Numerical simulation to determine the gas explosion risk in longwall goaf areas:A case study of Xutuan Colliery

Underground gassy longwall mining goafs may suffer potential gas explosions during the mining process because of the irregularity of gas emissions in the goaf and poor ventilation of the working face,which are risks difficult to control.In this work,the 3235 working face of the Xutuan Colliery in Suzhou City,China,was researched as a case study.The effects of air quantity and gas emission on the three-dimensional distribution of oxygen and methane concentration in the longwall goaf were studied.Based on the revised Coward’s triangle and linear coupling region formula,the coupled methane-oxygen explosive hazard zones(CEHZs)were drawn.Furthermore,a simple practical index was proposed to quantitatively determine the gas explosion risk in the longwall goaf.The results showed that the CEHZs mainly focus on the intake side where the risk of gas explosion is greatest.The CEHZ is reduced with increasing air quantity.Moreover,the higher the gas emission,the larger the CEHZ,which moves towards the intake side at low goaf heights and shifts to the deeper parts of the goaf at high heights.In addition,the risk of gas explosion is reduced as air quantities increase,but when gas emissions increase to a higher level(greater than 50 m3/min),the volume of the CEHZ does not decrease with the increase of air quantity,and the risk of gas explosion no longer shows a linear downward trend.This study is of significance as it seeks to reduce gas explosion accidents and improve mine production safety.

Experimental study on f-ω regulation model under abnormal methane emission

In view of the difficulty of automatic adjustment, the recovery lag and the major accident potential of the mine ventilation system, an experimental model of the pipe net was established according to the typical one mine and one working face ventilation system of Daliuta coal mine. Using the best uniform approximation method of Chebyshev interpolation to fit the fan performance curve, we experimentally determined fan characteristics with different frequencies and establish the data base for the curves. Based on ventilation network monitoring theory, we designed a monitoring system for ventilation network parameter monitoring and fan operating frequency automatic control. Using the absolute methane emission quantity to predict the air quantity requirement of branch and fan frequency, we established a f-ω regulation model based on fan frequency and absolute methane emission quantity. After analysing methane emission and distribution characteristics, using CO_2 to simulate the methane emission characteristics from a working face, we verified the correctness and rationality of the f-ω regulation model. The fan operation frequency is adjusted by the method of air adjustment change with methane emission quantity and the curve searching method after determining air quantity requirements. The results show that the air quantity in a branch strictly changes according to the f-ω regulation model, in the airincreasing dilution by fan frequency regulation, the CO_2 concentration is limited to the set threshold value. The paper verifies the practicability of a frequency regulation system and the feasibility of the frequency adjustment scheme and provides guidance for the construction of automatic frequency conversion control system in coal mine ventilation networks.