Pressure relief, gas drainage and deformation effects on an overlying coal seam induced by drilling an extra-thin protective coal seam

Numerical simulations and field tests were used to investigate the changes in ground stress and deformation of, and gas flow from, a protected coal seam under which an extra-thin coal seam was drilled. The geological conditions were: 0.5 meter mining height, 18.5 meter coal seam spacing and a hard limestone/fine sandstone inter-stratum. For these conditions we conclude: 1) the overlying coal-rock mass bends and sinks without the appearance of a caving zone, and 2) the protected coal seam is in the bending zone and undergoes expansion deformation in the stress-relaxed area. The deformation was 12 mm and the relative defor- mation was 0.15%. As mining proceeds, deformation in the protected layer begins as compression, then becomes a rapid expansion and, finally, reaches a stable value. A large number of bed separation crannies are created in the stress-relaxed area and the permeability coefficient of the coal seam was increased 403 fold. Grid penetration boreholes were evenly drilled toward the protected coal seam to affect pressure relief and gas drainage. This made the gas pressure decrease from 0.75 to 0.15 MPa, the gas content decrease from 13 to 4.66 m3/t and the gas drainage reach 64%.

Gas drainage technology of high gas and thick coal seam

Gas drainage in Jincheng Mining Group Co.,Ltd.was introduced briefly and theimportance of gas drainage in gas control was analyzed.Combined with coal-bed gas occurrenceand gas emission,the double system of gas drainage was optimized and a progressivegas drainage model was experimented on.For guaranteed drainage,excavationand mining and realization of safety production and reasonable exploitation of gas in coalseams,many drainage methods were adopted to solve the gas problem of the workingface.

Evolution and application of in-seam drilling for gas drainage

The presence of seam gas in the form of methane or carbon dioxide presents a hazard to underground coal mining operations.In-seam drilling has been undertaken for the past three decades for gas drainage to reduce the risk of gas outburst and lower the concentrations of seam gas in the underground ventilation.The drilling practices have reflected the standards of the times and have evolved with the development of technology and equipment and the needs to provide a safe mining environment underground.Early practice was to adapt equipment from other felds,with rotary drilling being the only form of drilling available.This form of drainage allowed various levels of gas drainage coverage but with changing emphasis,research and development within the coal industry has created specifc equipment,technology and practices to accurately place in-seam boreholes to provide effcient and effective gas drainage.Research into gas content determination established a standard for the process and safe levels for mining operations to continue.Surveying technology improved from the wire-line,single-shot Eastman survey instruments which was time-dependent on borehole depth to electronic instruments located in the drill string which transmitted accurate survey data to the drilling crew without time delays.This allowed improved directional control and increased drilling rates.Directional drilling technology has now been established as the industry standard to provide effective gas drainage drilling.Exploration was identifed as an additional beneft with directional drilling as it has the ability to provide exploration data from long boreholes.The ability of the technology to provide safe and reliable means to investigate the need for inrush protection and water drainage ahead of mining has been established.Directional drilling technology has now been introduced to the Chinese coal industry for gas drainage through a practice of auditing,design,supply,training and ongoing support.Experienced drilling crews can offer site specifc gas drainage drilling services utilising the latest equipment and technology.

Fracture evolution and pressure relief gas drainage from distant protected coal seams under an extremely thick key stratum

When an extremely thick rock bed exists above a protected coal seam in the bending zone given the condition of a mining protective seam, this extremely thick rock bed controls the movement of the entire overlying stratum. This extremely thick rock bed, called a ＂main key stratum＂, will not subside nor break for a long time, causing lower fractures and bed separations not to close and gas can migrate to the bed separation areas along the fractures. These bed separations become gas enrichment areas. By analyzing the rule of fracture evolution and gas migration under the main key stratum after the deep protective coal seam has been mined, we propose a new gas drainage method which uses bore holes, drilled through rock and coal seams at great depths for draining pressure relief gas. In this method, the bores are located at a high level suction roadway （we can also drill them in the drilling field located high in an air gateway）. Given the practice in the Haizi mine, the gas drainage rate can reach 73% in the middie coal group, with a gas drainage radius over 100 m.

Three-dimensional numerical simulation of methane drainage by high-level drill holes in a lower protective coal seam with a “U” type face

Different drill-hole positions may produce different drainage results in low protective coal seams.To investigate this possibility,a 3D stope model is established,which covers three kinds of drill holes.The FLUENT computational fluid mechanics software is used to solve the mass,momentum and species conservation equations of the model.The spatial distributions of oxygen and methane was obtained by calculations and the drainage results of different drill-hole positions were compared.The results show that,from top to bottom,methane dilution by oxygen weakens gradually from the intake to the return side,and methane tends to float;methane and oxygen distribute horizontally.The high-level crossing holes contribute to better methane drainage and a greater level of control.Around these holes,the methane density decreases dramatically and a "half circle"distribution is formed.The methane density decreases on the whole,but a proportion of the methane moves back to deep into the goaf.The research findings provide theoretical grounds for methane drainage.

Technique of coal mining and gas extraction without coal pillar in multi-seam with low permeability

Aimed at the low mining efficiency in deep multi-seams because of high crustalstress,high gas content,low permeability,the compound 'three soft' roof and the trouble-somesafety situation encountered in deep level coal exploitation,proposed a new idea ofgob-side retaining without a coal-pillar and Y-style ventilation in the first-mined key pressure-relieved coal seam and a new method of coal mining and gas extraction.The followingwere discovered:the dynamic evolution law of the crannies in the roof is influenced bymining,the formative rule of 'the vertical cranny-abundant area' along the gob-side,thedistribution of air pressure field in the gob,and the flowing rule of pressure-relieved gas ina Y-style ventilation system.The study also established a theoretic basis for a new miningmethod of coal mining and gas extraction which is used to extract the pressure-relievedgas by roadway retaining boreholes instead of roadway boreholes.Studied and resolvedmany difficult key problems,such as,fast roadway retaining at the gob-side without a coalpillar,Y-style ventilation and extraction of pressure-relieved gas by roadway retainingboreholes,and so on.The study innovated and integrated a whole set of technical systemsfor coal and pressure relief gas extraction.The method of the pressure-relieved gasextraction by roadway retaining had been successfully applied in 6 typical working faces inthe Huainan and Huaibei mining areas.The research can provide a scientific and reliabletechnical support and a demonstration for coal mining and gas extraction in gaseous deepmulti-seams with low permeability.

Gas Drainage Technology in Fully Mechanized Caving Face with Horizontal Sublevel Mining in Steep and Extra-Thick Coal Seam

This paper analyzes the gas source of the horizontally sectioned fully mechanized caving face in the steeply inclined and extra-thick seam of Adaohai Coal Mine, and numerically simulates the stress distribution and pressure relief of the lower section coal after the upper section working face is mined. It theoretically analyzed the reasonable layout of the drainage boreholes, and designed the drainage borehole layout accordingly. In the upper and lower section of the working face, the actual drainage effect of the boreholes was inspected, and the air exhaust gas volume in the working face was statistically analyzed. It was confirmed that the layout of boreholes was reasonable, the gas control effect of working face was greatly improved and fully met the needs of safe mining. The control effect was greatly improved and the need for safe mining was fully met, and thus a gas drainage technology suitable for the coal seam storage conditions and mining technology of the Adaohai Coal Mine was found. That is to say: the gas emission from the working face of the section mining mainly comes from its lower coal body. Pre-draining the lower coal body of the section and depressurizing gas interception and drainage are the key to effectively solve the problem of gas emission from the working face. Drainage boreholes in the working face of the section should be arranged at high and low positions. The high-level boreholes are located about 2 m from the top of the working face, and the high-level boreholes are about 9 m away from the top of the working face. Through the pre drainage of high and low-level boreholes in advance and the interception and pressure relief drainage, the gas control in the horizontal sublevel fully mechanized caving mining face in steep and extra thick coal seam can realize a virtuous cycle.

Possibilities of Increasing the Effectiveness of Mining Methane Drainage in Conditions of Low Permeability of Coal Seams

There is very low permeability of coal seams in Polish coal mines. For this reason, pre-mining methane drainage is conducted to a small extent, which rarely brings expected results. Methane emission from roof and floor sub-economic seams has the greatest share in total methane emission to workings. Effective CMM （coal mine methane） capture is used from goaf in advance or after mining. However, due to longwall mining and ventilation systems, it is not always possible to capture methane from strata. This paper presents a method of increasing the permeability of coal seams and a method of drilling boreholes towards goaf. Initial results of the effectiveness of methane capture after applying these methods are presented.

A Numerical Investigation of the Stress Relief Zones Around a Longwall Face in the Lower Seam for Gas Drainage Considerations

Extraction of a protective coal seam (PVCS)-below or above a coal seam to be mined with the potential of coal andgas outburst risk-plays an important role not only in decreasing the stress field in the surrounding rock mass but alsoin increasing the gas desorption capacity and gas flow permeability in the protected coal seam (PTCS). The PVCSis mined to guarantee the safe mining of the PTCS. This study has numerically evaluated the stress redistributioneffects using FLAC3D model for a longwall face in Shanxi Province. The effects of mining depth, mining height andinter-burden rock mass properties were evaluated using the stress relief angle and stress relief coefficient. Verticalstress distribution, stress relief angle and stress relief coefficient in the PTCS were analyzed as the face advancedin the PVCS. The results showed that the stress relief achieved in different locations of the PTCS varied as the faceadvanced. Sensitivity analyses on the pertinent variables indicate that the stress relief in the PTCS is affected mostby the mining depth followed by the inter-burden lithology and the mining height. Furthermore, the elastic moduliof different layers within the inter-burden rock mass are more important than their uniaxial compressive strength(UCS) and Poisson’s ratio. These observations can guide gas drainage borehole design to minimize the accidentsof coal and gas outbursts.

Regional gas drainage techniques in Chinese coal mines

China's rapid economic development has increased the demand for coal.These results in Chinese coal mines being extended to deeper levels.The eastern Chinese,more economical developed,regions have a long history of coal mining and many coal mines have now started deep mining at a depth from 800 to 1500 m.This increase in mining depth,geostresses,pressures,and gas content of the coal seam complicates geologic construction conditions.Lower permeability and softer coal contribute to increasing numbers of coal and gas outburst,and gas explosion,disasters.A search on effective methods of preventing gas disasters has been provided funds from the Chinese government since 1998.The National Engineering Research Center of Coal Gas Control and the Huainan and Huaibei Mining Group have conducted theoretical and experimental research on a regional gas extraction technology.The results included two important findings.First,grouped coal seams allow adoption of a method where a first,key protective layer is mined to protect upper and lower coal seams by increasing permeability from 400 to 3000 times.Desorption of gas and gas extraction in the protected coal seam of up to 60%,or more,may be achieved in this way.Second,a single seam may be protected by using a dense network of extraction boreholes consisting of cross and along-bed holes.Combined with this is increased use of water that increases extraction of coal seam gas by up to 50%.Engineering practice showed that regional gas drainage technology eliminates regional coal and gas outburst and also enables mining under low gas conditions.These research results have been adopted into the national safety codes of production technology.This paper systematically introduces the principles of the technology,the engineering methods and techniques,and the parameters of regional gas drainage.Engineering applications are discussed.

Step change approaches in coal technology and fugitive emissions research

Multi-factor productivity(MFP) in underground coal mining has been on the decline for the last decade.The mining industry requires a viable and sustainable approach to overcome the current downtrend. This is only possible by concurrently focussing on productivity improvement and operating costs reduction,delivered through both incremental and step change technology development. Four technologies are presented in this paper: fibre optic borehole sensing has been demonstrated to reveal detailed information about gas flow influx, water level and borehole blockage events occurring along the length of a surfaceto-inseam lateral. Fibre optic gas sensing has also been investigated, and this technology promises a remote, intrinsically safe, distributed solution. Recent developments in continuous water jet drilling technology have demonstrated a step change increase in drilling rates and flexibility for coal seam degassing,applicable in both surface-to-inseam and underground in-seam applications. The application of water jet technology to the cable bolt drilling problem offers potential to address a serious health and safety and productivity issue in the roadway development process.

Green coal mining technique integrating mining-dressing-gas draining-backfilling-mining

Aiming to address the following major engineering issues faced by the Pingdingshan No. 12 mine:(1) difficulty in implementing auxiliary lifting because of its depth(i.e., beyond 1000 m);(2) highly gassy main coal seam with low permeability;(3) unstable overlying coal seam without suitable conditions for implementing conventional mining techniques for protective coal seam; and(4) predominant reliance on ‘‘under three" coal resources to ensure production output. This study proposes an integrated, closed-cycle mining-dressing-gas draining-backfilling-mining(MDGBM) technique. The proposed approach involves the mining of protective coal seam, underground dressing of coal and gangue(UDCG), pressure relief and gas drainage before extraction, and backfilling and mining of the protected coal seam. A system for draining gas and mining the protective seam in the rock stratum is designed and implemented based on the geological conditions. This system helps in realizing pressure relief and gas drainage from the protective seam before extraction. Accordingly, another system, which is connected to the existing production system, is established for the UDCG based on the dense medium-shallow trough process. The mixed mining workface is designed to accommodate both solid backfill and conventional fully mechanized coal mining, thereby facilitating coal mining, USCG, and backfilling. The results show that: The mixed mining workface length for the Ji15-31010 protected seam was 220 m with coal production capacity 1.2 million tons per year, while the backfill capacity of gangue was 0.5 million tons per year. The gas pressure decreased from 1.78 to 0.35 MPa, and the total amount of safely mined coal was 1.34 million tons. The process of simultaneously exploiting coal and draining gas was found to be safe, efficient, and green.This process also yielded significant economic benefits.

开采保护层与预抽煤层瓦斯防突效果分析

为比较开采保护层与预抽煤层瓦斯防突效果,以1124(3)运顺开采保护层段和预抽煤层瓦斯段煤巷掘进为试验对象,统计了试验地点煤巷掘进期间残余瓦斯含量、钻屑瓦斯解吸指标K1、钻屑量等防突指标,采用假设检验方法推断了各防突指标是否有差别,分析了开采保护层段和预抽煤层瓦斯段各防突指标产生差别的原因,验证了开采保护层区域防突措施比预抽煤层瓦斯区域防突措施更加安全可靠。

松软薄煤层条带消突下斜定向钻孔成孔护孔技术研究与应用

针对松软薄煤层煤巷条带消突长距离下斜钻孔,存在成孔难、易钻遇煤层顶底板、积水堵塞瓦斯抽采通道的难题,提出了氮气排渣下斜定向钻进成孔与护孔技术,采用高压氮气排渣、大功率气动螺杆钻具定向、“波浪式”轨迹控制和三层管护孔排水技术,在河南省平煤股份一矿开展现场试验,完成8个孔深超300 m下斜定向长钻孔,煤层钻遇率90%以上,全孔段下三层护排水管,平均下入深度302 m,支管平均抽采纯量1.66 m^(3)/min,平均瓦斯浓度17.5%。试验结果表明:该技术可有效解决松软薄煤层下斜钻孔长距离定向成孔、全孔段筛管护孔和排水的技术难题,提高了钻孔成孔深度和煤层钻遇率,实现了下斜孔全孔段护孔和排水,保障了瓦斯抽采效果,为松软薄煤层煤巷条带长距离消突提供技术保障,在类似地层条件具有广泛的应用推广价值。

低透气煤层无泵式钻扩一体化增透技术与钻具研究

针对在低透气煤层常规机械掏穴、水力冲孔等增透施工中存在的施工效率低、掏穴装置稳定性差以及需要配备高压泵等问题,提出了无泵式钻扩一体化增透施工技术,研制了配套的双通道送水器、双通道钻杆和造穴装置,并进行了现场工业性试验。结果表明:钻扩一体化增透施工技术在煤矿井下静压水条件下,可实现一趟下钻完成先导孔和机械掏穴的同时作业,解决了常规掏穴装置刀翼开合不稳定、必须配套高压泵的问题,降低了该技术的使用成本;研发的双通道送水器、双通道钻杆和造穴装置工作灵活稳定且可靠性高,造穴段单孔直接扩大至原常规钻孔孔径的4.4倍,显著提升了瓦斯抽采效果,该技术的成功应用为煤矿井下低透气煤层瓦斯抽采钻孔施工提供了技术支撑。

突出煤层分层切削钻孔瓦斯释放特征及应用研究

【目的】突出煤层钻进过程中的喷孔瓦斯超限是威胁矿井高效生产的安全隐患,分层切削钻进方法有助于在孔内削弱喷孔瓦斯压力,但分层切削形成的梯形钻孔周围瓦斯释放特征不明,限制了分层切削钻具结构设计和应用效果。【方法】以不同层间距、层厚差的分层切削钻孔为研究对象,建立数学模型分析钻孔周围瓦斯流动规律,并定量描述了分层切削钻孔瓦斯流量与层间距、层厚差之间的关系,在此基础上,通过数值模拟分析了分层切削钻具瓦斯释放调控机制,优化了分层切削钻具结构,并开展了现场钻进工业性试验。【结果和结论】结果表明:(1)多次切削成孔方式使钻孔的揭露面积逐渐增大,有效控制了瓦斯释放面积,进而调控了瓦斯释放流量,通过合理设计钻孔层厚差Hj与层间距Li,能够将瓦斯释放流量降低18.3%以上。(2)在一定层间距范围内,双层切削钻具调控效果将优于三层切削钻具,直径为63.5 mm刻槽阻尼钻杆在推力140 kN和扭矩4600 N·m作用下,最小安全系数为3.009,满足强度设计要求。(3)优选双层切削钻具,其揭露直径73 mm,终孔直径113 mm,层间距0.8 m,通过工业性试验,钻遇高压瓦斯富集区时,孔口瓦斯体积分数降低了37.7%,孔口瓦斯体积分数均未超过0.5%。表明分层切削钻具调控钻孔周围煤体瓦斯释放量、削弱瓦斯释放强度的作用显著,为预防钻孔喷孔瓦斯超限问题提供了新的解决思路。

松软煤层钻进钻杆减重降阻机制及应用研究

施工瓦斯抽采钻孔是治理瓦斯危害的必要手段,针对松软煤层钻进因钻杆自重大引起的钻进阻力大、钻进效率低及劳动强度高等问题,提出了优化钻杆结构以减少自重并降低钻进阻力的研究思路,通过设置四翼内凹结构达到减小钻杆自重及降低钻进阻力的目的,并依此设计了四翼内凹刻槽钻杆,兼顾钻杆推进阻力和旋转扭矩损失,建立了钻杆钻进阻力模型,结合ANSYS数值模拟方法对四翼内凹刻槽钻杆进行强度校核分析与参数优化,研制了四翼内凹刻槽钻杆,并进行了现场工业性试验。研究表明:(1)对于100m钻孔深度,四翼内凹刻槽钻杆相对于圆状刻槽钻杆质量减轻了21.88%,在正常钻进时,四翼内凹刻槽钻杆与圆钻杆相比旋转扭矩损失降低了25.10%;与圆状刻槽钻杆相比降低了20.90%。在塌孔10m的情况下,四翼内凹刻槽钻杆钻进阻力相对于圆钻杆降低了51.44%,相对于圆状刻槽钻杆降低了43.65%。(2)对四翼内凹刻槽钻杆进行强度分析与参数优化,结果显示,在常规坑道钻机作用下,钻杆最大应力与内凹深度呈正相关,与壁厚呈负相关,壁厚对于应力的影响大于内凹深度的影响,且在内凹宽度为33mm、深度为4mm、壁厚为11.5mm时,安全系数为1.59。(3)现场工业性试验表明,四翼内凹刻槽钻杆排渣顺畅,强度可靠,钻进深度提高了18.18%,钻进效率提高了17.80%。在保证钻杆强度的前提下、通过钻杆结构创新有效降低钻杆质量,对于降低工人劳动强度、提高钻进效率和成孔率具有显著的效果,为推动复杂地层钻探技术发展提供了新的方法。

自驱修孔钻头动力参数及钻齿结构研究

自驱修孔钻头是修复失效长钻孔的有效技术手段,为进一步提高修孔速度和瓦斯抽采效果,本文基于射流反冲理论,分析了射流反冲力与喷嘴参数的关系,构建了自驱修孔钻头旋转力学理论模型。采用LS-DYNA开展不同结构钻齿破煤过程,分析了不同钻进压力和扭矩作用下钻齿对煤体破坏形式和钻齿破煤体积变化规律,并开展了破煤实验验证数值模拟结果。形成了自驱修孔钻头参数确定方法,设计了自驱修孔钻头,并在郑煤集团超化煤矿22煤柱面底抽巷进行了工程实验。研究结果表明:(1)喷嘴张角α和偏心角β是决定钻进压力和扭矩分配的关键参数,通过调控张角和偏心角可实现钻进压力和扭矩的最优匹配。(2)相同钻进参数条件下,钻齿结构对破煤体积影响较大,阶梯钻齿破煤效果最优。在钻进压力为120N、扭矩0.6N·m时,阶梯型钻齿结构的修孔钻头能够实现钻进压力和扭矩最优匹配。(3)确定了最优修孔钻头结构参数为:钻头外径28 mm;后置喷嘴张角20°,偏心角90°;前置喷嘴张角90°,偏心角0°。(4)工程应用结果表明:瓦斯抽采纯量提高了1.96倍,瓦斯抽采体积分数提高了3.98倍,修孔速度提高了1.2倍。通过改进钻头动力参数及优化钻齿结构,设计的自驱修孔钻头在工程实践中达到了提高修孔速度和瓦斯抽采效果的目的。

四翼内凹刻槽钻杆高效排渣钻进技术研究

为解决松软煤层钻进钻孔排渣通道堵塞这一制约钻孔施工效果的关键难题,基于优化钻杆截面形状以增大排渣空间、预防钻孔堵塞这一理念,提出四翼内凹刻槽钻杆几何设计构想,通过孔内排渣阻力力学方程计算验证、钻杆排渣效果数值模拟,分析钻杆结构参数对排渣性能的影响,研制四翼内凹刻槽钻杆并在某矿进行工业性试验。研究结果表明:相较于传统圆状刻槽钻杆,四翼内凹刻槽钻杆在施工过程中具有更大的排渣空间,通过孔内沿程阻力计算对比,四翼内凹刻槽钻杆孔内沿程阻力较圆状刻槽钻杆低13%;数值模拟计算结果表明,当弧形内凹切槽对钻杆的圆心角α=35°、切入深度|EF|=4 mm时,渣体运移距离最大,平均运移速度最大,排渣性能最优;工业性试验表明,使用四翼内凹刻槽钻杆施工钻孔,班进尺长度和终孔深度得到显著提升。研究结果可为煤矿瓦斯抽采钻孔钻具设计提供参考。

近距离煤层垂向采空区高静储瞬态充水模式与解危技术

榆神府矿区侏罗纪煤田垂向层序上赋存多个煤层,当下层煤开采时,面临上部近距离采空区积水威胁,基于垂向采空区充水模式的综合解危技术是下层煤安全回采的关键。通过分析煤层顶板岩性组合、含隔水层以及导水裂缝带发育高度特征,形成了近距离煤层垂向采空区高静储瞬态充水模式,认为基岩风化带水、火烧区水、第四系萨拉乌苏组松散层潜水以及大气降水是浅层采空区的直接或间接补给水源,在上部煤层采空区中形成较高水位的静储量;近距离煤层下层煤开采时,导水裂缝带沟通上部采空区,高静储积水以瞬间溃入形式进入下层煤回采工作面。针对高静储采空区积水威胁,提出了“近距离煤层充水模型建立—采空区积水范围探测与积水量预计—垂向采空区积水解危—疏控效果评价”4阶段解危模式,形成了解危成功的判别标准,即当钻孔疏放量等于动态补给量时,可认定采空区静储量积水已基本疏放完毕,采空区积水威胁解除。该成果在神木惠宝煤矿成功应用,对类似条件下的矿井具有借鉴意义。