Influence of air supply on coal spontaneous combustion during support withdrawal in fully mechanized coal mining and its prevention

Abstract It is necessary to change the air supply rate of the working face during the withdrawal of fully mechanized mining, making it important to study the oxidation characteristics of coal samples under different air supply rates. Through a self-made temperature-programmed experimental device, our focus was on studying the change laws of indicator gases released during the low-temperature (303.15–473.15 K) oxidation stage when the air supply rates of the coal samples were 0.67, 1.33, 2, 2.67, and 3.33 mL/s. The experimental results showed that the air supply increased, the concentrations of CO, C 2 H 6 , C 3 H 8 , C 2 H 4 , and C 2 H 2 generated by the coal sample at the same temperature decreased, and the oxidation process decelerated. The initial temperatures of the four hydrocarbon gases were delayed to varying degrees with the increase in the air volume, and C 2 H 4 was found to be more suitable as a hydrocarbon gas for the early warning of coal spontaneous combustion. Surface fitting was applied to analyze the change law of the CO generation rate under the combined effect of temperature and air supply; the change was divided into three stages. The CO concentration model at the upper corner of the working face during the withdrawal period was deduced, and comprehensive safety measures were put forward to prevent coal spontaneous combustion during the withdrawal period.