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A Novel Experimental Apparatus for Evaluating Coal-and-Gas Outburst Risk

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Abstract

Given the importance of predicting and preventing coal-and-gas outbursts, this paper proposes a novel experimental apparatus for evaluating the outburst risk of coal via the destruction of stressed gas-bearing coal. The proposed apparatus consists of a coal sample chamber, a loading unit, a gas release unit, a real-time data acquisition unit, and attachments. Four symmetrical gas release openings, whose diameters are equal to the height of the sample, are located around the coal sample chamber to ensure the uniform release of the gas. This also eliminates the dynamic impact on the samples when the gas pressure drops abruptly, thereby affording more accurate results. Moreover, instantaneous gas release tests with stressed coal samples adsorbing different gases were carried out using this apparatus, the destruction of coal samples, gas pressure change, and axial stress evolution were analyzed, and then the outburst risk was evaluated; the evaluated result was found to be consistent with those obtained using the “Four Indicators Method” for a coal seam. Thus, the reliability of the apparatus in terms of predicting the outburst risk was validated. In addition, the testing results indicated that the destruction of coal samples in abrupt pressure drop is related to both the adsorbability of gas and the structural weakening of gas to coal. The seldom reported evolution of axial stress was observed, and its change in magnitude was found to be affected by gas desorption. Therefore, this study is expected to be conducive for predicting and preventing future coal-and-gas outbursts.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Number 51674049). The authors acknowledge Panzhihua coalmine for their supply of coal samples.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Coal Mine Disaster Dynamics and Control, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400030, China

    Jie Zheng, Gun Huang, Qiang Cheng, Jingkai Jia & Zenghui Cai

  2. School of Resources and Safety Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400030, China

    Jie Zheng, Gun Huang, Qiang Cheng, Jingkai Jia & Zenghui Cai

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  1. Jie Zheng
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  2. Gun Huang
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  3. Qiang Cheng
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  4. Jingkai Jia
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  5. Zenghui Cai
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Correspondence to Jie Zheng or Gun Huang.

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Zheng, J., Huang, G., Cheng, Q. et al. A Novel Experimental Apparatus for Evaluating Coal-and-Gas Outburst Risk. Nat Resour Res 31, 535–550 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11053-021-09994-3

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