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• FLACS code was verified well predict the overpressure and flame coverage. • The maximum pressures were obtained as about 150–1400 kPa. • Congestion affects the competing of confinement and flammable gas volume. To investigate the characteristics of methane-air explosions in large-scale tunnels with different structures, the CFD code for gas explosion modelling of FLACS was validated and used to model the explosions in tunnelling faces, coalfaces and crosscuts, where explosions mostly occurred in coalmines. The maximum overpressures were obtained as about 150–1400 kPa but varied for places with different cross-sections. The confinement degree and combustible mixture volume compete for controlling the overpressures, the space congestion degree influences the competition. For the tunnelling faces and crosscuts with low congestions, the increase of confinement degree caused by reducing cross-sections takes the dominant effect, which makes the overpressure in 3 m × 2 m cross-section tunnels higher. However, the 6 m × 4 m coalface produces the largest overpressure as the highly congested coalface strengthens the effect of increasing the mixture volume on pressure rise. Since the pressure reflection results from space constraints, a higher confinement degree causes a greater reflection. In crosscuts with both ends closed, the delayed combustion of the unburnt rich mixture after the seal's failure generates a high pressure than assumed. Because of containing the same volume combustible mixtures in the crosscut modelling with the same cross-section, little difference exists in the overpressure regardless of sealing conditions. The flame is more inclined to propagate towards free spaces, and the flame of a larger volume combustible mixture fills a longer tunnel more comprehensively. In straight tunnelling faces, the flame length can be calculated as the product of the equivalent side length of the cross-section and its corresponding simulated constant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The cavitating jet pump is simultaneously used as a mixing device and flow meter. • 3D printed foam nozzle and vertical foam generator are designed and tested. • The proposed system reduced the required water inlet pressure to 0.87 MPa. • Dust is successfully suppressed in tunneling face with high ventilation volume. Due to large energy loss, current foam technology for dust suppression requires high inlet water pressure, but performance is poor where ventilation volume is high. This paper proposes modifying key foam device components, including the agent mixing device, foam generator, and nozzle, to address these problems. A cavitating jet pump was simultaneously employed for accurate agent mixing and flow meter, guaranteeing accurate agent flow and low energy loss. A vertical foam generator was designed to increase foam volume and ensure even foam distribution among the foam nozzles. The two-layered foam nozzles were designed and fabricated using 3D printing to ensure even and thick foam impact area on the dust source, effectively blocking dust escape passages. Experiments were performed in the laboratory and on a real heading face. Ventilation volume was 560–570 m3/min for the field experiment with initial total dust concentration 589–679 mg/m3. The proposed system reduced required inlet water pressure to 0.87 MPa, while achieving 86.8% average total dust suppression efficiency and reducing long-term time average respirable dust concentration to 3.9–5.7 mg/m3. This study will help improve performance and expand application fields for foam dust suppression technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]