Effect of bifurcation in physicochemical parameters on outburst hazard of coal seams

Abstract

The paper considers interaction between gas-kinetic and physicochemical parameters in coal seams, which conditions coal and gas outbursts. The laboratory and field test data on interaction between geomechanical and physicochemical processes in coal seams are presented for various rank of coals from Kuzbass. The areas of higher coal and methane outburst hazard feature bifurcation in porosity, moisture content and methane absorption of coal from different operating mines in the Kuznetsk, Donets and Lvov–Volyn Basins. Bifurcation consists in the alteration of gradients of these values. At the bifurcation point of these parameters, a coal-and-methane seam can generate a disturbing gas-dynamic impulse sufficient for coal self-destruction. This property explains unexpected nature of coal and gas outbursts.

Keywords

• bifurcation
• outburst hazard
• coal
• absorption
• methane content
• moisture content
• porosity
• volatile yield
• langmuir equation