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Mine fires are becoming a serious issue as the intensity of mining increases, especially in deep mines. Loose coal gob has a hidden ignition location and a high possibility of spontaneous combustion, which makes fire prevention difficult. Therefore, based on the theory of gas seepage and the characteristics of loose coal, a model of air leakage and spontaneous combustion in gob is established in this paper. Using working face #10414 in the Yangliu coal mine as an example, the relationship between the three spontaneous coal combustion (CSC) zones and the three stress zones is analyzed and verified by combining a FLAC3D simulation with field monitoring. In addition, the influence of advancing speed on the CSC is discussed, and suggestions for fire prevention are presented. The results show that the variation in the calorific value of the CSC with increasing degree of looseness of the residual coal in the gob forms an arch‐shape. There is a one‐to‐one relationship between the distribution of the three stress zones and the three CSC zones. In addition, as the advancing speed increases, the contact time between the loose coal body and the air decreases and the possibility of CSC decreases. This study provides a scientific basis for fire prevention and control in mines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gas disasters are a major factor influencing safe production in mines: Gas extraction can reduce the gas content in coal seams, providing a guarantee of safer production. The parameters for gas extraction are the primary factors influencing the effectiveness thereof. Aiming at the creep properties of soft coal, a fluid‐solid coupling mathematical model considering creep properties of coal was established based on dynamic evolution equation for permeability considering the effects of matrix shrinkage and effective stress. Additionally, by utilizing COMSOL Multiphysics software, the gas extractions from a single borehole and multiple boreholes were calculated. Moreover, the parameters for gas extraction were optimized and applied and tested in field conditions. The result showed the reduction in gas pressure around the boreholes was larger than that from a single borehole when conducting gas extraction from multiple boreholes. The borehole spacing when extracting gas in coal seams by drilling multiple boreholes should be more than twice that of the effective drainage radius. The optimal borehole spacing ranged from 3.2 to 4.2 m for gas extraction lasting 180 d. Numerical simulation was carried out to ascertain the distribution of stress on coal around a roadway. The result revealed that the damage radius of the roadway was 11.8 m, and a reasonable hole‐sealing depth was 12 m. On condition that the borehole spacing during gas extraction from multiple boreholes was 4 m, the reasonable pre‐extraction time was 180 days taking the gas pressure being reduced to <0.74 MPa as a critical point. Furthermore, the gas content, the amount of extracted gas, etc, in a working face after the parameters for gas extraction were optimized were measured. The result suggested that the effect of gas extraction after optimizing parameters conformed to industry standards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydraulic fracturing can evidently improve the coalbed methane production in underground coal mines, but it is difficult to delimit the stimulated area accurately. In order to evaluate the stimulated area, microseismic (MS) monitoring technique is proposed to investigate the seismic responses of the induced fractures of hydraulic fracturing. Three coal seams were targeted to be treated in a coal mine. An array of geophones was set along the underground roadway to detect the MS signals caused by HF. In order to verify the result of MS monitoring, water content of each coal seam has been measured before and after HF treatment. The results showed that a series of MS events were detected during the entire HF process, and a sharp MS event usually occurred during the first hour of HF process. The energy of the sharp MS event had higher magnitude than others. The MS distribution exhibited complex morphological features. The directionless MS response was distributed over a radius of less than 40 m but tended to be significantly conjugated with a radius of more than 40 m. HF could stimulate both the coal seam and the rock layers nearby. The achievable stimulated area in the coal seam was determined to be 50 m × 50 m according to the MS density and water content. The stimulated area in terms of MS density was easily found to be broader than the area of water direct intrusion. The present study indicated that MS monitoring technique could potentially be used for evaluation of HF in underground coal mine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, with the increase in mining depth and strength, coal‐rock gas dynamic disasters, such as coal and gas outburst, have shown an increasing trend. Acoustic emission (AE) technology has been viewed as a promising method that can effectively forecast coal and gas dynamic disasters. This paper first tests the AE characteristics of coal and rock samples during loading. Then, self‐developed AE continuous monitoring and early warning equipment is used to monitor and predict the coal and gas outburst dynamic disasters on the working face. And it is found that the coal samples primarily show ductile failure, and the AE exhibits the evolutionary characteristics of "rise‐peak‐fall". The rock samples primarily exhibit brittle failure, and the AE evolution mode is almost no falling stage. Coal and gas outbursts occur after the stress peak. Before coal and gas outbursts occur, there is a clear increasing trend in the AE ahead of the gas concentration variation. When the gas‐bearing coal is damaged by the load, the coal body first breaks due to the stress, and the AE value increases. Then, due to the fracture of the coal body, the crack penetrates, gas rushes out, and the gas concentration increases. The research results can provide an advanced technical method for the monitoring and early warning of coal–rock gas dynamic disasters, and improve the prediction accuracy for dynamic disasters. The AE exhibits the evolutionary characteristics of "rise‐peak‐fall"; the rock sample exhibits brittle failure, and the AE evolution mode lacks the "decline" stage. There is a clear increasing trend in the AE before the gas concentration variation and accidents. When the coal‐containing gas is damaged by the load, the coal body first breaks due to stress, and the AE value increases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]