeezing of a coal‘‘plug”out of the mouth of the future outburst cavity into the working.

Laboratory investigation of the anisotropic confinement-dependent brittle-ductile transition of a Utah coal

This paper was developed as part of an effort by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health(NIOSH)to identify risk factors associated with bumps in the prevention of fatalities and accidents in highly stressed,bump-prone ground conditions.Changes of failure mechanism with increasing confinement,from extensional-to shear-dominated failure,are widely observed in the rupture of intact specimens at the laboratory scale and in rock masses.In the previous analysis conducted in 2018,both unconfined and triaxial compressive tests were conducted to investigate the strength characteristics of some specimens of a Utah coal,including the spalling limits,the ratio of apparent unconfined compressive strength(AUCS)to unconfined compressive strength(UCS),the damage characteristics,and the postyield dilatancy.These mechanical characteristics were found to be strongly anisotropic as a function of the orientation of the cleats relative to the loading direction.However,the transition from extensional to shear failure at the given confinements was not clearly identified.In this study,a total of 20 specimens were additionally prepared from the same coal sample used in the previous study and then tested under both unconfined and triaxial compressive conditions.The different confining stresses are used as analogs for different width-to-height(W/H)ratios of pillar strength.Although the W/H ratios of the specimens were not directly considered during testing,the equivalent W/H ratios of a pillar as a function of the confining stresses were estimated using an existing empirical solution.According to this relationship,theW/H atwhich in-situ pillar behavior would be expected to transition from brittle to ductile is identified.

Investigation and Analysis on Current Situation of Coal-Burning Fluorosis Prevalence

Objective: The purpose of the paper is to provide the result from investigation on the current situation of coal-burning fluorosis prevalence in Chongqing City and make an assessment on the prevention and curing measures. Method: The Dean’s Method is applied to investigate on the fluorotic teeth of locally-born children aged between 8 to 12;investigate how modified cooking stoves are utilized by households and how food maize and hot pepper are being dried;and test the urinary fluorine content and pepper fluorine content. Result: The investigations show that, in the 661 villages with illness history from the 100 townships of 13 districts in Chongqing City, 11.28% (7464/ 66,162) of the children aged between 8 and 12 suffer from dental fluorosis;the stoves modified rate, qualified rate of modified stoves, and correct utilization rate of qualified modified stoves are respectively 100%, 98.82%, and 99.45%;and food maize and hot pepper’s drying rates are respectively 99.88% and 99.75%. Conclusion: The result shows that the coal-burning type fluorosis prevalence in the endemic area of Chongqing City has decreased dramatically, the preventive measure is effectively implemented, and a long-term preventive mechanism has preliminarily been established.