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.

Determining the rational layout parameters of the lateral high drainage roadway serving for two adjacent working faces

To determine the rational layout parameters of the lateral high drainage roadway(LHDR) serving for two adjacent working faces, a mechanical model of the LHDR under mining influence was established, and the overburden fissure, mining-induced stress distribution rules were analyzed. First, the development characteristics of mining-induced overburden fissure and the stress distribution law of the upper section of the working face were analyzed. Second, by analyzing the distribution law of vertical stress at different layers, the lateral distance of the LHDR was determined as 25 m. Third, by analyzing the surrounding rock deformation effect, stress distribution law, and overburden fissure distribution law of the LHDR at the heights of 20, 25, and 30 m away from the roof, the rational horizon of the LHDR was determined to be 25 m. Finally, an example of a LHDR located 25 m above the roof of the No. 2 coal seam and 25 m away from the No. 2-603 working face was presented. Results show that when the No. 2-603 coalface is being mined, the surrounding rocks lag 80 m or even further and the working face tends to be stable. The relative deformations of the roof and floor of the roadway and both of its walls were 583 and 450 mm,respectively. The reduction rate of the roadway section was 21.52%–25.32%. The section of the roadway was sufficient to extract the pressure relief gas in the overburden of the No. 2-605 working face. The average gas concentration and the pure volume at the branch pipeline were 24.8% and 22.3 m^3/min,respectively, showing that the position of high-level boreholes was reasonable.