Theoretical analysis and engineering application of controllable shock wave technology for enhancing coalbed methane in soft and low‑permeability coal seams

Coalbed methane(CBM)is a significant factor in triggering coal and gas outburst disaster,while also serving as a clean fuel.With the increasing depth of mining operations,coal seams that exhibit high levels of gas content and low permeability have become increasingly prevalent.While controllable shockwave(CSW)technology has proven effective in enhancing CBM in laboratory settings,there is a lack of reports on its field applications in soft and low-permeability coal seams.This study establishes the governing equations for stress waves induced by CSW.Laplace numerical inversion was employed to analyse the dynamic response of the coal seam during CSW antireflection.Additionally,quantitative calculations were performed for the crushed zone,fracture zone,and effective CSW influence range,which guided the selection of field test parameters.The results of the field test unveiled a substantial improvement in the gas permeability coefficient,the average rate of pure methane flowrate,and the mean gas flowrate within a 10 m radius of the antireflection borehole.These enhancements were notable,showing increases of 3 times,13.72 times,and 11.48 times,respectively.Furthermore,the field test performed on the CSW antireflection gas extraction hole cluster demonstrated a noticeable improvement in CBM extraction.After antireflection,the maximum peak gas concentration and maximum peak pure methane flow reached 71.2%and 2.59 m^(3)/min,respectively.These findings will offer valuable guidance for the application of CSW antireflection technology in soft and low-permeability coal seams.

Numerical Study on an Applicable Underground Mining Method for Soft Extra-Thick Coal Seams in Thailand

The EGAT Mae Moh Mine is the largest open pit lignite mine in Thailand and it produces lignite about 16 million tons annually. In the near future, the pit limit of the mine will be reached and underground mine will then be developed through the open pit in the depth of 400 - 600 m from the surface. However, due to the challenges for underground mining such as poor geological conditions, extra thickness (20 - 30 m) of coal seams, and weak mechanical properties of coal seams and the surrounding rock, the success possibility of underground mining and an applicable underground mining method is being investigated at the present. The paper discusses the applicability of multi-slice bord-and-pillar method for the soft extra thick coal seams in the Mae Moh mine by means of numerical analyses using the 3D finite difference code “FLAC3D”.

Investigation into the deformation of a large span roadway in soft seams and its support technology

We investigated the deformation failure mechanism of surrounding rock from the aspect of engineering support for a roadway in seams with soft roofs and soft floors and observed the large displacement of the roadway in these soft seams.The result shows that the deformation area is quite large,and settlement of the roof is evident and displacement of the side walls is also obvious.We considered rock bolt-cable coupling for roadway support in seams with soft roofs and floors,in which the cable should be fixed at key positions.As well,we designed an optimal scheme to support a roadway in soft seams of the Shizuishan Second Mine in Ningxia,China.Field monitoring results show that bolt-cable coupling support has achieved the aims of roadway stability control and minimizes deformation.

Outburst control in soft and outburst prone coal seam using the waterjet slotting technique from modeling to field work

The paper discussed a comprehensive numerical simulation and field work by the usage of waterjet slotting tech- nique to prevent the occurrence of outbursts in soft and outburst prone coal seams. This was based on the geological and ge- omechanical conditions of Jinjiachong Colliery, Guizhou Province, associated with varied waterjet slotting parameters such as slotting penetration, slotting thickness and slotting distance along the length of borehole. Also, to understand the variation of internal stress of coal seams after waterjet slotting application, the internal stress levels were compared with and without slot- ting application, and the results indicate that the internal effective stress levels can be reduced to 70% and 45% for the vertical and horizontal stresses, respectively, and the gas concentration can be increased up to 5 times when the waterjet slotting is ap- plied.

Back-and-forth mining for hard and thick coal seams—research about the mining technology for fully mechanized caving working face of Datong Mine

The article introduced the key technology, mining process, and back-and-forth mining method for the caving working face of hard-thick coal seams in Datong mine, and researched this innovations process, optimized the systemic design and working face out-play, tried to perfect the caving mining technology of hard-thick coal seams further.

Mechanism and control technology of strong ground pressure behaviour induced by high-position hard roofs in extra-thick coal seam mining

This work aimed at revealing the mechanism of strong ground pressure behaviour(SGPB)induced by high-position hard roof(HHR).Based on the supporting structures model of HHR,a modified voussoir beam mechanical model for HHR was established by considering the gangue support coefficient,through which the modified expressions of limit breaking span and breaking energy of HHR were deduced.Combined with the relationship between the dynamic-static loading stress of supporting body(hydraulic support and coal wall)and its comprehensive supporting strength,the criteria of ground pressure behaviour(GPB)induced by HHR were discussed.The types of Ⅰ_(1),Ⅰ_(2),Ⅱ_(1),andⅡ_(2) of GPB were interpreted.Results showed that types Ⅰ_(1) and Ⅰ_(2) were the main forms of SGPB in extra-thick coal seam mining.The main manifestation of SGPB was static stress,which was mainly derived from the instability of HHR rather than fracture.Accordingly,an innovative control technology was proposed,which can weaken static load by vertical-well separated fracturing HHR.The research results have been successfully applied to the 8101 working face in Tashan coal mine,Shanxi Province,China.The results of a digital borehole camera observation and stress monitoring proved the rationality of the GPB criteria.The control technology was successful,paving the way for new possibilities to HHR control for safety mining.

Application of deep borehole blasting on fully mechanized hard top-coal pre-splitting and gas extraction in the special thick seam

In order to solve the problems of top-coal inadequate destruction and large amounts of gas emission in mining extra thick and hard coal seam,this study investigated the pre-splitting for deep borehole blasting and gas pre-draining technologies on top coal.The mechanism of the technologies was systematically expounded based on hard top-coal cracks development obtained by numerical simulation and theoretical analysis.The results show that explosive blasting in the hard rock results in a large number of cracks and large displacement in the rock mass due to the effect of explosion stress.Meanwhile,the thick top-coal caves,and desorbing gas flows along the cracks improve gas extraction.Finally,the pre-splitting for deep borehole blasting and gas pre-draining technologies was applied in No.3802 working face of Shui Liandong Coal Mine,which increases monthly output in the face to 67.34 kt and the drained gas concentration to 86.2%.The drained gas average concentration from each borehole reaches 40%,and the effect is remarkable.

Characteristics of ground behavior of fully mechanized caving faces in hard thick seams

It is showed in practice that the support load and its fluctuation is large, the periodic weighting is obvious and can be divided into two kinds, the large and small pressure, sometimes the behavior of the large pressure is very violent in hard thick seam caving faces. These are obviously different from those of the generally soft or medium hard seam caving feces. All above these are summarized, and the causes aroused these are researched. Finally the powered support selection of hard thick seam caving faces is discussed.

Macro and micro grouting process and the influence mechanism of cracks in soft coal seam

Grouting is an important method to reinforce soft coal roadway,and the presence of primary cracks in the coal body has an important influence on the grouting effect.With the discrete element simulation method,the grouting process of the soft coal seam was simulated.The mechanism of primary cracks on grouting was revealed,while the influence of fracture characteristics and grouting pressure on the grouting effect was analyzed.The results demonstrated that grouting in the soft coal seam involves the stages of seepage,rapid splitting,slow splitting,and stability.Due to the presence of primary cracks,the grouting diffusion radius increased significantly.Under the slurry pressure,the tensile stress concentration was formed at the crack tip,and the slurry split the coal once the splitting pressure was reached.In addition,the distribution characteristics of fractures are found to have a great influence on the grouting effect.It is observed that smaller fracture spacing is associated with a larger slurry diffusion radius and thus easier penetration of the primary crack tips.The fracture angle affects the direction of fracture propagation.The secondary fracture formed by splitting is a tensile fracture,which is more likely to extend along the direction parallel to the maximum principal stress.Overall,these simulation results have guiding significance for the setting of reasonable spacing of grouting holes in the practice of grouting engineering.

Plastic zone analysis and support optimization of shallow roadway with weakly cemented soft strata

Based on a shallow roadway with weakly cemented soft strata in western China, this paper studies the range and degree of plastic zones in soft strata roadways with weak cementation. Geological radars were used to monitor the loose range and level of surrounding rocks. A mechanical model of weakly cemented roadway was established, including granular material based on the measured results. The model was then used to determine the plastic zone radium. The predicted results agree well with measured results which provide valuable theoretical references for the analysis of surrounding rock stability and support reinforcing design of weakly cemented roadways. Finally, a combined supporting scheme of whole section bolting and grouting was proposed based on the original supporting scheme. It is proved that this support plan can effectively control the deformation and plastic zone expansion of the roadway surrounding rock and thus ensure the long-term stable and safe mining.

Rockburst mechanism in soft coal seam within deep coal mines

A number of rockburst accidents occurring in soft coal seams have shown that the rockburst mechanism involved in soft coal seams is significantly different from that involved in hard coal seams. Therefore, the method used to evaluate rockburst in hard coal seams is not applicable to soft coal seams. This paper established an energy integral model for the rockburst-inducing area and a friction work calculation model for the plastic area. If the remaining energy after the coal seam is broken in the rockburstinducing area is greater than the friction work required for the coal to burst out, then a rockburst accident will occur. Mechanisms of ‘‘quaking without bursting" and ‘‘quaking and bursting" are clarified for soft coal seams and corresponding control measures are proposed as the optimization of roadway layouts and use of ‘‘three strong systems"(strong de-stressing, strong supporting, and strong monitoring).

Discussion of the indexes of nonoutburst coal seam upgrade and its corresponding critical values

In view of the measurement difficulties of indexes recommended by the 50Items Experience of Coal Mine Gas Prevention in the process of the nonoutburst coalseam upgrade, this paper took the No.8 coal seam of Huainan Mining Group as research object. Discussed the suitability of indexes and corresponding critical values, putforward method in determining the indexes and its critical values by analysis and investigation of the gas geological condition and the-spot tracking near position where anoutburst occurred combined with laboratory experiment, and established the indexesand its critical values of nonoutburst coal seam upgrade in No.8 coal seam of HuainanMining Group. The results show that it is suitable to take gas content and tectonic softcoal thickness easily to gain in routine production as primary upgrade indexes that itscritical values are 7.5 m^3/t and 0.8 m, respectively. In addition, takefvalue and Ap valueas auxiliary indexes.

Influence of Water Injection Fracturing on Crack Damage in Soft Coal and Application in Gas Extraction

In order to study the hypotonic and rheological particularity of “three soft” coal seam in west Henan, China, this paper explored the stress and damage characteristics of crack in coal under condition of water injection fracturing based on ABAQUS platform;The cohesive element in T-P damage evolution criterion was used to describe the approximately linear relationship between crack width and extending distance in soft coal. The simulation results show that stress evolution and crack damage in soft coal is a gradually developing process under condition of water injection fracturing. When the static pressure is 4 - 10 MPa, and the injection time is about 1 - 2 hours, the damage range of crack in soft coal can basically reach an ideal data of 80 - 100 m, and then greatly improve the hypotonic performance of “three soft” coal seam.

Effect of damage zone around borehole on carbon dioxide injection promoted gas extraction in soft and low-permeability coal seam

Injecting external CO_(2) into soft and low-permeability coal seams can improve CH4 extacctinn efficiency, and also benefit in CO_(2) sequestration. However, the distribution law of damage zone around borehole in soft coal seam and its effect on the efficiency of CO_(2) injection promoted CH4 extraction are not clear. In this paper, a multi-physics coupling mathematical model considering damage effect is established for simulating the process of CO_(2) injection promoted CH4 extraction in soft and low-permeability coal seam. The distribution of damage zone and permeability around boreholes under different diameters and coal strengths are analyzed. The gas pressure and gas content in coal seam during CO_(2) injection promoted CH4 extraction when the model considered damage effect are compared with that of ignored. The results show that small borehole diameter corresponds to narrow damage zone around the borehole in coal seam. The damage zone expands with the increase of the borehole diameter. The damage zone increases exponentially with the borehole diameter, while decreases exponentially with the compressive strength of coal seam. The highest permeability in the damage zone has increased by nearly 300 times under the condition of simulated case. CH4 pressure around the extraction borehole reduces, and the reduction area expands with the increase of time. Compared with the result of considering the damage effect, the reduction area of ignoring it is smaller, and the reducing speed is slower. The integrated effect of CO_(2) injection and CH4 extraction leads to rapid decrease of CH4 content in coal seam near the boreholes. The CO_(2) pressure and content increase around the injection borehole, and the increasing area gradually extends to the whole coal seam. In soft coal seams, failure to consider the damage effect will underestimate the efficiency of CH4 extraction and CO_(2) sequestration, resulting conservative layout of boreholes.

煤层瓦斯含量测定技术及装备研究进展

瓦斯含量是煤与瓦斯突出危险预测、煤层瓦斯资源量估算、矿井瓦斯治理工程设计的重要参数。围绕如何在大区域准确快速测定煤层瓦斯含量,依托国家科技重大专项、国家自然科学基金和煤炭企业联合基金等项目科技攻关,在取样、测试方面取得了一定进展。主要表现在如下4个方面:①煤层瓦斯含量测定取样经历了孔口接样、岩心管定点取样、压力引射定点取样和密闭取样4个阶段,密闭取样装备保压能力达到11.5 MPa,煤心直径达到38 mm;②针对不同煤层地质条件,发展形成了顺煤层定向长钻孔密闭取样、底板穿层钻孔密闭取样和顶(底)板梳状定向长钻孔密闭取样3种取样技术;③在河南焦作和山西晋城矿区硬煤层中,顺层定向长钻孔取样深度达到516 m,密闭取样法测得煤层瓦斯含量较常规取样法分别平均提高了0.44倍和1.04倍。在安徽淮南矿区碎软煤层中,穿层钻孔密闭取样深度达到209 m,测得煤层瓦斯含量较常规取样法平均提高了0.26倍;在安徽淮北矿区碎软煤层中,顶(底)板梳状钻孔密闭取样深度达到484 m,测得煤层瓦斯含量较常规取样法平均提高了0.19倍,密闭取样法在煤层瓦斯含量测定精度、探测范围上优于常规取样法;④在瓦斯含量测试方面,除了传统解吸法测试,发展了系列煤矿井下瓦斯含量快速测试装备,可实现最快30 min内测得煤层瓦斯含量,一般用于百米孔内的瓦斯含量测试。提出了煤层瓦斯含量测定密闭取样装备需向小型化、轻量化的方向发展,并能实现随钻密闭取样。在测试上,应根据实际情况确定合理的解吸终止限,并将测试装备和密闭取样装备进一步结合,以实现深孔瓦斯含量快速准确测定。密闭取样技术已成为煤层瓦斯含量大区域精准勘查、预测的主要手段,是煤炭安全高效开采的重要技术保障。

松软厚煤层区段煤柱剪切滑块运动机理及协同控制技术

松软厚煤层区段煤柱高、煤壁暴露面积大,加之煤质松软、裂隙发育,强采动作用下极易造成煤柱失稳,巷道维护难度极大。以山西伏岩煤业3号煤层开采为工程背景,基于剪切滑块理论,探究采掘扰动下煤柱变形破坏机理,求解煤柱剪切滑块运动范围及应力分布规律,揭示煤柱侧帮剪切滑块运动机理,提出煤柱稳定性协同控制对策并在现场进行工程实践验证。结果表明:①采用极限平衡理论与叠加理论,确定了煤柱剪切滑块运动范围及煤柱垂直应力分布规律,阐明煤柱剪切滑块安全系数分布规律:0~1.26 m深度,煤柱上部安全系数较小;在1.26~3.95 m处,煤柱中线部分大面积安全系数较小,易受顶板来压破坏。②提出了1种以“注浆加固—锚索强化—切顶卸压”为主体的区段煤柱协同控制技术,煤柱侧裂隙较无支护条件及原支护条件分别减少62.89%和46.26%,巷道围岩完整性大幅提高,形成了强承载结构,有效控制了煤柱变形及底臌。③根据松软厚煤层区段煤柱条件,合理确定了协同控制设计参数,并对煤柱防控效果进行试验监测评估。现场试验结果表明,煤柱裂隙得到充分填充,注浆后煤体强度提高63%以上;巷道位移、锚杆索受力、离层等均在可控范围,表明协同控制技术明显提高了煤柱承载力,回采巷道围岩变形得到有效控制,为工作面安全高效开采提供了空间保障。

煤层顶板间接压裂裂缝扩展机制及影响因素

碎软低渗煤层在我国普遍发育,制约煤层气单井产气量提高和产业发展。间接压裂是通过在邻近层产生垂直裂缝沟通煤层进而实现煤层有效改造的一种压裂方式,可以有效应对钻井塌陷、煤粉产出、压裂液滤失和煤层厚度薄等不利因素。通过间接压裂物理模拟试验和扩展有限元数值模拟分析,揭示煤层顶板间接压裂裂缝扩展影响因素,明确裂缝扩展机制,以期为间接压裂技术提供指导。通过直接压裂煤层和不同起裂位置、垂向应力和施工排量影响下间接压裂试验表明,起裂压力高,更易产生长裂缝,且受原生裂缝影响程度减小;但起裂点距离煤层越远,起裂所需能量越大,高破裂压力会对煤层造成粉碎性破坏;大施工排量下,起裂压力对应升高,起裂时间变短,原生裂缝影响程度变小。考虑地应力、起裂位置、岩石力学和施工排量等参数的数值模拟结果显示,在模型参数设置条件下,最大水平主应力和垂向应力差在<4 MPa,煤层与顶板有效应力差>3 MPa、弹性模量差<15 GPa的地层和岩性组合适合间接压裂,起裂位置距离煤层最优距离为<6 m,施工排量需要根据力学性质、断裂能密度等参数确定最优范围。

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。

松软煤层大采高工作面煤壁片帮机理及深浅孔交替超前预注浆加固技术研究

目的为探究松软煤层大采高工作面煤壁片帮机理,并对片帮严重的松软煤层大采高工作面煤壁进行有效控制,方法利用材料力学理论得到煤壁片帮的频发位置,引入煤壁剪切破坏准则,得出松软煤体煤壁片帮的主控因素。并以李村煤矿1305工作面为例,通过FLAC3D建立数值模型,以煤壁最大位移、煤体破坏深度、支承压力大小和支承压力峰值位置4个因素作为参考比较对象,通过引入正交试验法,研究了煤层埋深、内摩擦角、黏聚力、抗拉强度以及支护强度对煤壁片帮的影响程度。结果结果表明:煤体自身的物理力学性质(内摩擦角和黏聚力)是影响煤壁片帮的主要因素,其次煤体的赋存条件(埋深)也是一个较为关键的影响因素。结论工业性试验基于正交试验结果提出了大采高综采工作面深浅孔交替超前预注浆加固技术,有效控制了李村煤矿1305工作面煤壁片帮严重情况,为其他类似地质条件大采高综采工作面煤壁片帮控制提供了借鉴。

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。