Composition of residual gases in coal and estimation of their role in fire and outburst hazards in coal mines

Examination results on gases releasing from different rank coal when heated up to 200 °C are presented. The content of hydrocarbon (methane and homologs) and non-hydrocarbon (N2, CO2, H2) components of residual gas is determined. The predictive estimate of the role of residual gases in creation of fire-hazardous situations in coal mines is carried out with regard to the gas content of noncombustible impurities. It is found that gases released from heated lignite and anthracite containing more than 85% of noncombustible impurities constitute no major fire and outburst hazards. Ballast gases present in residual gases of medium rank coal, although push the explosion concentration limits by a few times, are insufficient to ensure complete fire and outburst safety. The
content of heavy hydrocarbons C3–C6 in long-flaming, fat and lean coal is rather high, which allows supposing that the burning point of residual gases in these ranks will be governed primarily by the partial pressure of heavy hydrocarbons in air–gas mixture and by the low values of the minimum explosion concentration limit of these components despite the present ballast impurities. Residual
gases releasing from coal under heating can be a trigger for fire and outburst hazard development in case of increased concentrations of methane and coal dust in mine air.

Lebedev V. S., Skopintseva O. V., Ivanov D. V., Ivanov P. D. Composition of residual gases in coal and estimation of their role in fire and outburst hazards in coal mines. MIAB. Mining Inf. Anal. Bull. 2020;(2):152-160. [In Russ]. DOI: 10.25018/0236-1493-2020-2-0-152-160.

V.S. Lebedev¹, Dr. Sci. (Geol. Mineral.), Professor, e-mail: vslebed@yandex.ru,
O.V. Skopintseva¹, Dr. Sci. (Eng.), Professor, e-mail: skopintseva54@mail.ru,
D.V. Ivanov, Cand. Sci. (Geol. Mineral.), Engineer, e-mail: ivanovdv2007@yandex.ru, Scientific and Production Enterprise «Stroitelstvo», ltd, Moscow, Russia,
P.D. Ivanov, Senior Lecturer, e-mail: ivanovpd@yandex.ru, Bauman Moscow State Technical University, 105005, Moscow, Russia,
¹ Sergo Ordzhonikidzе Russian State Geological Prospecting University (MGRI-RSGPU), 117997, Moscow, Russia,

O.V. Skopintseva, e-mail: skopintseva54@mail.ru.

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