Numerical modeling for analyzing thermal surface anomalies induced by underground coal fires

Coal seams burning underneath the surface are recognized all over the world and have drawn increasing public attention in the past years. Frequently, such fires are analyzed by detecting anomalies like increased exhaust gas concentrations and soil temperatures at the surface. A proper analysis presumes the understanding of involved processes, which determine the spatial distribution and dynamic behavior of the anomalies.In this paper, we explain the relevance of mechanical and energy transport processes with respect to the occurrence of temperature anomalies at the surface. Two approaches are presented, aiming to obtain insight into the underground coal fire situation: In-situ temperature mapping and numerical simulation. In 2000 to 2005, annual temperature mapping in the Wuda (Inner Mongolia, PR China) coal fire area showed that most thermal anomalies on the surface are closely related to fractures, where hot exhaust gases from the coal fire are released. Those fractures develop due to rock mechanical failure after volume reduction in the seams. The measured signals at the surface are therefore strongly affected by mechanical processes.More insight into causes and effects of involved energy transport processes is obtained by numerical simulation of the dynamic behavior of coal fires. Simulations show the inter-relation between release and transport of thermal energy in and around underground coal fires. Our simulation results show a time delay between the coal fire propagation and the observed appearance of the surface temperature signal. Additionally, the overall energy flux away from the burning coal seam into the surrounding bedrock is about 30-times higher than the flux through the surface. This is of particular importance for an estimation of the energy released based on surface temperature measurements. Finally, the simulation results also prove that a fire propagation rate estimated from the interpretation of surface anomalies can differ from the actual rate in the seam.     

Supercritical gas sorption on moist coals

The effect of moisture on the CO₂ and CH₄ sorption capacity of three bituminous coals from Australia and China was investigated at 55 °C and at pressures up to 20 MPa. A gravimetric apparatus was used to measure the gas adsorption isotherms of coal with moisture contents ranging from 0 to about 8%. A modified Dubinin–Radushkevich (DR) adsorption model was found to fit the experimental data under all conditions. Moisture adsorption isotherms of these coals were measured at 21 °C. The Guggenheim–Anderson–de Boer (GAB) model was capable of accurately representing the moisture isotherms over the full range of relative pressures.Moist coal had a significantly lower maximum sorption capacity for both CO₂ and CH₄ than dry coal. However, the extent to which the capacity was reduced was dependent upon the rank of the coal. Higher rank coals were less affected by the presence of moisture than low rank coals. All coals exhibited a certain moisture content beyond which further moisture did not affect the sorption capacity. This limiting moisture content was dependent on the rank of the coal and the sorbate gas and, for these coals, corresponded approximately to the equilibrium moisture content that would be attained by exposing the coal to about 40–80% relative humidity. The experimental results indicate that the loss of sorption capacity by the coal in the presence of water can be simply explained by volumetric displacement of the CO₂ and CH₄ by the water. Below the limiting moisture content, the CO₂ sorption capacity reduced by about 7.3 kg t^− 1 for each 1% increase in moisture. For CH₄, sorption capacity was reduced by about 1.8 kg t^− 1 for each 1% increase in moisture.The heat of sorption calculated from the DR model decreased slightly on addition of moisture. One explanation is that water is preferentially attracted to high energy adsorption sites (that have high energy by virtue of their electrostatic nature), expelling CO₂ and CH₄ molecules.     

Impact of lightning on organic matter-rich soils: influence of soil grain size and organic matter content on underground fires

A detailed study was carried out on a piece of land that had been struck by lightning during the violent rainstorm that raged over the Island of S?o Miguel (Azores Archipelago) in late October 2006. Temperature and gas measurements (CO₂, CO, H₂S and CH₄) were performed in four study trenches, dug in an area of ∼3 m², where an underground fire had been initiated by the impact with a lightning stroke, followed by the emission of a column of gases and smoke. The soil under study was originally a well-pedogenized about 80 cm thick bed, made of volcanic clayey to silty tephra fallouts and contained 5.5–9.7% of organic matter. The underground fire was monitored for one week and revealed a peak release of 404 ppm CO and 3.4% CO₂ originating from a horizon located about 45 cm under the soil surface. Measurements of temperature, performed one week after the impact, indicated a maximum value of 326°C inside the soil, while 516.5°C were measured on the surface of a lava block interred about 20 cm under the surface. Subsequently, a stratigraphic and sedimentologic study proved the role of the grain-size of the soil and of the organic matter content of the different horizons of the impact area, in determining the ratio between anoxic/oxidised combustion conditions and in the progress of the process itself. It was also noticed that combustion was not total all over in the soil bed and that the process had slightly migrated toward SW during the observation period. The combustion process went on for about ten days, in spite of several other violent rainstorms, until it was artificially extinguished through the excavations made to obtain study trenches. This particular circumstance evidenced the potential natural hazard represented by this kind of atmospheric event, especially in a land where the volcanic nature of the soil may easily mislead inexperienced observers and, consequently, delay proper action.     

Composition and quality of coals in the Huaibei Coalfield, Anhui, China

The Huaibei Coalfield, Anhui Province, China, is one of the largest coalfields in China. The coals of Permian age are used mainly for power generation. Coal compositions and 47 trace elements of the No. 10 Coal of the Shanxi Formation, the No. 7, 5, and 4 Coals of the Lower Shihezi Formation, and the No. 3 Coal of the Upper Shihezi Formation from the Huaibei Coalfield were studied. The results indicate that the Huaibei coals have low ash, moisture, and sulfur contents, but high volatile matter and calorific value. The ash yield increases stratigraphically upwards, but the volatile matter and total sulfur contents show a slight decrease from the lower to upper seams. Magmatic intrusion into the No. 5 Coal resulted in high ash, volatile matter, and calorific value, but low moisture value in the coal. Among the studied 47 trace elements, Ba, Co, Cr, Cu, Hg, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sb, Th, U, V, and Zn are of environmental concerns. Four elements Hg, Mo, Zn, and Sb are clearly enriched in the coals as compared with the upper continental crust.     

地下矿产开采对天然气管道工程的安全影响评价

西气东输天然气管道工程途经兖州市,穿越杨庄、杨村、兴隆庄等煤矿矿区,压覆煤层埋深变化较大。该文采用预测法对各煤矿在不同开采条件下分煤层对管道运营安全的危害程度进行了评价分析。通过计算表明,煤矿开采埋深越浅,煤层越厚,对管道危害越严重。兴隆庄煤矿3煤层、杨村煤矿煤16t、煤17开采对管道影响强烈,杨庄煤矿煤16t、煤17开采对管道影响中等,兴隆庄煤矿煤16t、煤17开采对管道运营影响小。     

新鲜煤和氧化煤自燃倾向性的FTIR对比分析

利用傅立叶变换红外光谱（FTIR）分析技术,对乌达矿区低温氧化和新鲜煤样进行了红外光谱测试,通过两类煤样的特征官能团吸光度的对比分析．揭示了煤在氧化前后特征官能团的变化规律：氧化后的煤样中脂肪族和芳烃CH减少,酸酐C=O从无到有,芳烃骨架C=C基本不变,进而研究了其对煤自燃倾向性的影响。结果表明脂肪族和羟基含量越高,煤自燃倾向性越大。     

磷处理粉煤灰可作农业土壤磷源

粉煤灰(简称CCP或ash)具有改良土壤,增加植物产量的功能。此外,由于它特殊的多孔结构,也可用作吸纳并承载植物养分的载体。用NaH2PO4配制成含磷0.10mol/L浓度的溶液,对采自加拿大西安大略省Sarnia地区Lambton电厂的底灰(bottomash)进行振荡浸渍处理。结果表明,振荡浸渍66h后的粉煤灰中磷含量可达784×10-6。以磷处理粉煤灰、未进行磷处理的粉煤灰和石英砂按比例混合,作为基本生长介质进行玉米种植实验,其中实验配方设计为生长介质中含磷量分别为标准含磷浓度(50×10-6)的10%、25%、50%、75%和100%。生长26、34和46d后分别与不含磷的空白配方、施加含氮-磷-钾为0-20-0标准磷肥并控制磷含量为标准浓度(50×10-6)配方进行生物产量对比。生长实验结果表明,以磷处理粉煤灰供磷的生长介质,当含磷量为标准浓度的25%至100%时,其植物生长量就比添加标准浓度磷肥的配方好。种植46d后的生物生长量统计结果显示,含磷分别为标准浓度50%、75%和100%的实验介质中,玉米杆的鲜重较施标准磷肥介质中玉米分别增长39.46%、42.73%和46.13%;玉米杆干重依次增加29.71%、13.39%和28.87%;根鲜重平均增加16.62%;根干重平均增加14.03%。上述实验结果启示,粉煤灰可以很好地吸纳承载磷养分,并持续供给植物吸收生长,如果采用吸纳磷(或其他养分)的粉煤灰改良砂质土壤将有重要意义。     

Environmental records of carbonaceous fly-ash particles from fossil-fuel combustion

Analysis of fly-ash particles in lake sediments has become increasingly important in studies of environmental pollution and lake acidification history. Most fly-ash studies have concerned black spheroidal carbonaceous particles (SCP)(>5 m) produced from oil and coal combustion. This review paper provides a summary of this technique and its application, and focusses on our investigations in Sweden between 1979 and 1993. It consists of five parts: i) preparation and analysis methods, ii) historical trends in atmospheric deposition, iii) geographical surveys of atmospheric deposition, iv) sediment dating, and v) studies of sedimentation processes in lakes. Methods for preparation and analyses of SCP have been developed and applied to investigations using sediment, soil and snow samples. Stratigraphic trends of SCP concentrations in lake-sediment cores reflect the consumption history of fossil fuels. A characteristic temporal SCP pattern, with a marked concentration increase beginning after the 1940's and a peak in the early 1970's, has been recognized in most Swedish lakes and elsewhere in Europe. A survey of SCP concentrations in surface sediments of >100 lakes covering Sweden demonstrated that polluted areas in southern Sweden had >100 times higher SCP concentrations than clean areas in the north. The spatial distribution of SCP over Sweden is similar to the deposition pattern of long-range transported airborne pollutants, such as excess sulphate monitored by network stations. SCP also accumulate in soils, and soil analyses can be used for determining the integrated historical deposition of SCP at the local or regional scale. Finally, SCP have been used for indirect dating of sediment cores and as a marker to assess sediment distribution patterns within lake basins.     

含煤层地质环境下地震波场的数值模拟

本文对含低速煤层地质环境下弹性波场多波多分量地震资料进行了二维数值模拟研究,对人工边界反射进行了有效处理,频散效应得到了有效的压制,对几种不同激发与观测排列方式下的弹性波资料进行了模型计算与分析。