Key technologies and engineering practices for soft-rock protective seam mining

Severe gas disasters in deep mining areas are increasing,and traditional protective coal seam mining is facing significant challenges.This paper proposes an innovative technology using soft rock as the protective seam in the absence of an appropriate coal seam.Based on the geological engineering conditions of the new horizontal first mining area of Luling Coal Mine in Huaibei,China,the impacts of different mining parameters of the soft-rock protective seam on the pressure-relief effect of the protected coal seam were analyzed through numerical simulation.The unit stress of the protected coal seam,which was less than half of the primary rock stress,was used as the mining stress pressure-relief index.The optimized interlayer space was found to be 59 m for the first soft-rock working face,with a 2 m mining thickness and 105 m face length.The physicochemical characteristics of the orebody were analyzed,and a device selection framework for the soft-rock protective seam was developed.Optimal equipment for the working face was selected,including the fully-mechanized hydraulic support and coal cutter.A production technology that combined fully-mechanized and blasting-assisted soft-rock mining was developed.Engineering practices demonstrated that normal circulation operation can be achieved on the working face of the soft-rock protective seam,with an average advancement rate of 1.64 m/d.The maximum residual gas pressure and content,which were measured at the cut hole position of the protected coal seams(Nos.8 and 9),decreased to 0.35 MPa and 4.87 m^3/t,respectively.The results suggested that soft-rock protective seam mining can produce a significant gas-control effect.

Mechanical analysis of effective pressure relief protection range of upper protective seam mining

This paper analyzes the control mechanism of coal and gas outbursts and proposes the concept of an effective pressure relief protection range, based on the stress relief of the underlying coal-rock mass and the development of a plastic zone. Also this study developed a stress change and fracture development model of the underlying coal-rock mass. In addition, the stress and depth of fracture of any point in the floor were deduced with the application of Maple Calculation Software. The specific engineering parameters of the Pingdingshan No. 12 colliery were applied to determine the relationship between the depth of fracture in the floor and the mining height. The pressure-relief principle of the underlying coal-rock mass was analyzed while varying the mining height of the upper protective seam. The findings indicate that as the depth of fracture in the floor increases, the underlying coal-rock mass experiences a limited amount of pressure relief, and the pressure relief protection range becomes narrower.Additionally, the stress distribution evolves from a ‘‘U" shape into a ‘‘V" shape. A 2.0 m mining height of protective seam situates the outburst-prone seam, Ji_(15), within the effective pressure relief protection range. The fracture development and stress-relief ratio rises to 88%, ensuring the pressure-relief effect as well as economic benefits. The measurement data show that: after mining the upper protective seam, the gas pressure of Ji_(15) dropped from 1.78 to 0.35 MPa, demonstrating agreement between the engineering application and the theoretical calculation.

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.

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.

Similarity model tests of movement and deformation of coal-rock mass below stopes

For a study of the movement and deformation of coal-rock mass and low protected seams below a stope,as well as for fracture developments and rules of evolution of permeability,we designed a plane strain model test stand to carry out model tests of similar materials in order to improve the effect of gas drainage from low protected seams and to measure the movement and deformation of coal-rock mass using a method of non-contact close-range photogrammetry.Our results show that 1) using paraffin melting to take the place of coal seam mining can satisfy the mining conditions of a protective seam;2) coal-rock mass under goafs has an upward movement after the protective seam has been mined,causing floor heaving;3) low protected seams become swollen and deformed,providing a good pressure-relief effect and causing the coal-rock mass under both sides of coal pillars to become deformed by compression and 4) the evolution of permeability of low protected seams follows the way of initial values→a slight decrease→a great increase→stability→final decrease.Simultaneously,the coefficient of air permeability increased at a decreasing rate with an increase in interlayer spacing.