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Large-area goaf fires: a numerical method for locating high-temperature zones and assessing the effect of liquid nitrogen fire control

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Abstract

Goaf fires are serious hazards in coal mines, especially in the closely spaced shallow coal seams of northwestern China, where spontaneous combustion of coal occurs frequently. A numerical simulation method was developed for a large-area spontaneous combustion fire in the goaf of the 12306 fully caved face at Bulianta coal mine in the Shendong mining area. Theoretical and geometrical models were developed to rapidly locate the high-temperature zone of the fire by simulating the oxygen concentrations and temperature distributions in the goaf. The effectiveness of liquid nitrogen perfusion was also assessed. Field observations showed that the results from the theoretical study were accurate and reliable. The fire was rapidly extinguished by pouring liquid nitrogen at a high flow rate into the high-temperature region of the fire. CO concentration dropped from >10,000 to <5 ppm in the goaf, and the temperature fell from >160 to about 20 °C. The 22305 face below the 12306 goaf was subsequently safely reopened and quickly returned to production.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. U1361213, 51476184), Jiangsu Province Outstanding Youth Scientific Fund (BK20140005), the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (2015QNA02), Innovative Research Team of China University of Mining and Technology (2015ZY002), and A Project Funded by the Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions (PAPD).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Methane and Fire Control for Coal Mines of Ministry of Education, School of Safety Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou, 221116, Jiangsu, China

    Botao Qin, Hetang Wang & Leizheng Liu

  2. Shenhua Shendong Coal Group Corporation Limited, Yulin, 719315, Shanxi, China

    Junzhe Yang

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  1. Botao Qin
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  2. Hetang Wang
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  3. Junzhe Yang
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  4. Leizheng Liu
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Correspondence to Hetang Wang.

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Qin, B., Wang, H., Yang, J. et al. Large-area goaf fires: a numerical method for locating high-temperature zones and assessing the effect of liquid nitrogen fire control. Environ Earth Sci 75, 1396 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-016-6173-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-016-6173-5

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