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Progress and Challenges in Coal Mining

A special issue of Energies (ISSN 1996-1073). This special issue belongs to the section "H3: Fossil".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 May 2024) | Viewed by 6087

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
School of Mines, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221008, China
Interests: green mining; rock mechanics; mine water

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Guest Editor
School of Geology and Mining Engineering, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, China
Interests: mining engineering

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Guest Editor
School of Mines, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221008, China
Interests: underground mining; green mining; mine planning
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Advanced mining technology is the core power driving the high-quality development of coal industry. In recent years, a series of strategic and cutting-edge technical problems have been solved, which mainly cover the fields of green coal mining, intelligent mining, mine disaster prevention, and so on, has effectively promoted the technical level of the coal mining.

Coal mining has always been regarded as a labor-intensive industry with high risks in safety and severe impact on the ecological environment. In recent years, various significant theoretical and technological developments have been achieved in the fields of roadway driving and support, intelligent mining, water-protective mining, backfill mining, mine gas drainage, mine disaster prevention and control, especially with the introduction of information technology and ecological environment protection technology. Advanced mining technologies have essentially changed the understanding of past coal mines as high labor intensity, poor working environment and severe danger of workers.

This special issue aims to feature the latest scientific and technical developments, and perspectives on coal mining technology. This special issue welcomes review articles, research articles, and technical notes, including experimental studies, model and algorithm innovations, analytical and numerical analyses, case studies, etc.

Topics of interest for publication include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Mine design
  • Digital mine
  • Rapid roadway driving and intellectualization
  • Roof support
  • Modern coal winning, automatic and intellectualized
  • Water-protective mining
  • Backfill mining
  • Mine gas drainage
  • Coal dust control
  • Subsidence control
  • Mine disaster prevention
  • Underground mine space utilization

Prof. Dr. Gangwei Fan
Dr. Honglin Liu
Dr. Dongsheng Zhang
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • digital mine
  • modern coal winning
  • backfill mining
  • mine gas drainage
  • mine disaster prevention
  • underground mine
 
 

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

21 pages, 9793 KiB  
Article
Limitations of Upper Protective Layers as Pressure Relief Measures for Extra-Thick Coal Seam Mining: Insights from a Case Study
by Yanjiang Chai, Linming Dou, Jiang He, Xiaotao Ma, Fangzhou Lu and Hu He
Energies 2024, 17(6), 1446; https://doi.org/10.3390/en17061446 - 17 Mar 2024
Viewed by 852
Abstract
Upper protective layer (UPL) mining is extensively utilised as a pressure relief strategy to prevent outbursts and coal bursts. However, when the excavation height of the protected layer is substantial, the depressurisation efficacy of the protective layer may be diminished. This paper takes [...] Read more.
Upper protective layer (UPL) mining is extensively utilised as a pressure relief strategy to prevent outbursts and coal bursts. However, when the excavation height of the protected layer is substantial, the depressurisation efficacy of the protective layer may be diminished. This paper takes the Haishiwan coal mine in China as a case study and explores the stress evolution and influencing factors in the mining of extra-thick coal seam beneath the protective layer through theoretical analysis, numerical simulation, and field observation. The results indicate that increasing the excavation height of the coal seam will lead to the upward development of the collapse zone in the overburden of the goaf, with the “masonry beam” structure formed at a higher position by key strata blocks. The overburden above the masonry beam will be supported by the coal rock masse on both sides of the structure, leading to increased stress on the coal seam near the goaf and eliminating the depressurisation effect of the protective layer. Numerical simulation shows that factors such as faults, protective layers, interlayer spacing, and the height of coal seam excavation significantly affect the stress distribution in the protected layer. With the increase in interlayer spacing and the thickness of coal seam extraction, the stress reduction phenomenon of the UPL gradually decreases, especially with an abnormal stress concentration of the gob-side coal seam. Observations of Surface subsidence and the distribution of mining-induced seismic events corroborate the conclusions of theoretical analysis and numerical simulations. The results offer valuable guidance for the mining of extra-thick coal seams and the selection of the UPL. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Progress and Challenges in Coal Mining)
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16 pages, 4908 KiB  
Article
Study of the Oxidation Characteristics and CO Production Mechanism of Low-Rank Coal Goaf
by Lei Li, Ting Ren, Xiaoxing Zhong and Jiantao Wang
Energies 2023, 16(8), 3311; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16083311 - 7 Apr 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1373
Abstract
Affected by an insufficient understanding of oxidation characteristics and the CO production mechanism in low-rank coal goaf, the safety management of coal spontaneous combustion (CSC) faces severe challenges. In this study, in-depth research was conducted using ambient temperature oxidation (ATO), temperature-programmed, in situ [...] Read more.
Affected by an insufficient understanding of oxidation characteristics and the CO production mechanism in low-rank coal goaf, the safety management of coal spontaneous combustion (CSC) faces severe challenges. In this study, in-depth research was conducted using ambient temperature oxidation (ATO), temperature-programmed, in situ FTIR experiments and DFT simulation after analyzing the oxidation scenario characteristics of low-metamorphic coal goaf. The results show the oxidation of low-rank coal goaf includes two processes of ATO in the dissipation zone and CSC in the oxidation zone. The CO production of ATO increases with a decrease in coal metamorphic degree, and the risk of CSC is influenced by ATO, with an inhibitory effect before the critical temperature, and an encouraging effect after that. The CO production mechanism of low metamorphic coal goaf from ATO to CSC is established. Before the critical temperature, CO mainly comes from the primary aldehyde functional groups, then peroxide-free radicals participate in the reaction, resulting in the production of a large number of secondary aldehyde functional groups, which leads to the sudden change in CO output. The problem of the abnormal, continuous exceedance of CO in the tailgate corner can be solved by developing an ATO inhibitor, which plays an inhibiting role at ambient temperature and decomposes in the event of CSC. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Progress and Challenges in Coal Mining)
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17 pages, 7591 KiB  
Article
A Study on the Deformation Mechanism of the Rock Surrounding a Weakly Cemented Cross-Layer Roadway, under Tectonic Stress
by Haijun Yu, Honglin Liu, Yang Xia, Mingcun Zhang, Yinjian Hang and Wenjie Luo
Energies 2023, 16(6), 2546; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16062546 - 8 Mar 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1385
Abstract
Maintaining the stability of the surrounding rock is an important prerequisite in ensuring the safe and efficient construction of underground mines—in particular, the surrounding rock of the cross-layer roadway, which is a combination of different media with different lithologies. Numerical models were established [...] Read more.
Maintaining the stability of the surrounding rock is an important prerequisite in ensuring the safe and efficient construction of underground mines—in particular, the surrounding rock of the cross-layer roadway, which is a combination of different media with different lithologies. Numerical models were established to investigate the effects of the different lateral pressure coefficients (λ), the angle (α) between the roadway and the maximum horizontal principal stress, and typical lithological combinations on the deformation of the surrounding rock of weakly cemented roadways. The main outcomes obtained from our research indicated the following: (1) under the action of tectonic stress, the focus should be on strengthening the roof of the roadway support of the slab, which is conducive to the stability of the surrounding rock; (2) roadway deformation and failure for the cases λ < 1.5 are approximately symmetrically distributed, whereas those for the cases λ > 1.5 are asymmetric; (3) roadway deformation and failure for the cases α < 45° are approximately symmetrically distributed, whereas those for the cases α > 45° are asymmetric; (4) tectonic stress has an important influence on stress redistribution, deformability, and damage in cross-layer roadways; and (5) when excavating cross-layer roadways under the action of tectonic stress, the concentrated stress around the end of the working face (especially the bottom corner) should be reduced. The research results provide insights for the roadway layout through coal seam and cross-layer excavation and deepen the understanding of the deformation mechanism of weakly cemented cross-layer roadway under tectonic stress. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Progress and Challenges in Coal Mining)
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21 pages, 7498 KiB  
Article
Retracement Ground Pressure Appearance and Control of the Working Face under the Overlying Residual Pillar: A Case Study
by Yongqiang Zhang, Xiangyu Wang, Feiteng Zhang, Menglong Li, Guanghui Wang, Dingchao Chen, Guanjun Li and Xiangqian Zhao
Energies 2023, 16(4), 1701; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16041701 - 8 Feb 2023
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1195
Abstract
On the working face below shallow and close coal seams, there are residual pillars. The mine’s ability to operate safely is constrained by the coal pillars’ vulnerability to sudden instability and powerful ground pressure disasters during withdrawal. This paper uses the 31,106 working [...] Read more.
On the working face below shallow and close coal seams, there are residual pillars. The mine’s ability to operate safely is constrained by the coal pillars’ vulnerability to sudden instability and powerful ground pressure disasters during withdrawal. This paper uses the 31,106 working face of the Huoluowan coal mine as its research backdrop and employs field observation, theoretical analysis, and numerical simulation to examine the strong dynamic load mechanism of the overlying coal pillars. According to the analysis, the residual pillar’s stress diffusion angle is 29 degrees after mining the working face above it, which has an impact on the main roof’s stability above the working face’s retracement roadway. The main roof is impacted by the excavation disturbance and the remaining pillars during the working face’s final mining phase, displaying a complex stress superposition state. The retracement roadway is significantly deformed as a result of the plastic zone of the surrounding rock changing from small-scale damage to extensive damage. The proposed “hydraulic roof cutting + reinforcement support” prevention technology is based on the prevention idea of weakening important rock strata, changing the stress transmission path, and strengthening adjacent rock. Field testing shows how hydraulic fracturing reinforces the roof structure, lessens the heavy dynamic load on the supporting pillars of overlying residual coal, reduces rock deformation in the retracement roadway, and ensures the stability of the working face during withdrawal. The study’s findings are significant for the secure removal of a working face under similar circumstances. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Progress and Challenges in Coal Mining)
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