Grid study on methane diffusion law in confined space of working face

Abstract The layout of methane sensors in the working face cannot meet the needs for monitoring methane concentrations within confined spaces, and it is challenging to determine the precise locations for manual inspections. Therefore, the working face is firstly divided into different areas and grids. Then combined with the characteristics of methane emissions and the measured data on site, the boundary conditions of simulation experiments are set up and the research is carried out on the diffusion law of methane in the confined space of the working face under different conditions. The experimental results show that methane emission intensity from coal walls affects its distribution. As emission intensity rises, methane nearer the coal wall decreases, while methane further away increases. Among coal mining points, point 2 shows the widest methane diffusion range. Rising wind speeds decrease methane diffusion from the coal wall, increasing vertical diffusion distance. Methane from the coal wall shifts to the air inlet, while methane from the mining point diffuses increasingly to the downwind side. The location of the maximum methane concentration generated from falling coal and its transportation process is only related to the location of the coal mining point. The key areas for methane monitoring in confined spaces of the working face should be the overlapping locations of the vertical‐3 and vertical‐4 areas and the horizontal‐1 and horizontal‐3 areas. The key areas for manual inspection should be the overlapping locations of the vertical‐2 and vertical‐3 areas and the horizontal‐1 area.