Skip to main content
Log in

Effects of the Imbibition Ability of Extinguishant in Pulverized Coals

  • RESEARCH ARTICLE
  • Published:
Transactions of Tianjin University Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The imbibition ability of extinguishant is an important factor influencing the extinguishing effect for smoldering fire in pulverized coals. The coal particle size, bulk compactness, and aqueous solution properties significantly affect the imbibition ability of extinguishment. This work aims to reveal the influence of the properties of pulverized coals and aqueous solution on the imbibition ability of extinguishant for smoldering fire through experiments and capillary theories. The imbibition height and rate were adopted to evaluate the imbibition ability of extinguishment. The results showed that a relatively small bulk compactness and a fine coal particle size negatively influenced the extinguishing process dominantly because of its high surface energy and low wettability. An additive was used to adjust the properties of aqueous solution. The liquid with a larger surface tension, a smaller contact angle, and a lower viscosity induced a better imbibition ability of extinguishment.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Malav D, Ganguli R, Dutta S et al (2008) Non-impact of particle size distribution on power generation at a pulverized coal power plant burning low rank Alaska coal. Fuel Process Technol 89(5):499–502

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Song Z, Zhu H, Jia G et al (2014) Comprehensive evaluation on self-ignition risks of coal stockpiles using fuzzy AHP approaches. J Loss Prev Process Ind 32:78–94

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Song Z, Fan H, Jiang J et al (2017) Insight into effects of pore diffusion on smoldering kinetics of coal using a 4-step chemical reaction model. J Loss Prev Process Ind 48:312–319

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Lohrer C, Schmidt M, Krause U (2005) A study on the influence of liquid water and water vapour on the self-ignition of lignite coal-experiments and numerical simulations. J Loss Prev Process Ind 18(3):167–177

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Zhou X, Liao G, Bo C (2006) Improvement of water mist’s fire-extinguishing efficiency with MC additive. Fire Saf J 41(1):39–45

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Wu B, Liao G (2013) Experimental study on fire extinguishing of water mist with a newly prepared multi-component additive. Proc Eng 62:317–323

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Rakowska J, Prochaska K, Twardochleb B et al (2014) Selection of surfactants as main components of ecological wetting agent for effective extinguishing of forest and peat-bog fires. Chem Pap 68(6):823–833

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Dey S (2012) Enhancement in hydrophobicity of low rank coal by surfactants—A critical overview. Fuel Process Technol 94(1):151–158

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Hadden R, Rein G (2011) Chapter 18—Burning and water suppression of smoldering coal fires in small-scale laboratory experiments. Coal Peat Fires Global Perspect 1:317–326

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Kim J, Kim HY (2012) On the dynamics of capillary imbibition. J Mech Sci Technol 26(12):3795–3801

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Dong M, Chatzis I (2010) Effect of capillary pressure on wetting film imbibition ahead of main liquid-gas displacement front in porous media. Liq Fuels Technol 28(9):955–968

    Google Scholar 

  12. Lucas R (1918) Ueber das zeitgesetz des kapillaren aufstiegs von flüssigkeiten. Colloid Polym Sci 23(1):15–22

    Google Scholar 

  13. Washburn EW (1921) The dynamics of capillary flow. Phys Rev 17(3):273–283

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Lane KS, Washburn DE, Krynine DP (1947) Capillarity tests by capillarimeter and by soil filled tubes. Highw Res Board Proc 26:460–473

    Google Scholar 

  15. Handy LL (1960) Determination of effective capillary pressures for porous media from imbibition data. Pet Trans AIME 219:75–80

    Google Scholar 

  16. Kim E, Whitesides GM (1997) Imbibition and flow of wetting liquids in noncircular capillaries. J Phys Chem B 101(6):855–863

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Zhmud BV, Tiberg F, Hallstensson K (2000) Dynamics of capillary rise. J Colloid Interface Sci 228(2):263–269

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Li K, Horne RN (2000) Characterization of spontaneous water imbibition into gas-saturated rocks. SPE J 6(4):375–384

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Amico SC, Lekakou C (2002) Axial impregnation of a fiber bundle. Part 1: Capillary experiments. Polym Compos 23(2):249–263

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Fries N, Dreyer M (2008) An analytic solution of capillary rise restrained by gravity. J Colloid Interface Sci 320(1):259–263

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Cai J, Yu B, Zou M et al (2010) Fractal Characterization of spontaneous co-current imbibition in porous media. Energy Fuels 24:1860–1867

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Chaturvedi T, Schembre JM, Kovscek AR (2009) Spontaneous imbibition and wettability characteristics of Powder River Basin coal. Int J Coal Geol 77(1–2):34–42

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Hatiboglu CU, Babadagli T (2007) Oil recovery by counter-current spontaneous imbibition: effects of matrix shape factor, gravity, IFT, oil viscosity, wettability, and rock type. J Pet Sci Eng 59(1–2):106–122

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Cai J, Hu X, Standnes DC et al (2012) An analytical model for spontaneous imbibition in fractal porous media including gravity. Colloids Surf A Physicochem Eng Asp 414:228–233

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Yang D, Krasowska M, Priest C et al (2012) Dynamics of capillary-driven flow in open microchannels. J Phys Chem C 115(38):18761–18769

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Li Q, Lin B, Zhao S et al (2013) Surface physical properties and its effects on the wetting behaviors of respirable coal mine dust. Powder Technol 233:137–145

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Pan G, Huang Q, Hu H et al (2010) Wettability of superhydrophobic surface through tuning microcosmic structure. Polym Mater Sci Eng 26:163–166

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This study was supported by the Key Technical Research Plan of Ministry of Public Security (No. 2017JSYJA13) and Independent Innovation Fund of Tianjin University (No. 1706).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Guorui Zhu.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Liu, L., Gong, H., Shi, X. et al. Effects of the Imbibition Ability of Extinguishant in Pulverized Coals. Trans. Tianjin Univ. 25, 45–51 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12209-018-0140-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12209-018-0140-z

Keywords

Navigation