Simulation of a Maximum Storage Amount of Coal for Preventing Spontaneous Combustion and Degradation in Quality [Translated]†

Abstract

The temperature rise curve due to the natural oxidation of a coal deposit was numerically simulated for a coal bed having a ‘spherical’ geometry. The maximum temperature occurred at the center of the bed when oxygen was fully supplied within the bed and near the surface when oxygen decreased due to the process of the reaction. The rate of temperature rise was significantly affected by the activation energy and frequency factor of the coal Furthermore, the measurement of the moisture adsorbed on the oxidized coal samples showed that the loss in mass due to oxidation increased remarkably at temperatures above 120ºC. In assuming the limiting temperature in coal storage to be 120ºC, a maximum allowable amount of coal storage was estimated for various kinds of coal under the conditions of neither spontaneous combustion nor significant loss in mass.† This report was originally printed in J. Soc. Powder Technology, Japan, 25(7), 437-442 (1988) in Japanese, before being translated into English by KONA Editorial Committee with the permission of the editorial committee of the Soc. Powder Technology, Japan.