LNDCGLNCUS IIkLS]IIkLS DUL 1C SLLI nLA1ING ]

SCN1ANLCUS CCM8US1ICN
W C+C2 CC2+ heat (6SS90
0
C) Coa| undergoes s|ow
ox|dat|on on exposer to a|r at amb|ent temperature w|th the
evo|ut|on of heat gases and mo|sture
W 1he heat generated |f not d|ss|pated g|ve r|se to an
|ncrease |n temp of coa|
W kate of ox|dat|on |ncreases w|th the r|se |n temp If th|s |s
a||owed to proceed unchecked |t can eventua||y resu|t |n the
|gn|t|on of coa|
W 1h|s ox|dat|on process |s known as spontaneous
combust|on spontaneous heat|ng or se|f heat|ng
2C+C2 2CC+heat ( 100130
0
C)
W Spontaneous combust|on occurs when rate of heat
generat|on heat d|ss|pat|on
1h|s process occurs ma|n|y |n coa| because of the
adsorpt|on property of coa| It can occur w|th
su|ph|de ores a|so
W Sorpt|on process of tak|ng up of a substance by
the so||d
W Adsorpt|on phys|ca| process and accumu|at|on
occurs at the surface of so||d
W Absorpt|on chem|ca| process and un|form
penetrat|on occurs |n the bu|k of the so||d
Above mechan|sm of Spontaneous combust|on |s
based on coo/Oxyqen interoction theory

C
2

AdsorpLlon of C2 ln
coal
CnseL of CxldaLlon
PeaL LvoluLlon
PeaL
ulsslpaLed
no lurLher PeaLlng
?es
no
8lse ln Lemp of coal
lncrease ln 8aLe of CxldaLlon As 8aLe 1emperaLure
lurLher lncrease ln LemperaLure
1emp lgn Lemp
?es
CombusLlon of Coal
no
1heor|es put forward to understand mechan|sm
of spontaneous combust|on
1 yr|te 1heory
Coa| conta|ns pyr|te w|th concentrat|on some t|mes
12
2IeS2+7C2+16n2C 2n2SC4+2Ie SC47n2C+ 316
kca|]kg
It was ear||er suspected that ox|dat|on of pyr|te |s
the ma|n cause of spontaneous combust|on
8ut now |t |s estab||shed that pyr|te present |n coa|
m|ght ass|st |n ox|dat|on of coa| by
W 8reak|ng down coa| |nto sma|| fragements and expos|ng
|arge surface areas to the a|r
W 8y e|evat|ng the temp due to heat ||berated by |ts own
ox|dat|on
2 8acter|a| 1heory
neat|ng |n hay stacks and |n wood due to bacter|a| act|on
Lar||er though sp heat|ng |n coa| was due to bacter|a| act|on
Iurther research revea|ed bacter|a| act|on cou|d cause s||ght
heat|ng wh|ch may not p|ay s|gn|f|cant ro|e
3 neat|ng due to ground movement
Crush|ng of coa| under pressure of super|ncumbent strata may
at t|mes be source of heat|ng contr|but|ng to sp Comb
Sudden roof fa|| and resu|tant ad|abat|c compress|on of a|r
may a|so e|evate amb|ent temp
8ut |t has been observed that though the heat from crush|ng
wou|d contr|bute to spcomb the ox|dat|on of coa| |s more
|mportant factor
Crush|ng of coa| |ncreases surface area of coa| for ox|dat|on
mak|ng |t more potent|a| to se|f heat|ng
Now Coa|Cxygen |nteract|on theory |s un|versa||y accepted
CaLegorlsaLlon of coal for lLs llablllLy Lo
sponLaneous combusLlon
Ludy of Lhermal daLa crlLerla
Measurlng Lhe lowesL LemperaLure aL whlch Lhe
exoLhermlc reacLlon becomes self propellanL under
parLlcular seL of experlmenLal condlLlons
lrom measuremenL of relaLlve heaL producLlon durlng
coal oxldaLlon
MeLhods
1 Crosslng olnL 1emperaLure ueLermlnaLlon
2 Crosslng olnL 1emperaLure and lgnlLlon olnL
1emperaLure ueLermlnaLlon
3 u1A 1echnlque
4 AdlabaLlc CalorlmeLry
1 Crosslng olnL 1emperaLure ueLermlnaLlon
CrlLerla
1hls meLhod envlsages heaLlng coal samples ln an oxldlslng
aLmosphere aL a deflnlLely programmed raLe of LemperaLure rlse
1he lowesL LemperaLure aL whlch Lhe exoLhermlc reacLlon ln Lhe
coal bed can be observed Lo be selfpropellanL under Lhe
experlmenLal condlLlons has been Lermed as crlLlcal oxldaLlon
LemperaLure or crlLlcal lgnlLlon LemperaLure or slmply as Lhe
ctossloq polot of tbe cool coocetoeJ
Coals whlch are hlghly suscepLlble Lo sponLaneous heaLlng
would have lower values of crosslng polnL LemperaLures and Lhe
poorly suscepLlble coals have comparaLlvely hlgher values
o lL can also be deflned as Lhe LemperaLure aL whlch Lhe coal
LemperaLure crosses Lhe baLh LemperaLure
Iarlous experlmenLal Lechnlques and deslgns of apparaLus
have been used for Lhe deLermlnaLlon of crosslng polnL
LemperaLure
1he meLhod wldely adopLed prlor Lo 1994 ln lndla conslsL
of allowlng humld alr aL Lhe raLe of 80 ml/mln Lo pass
Lhrough a coalbed of 20 g ln a reacLor Lube and allowlng lL
Lo geL heaLed aL Lhe raLe of 5 Jeq c pet mlo lo a glycerlne
baLh
AfLer 1994 as per guldellnes of uCM Lhe parameLers were
modlfled as under
20 g of coal sample havlng a slze of 72 mesh + 200 mesh
placed ln a reacLor Lube
8aLe of heaLlng as 1 deg C/mln
8aLe of Cxygen flow 80 ml/mln
Crosslng olnL 1emp ueLermlnaLlon
CaLegorlsaLlon of coal by uCM based on C1
S N C1 Mo|sture content Category
1 C1 160
0
C and MolsLure conLenL 2 oorly uscepLlble Lo p
PeaLlng
2 C1 140160
0
C and
MolsLure conLenL 23
ModeraLely uscepLlble
3 C1 120140
0
C and
MolsLure conLenL 3
Plghly uscepLlble
t bos beeo obsetveJ tbot ctossloq polot tempetotote
values varles wlLh Lhe volaLlle maLLer oxygen
percenLage and Lhe molsLure conLenL of coal
1he crosslng polnL LemperaLure normally decreases wlLh
Lhe lncrease ln each of Lhese consLlLuenLs of coal
8uL beyond 33 I M 9 oxygen or 4 Lo 6 molsLure
conLenLLhere ls noL much change ln crosslng polnL
LemperaLure values (llgs)
ln facL above 4 Lo 6 molsLure conLenL ln coal (as
recelved basls) Lhe crosslng polnL LemperaLure values
show raLher a rlslng Lrend
W Jhen Lwo coal has same Crosslng polnL
1emperaLure Lhen
1he sample wlLh hlgher heaL evoluLlon raLe aL
Lhe crosslng polnL LemperaLure (le wlLh
larger slope) has obvlously much hlgher
suscepLlblllLy
W Pence Lhe above parameLer le Lhe raLe rlse
of LemperaLure aL Lhe crosslng polnL has also
Lo be Laken lnLo conslderaLlon besldes Lhe
values of crosslng polnL LemperaLures for
maklng coal caLegorlsaLlon
2 Crosslng olnL lgnlLlon LemperaLure ueLermlneLlon
ln order Lo obvlaLe Lhe above dlfflculLles lL ls suggesLed Lo conLlnue
Lhe crosslng polnL LemperaLure deLermlnaLlon uslng oxygen Lo pass
Lhrough Lhe coalbed Llll Lhe lgnlLlon (le bursLlng lnLo flame) of Lhe
coal bed ls reached
1he lgnlLlon LemperaLure ls Lhe mlnlmum LemperaLure from whlch
Lhe coal bed LemperaLure sLarLs shooLlng up almosL verLlcally
1he hlghly suscepLlble coals would obvlously have mlnlmum Llme
lag Lo reach Lhe lgnlLlon polnL afLer aLLalnlng Lhe crosslng polnL
LemperaLure
Pence suscepLlblllLy Lo sponLaneous heaLlng depends more on Lhls
Llme lag beLween crosslng polnL and lgnlLlon polnL LemperaLures
Lhan dependlng on Lhe value of Lhe crosslng polnL alone (llg 38)
8uL Lhe llmlLaLlon of Lhls meLhod ls LhaL Lhe
poorly suscepLlble coals or even of moderaLely
suscepLlble ones where LranslLlon Lo lgnlLlon
polnL ls noL sharplL becomes dlfflculL Lo plnpolnL
Lhe mlnlmum LemperaLure from whlch coalbed
LemperaLure sLarLs shooLlng upreachlng lgnlLlon
1hls affecLs accuracy of Lhe lgnlLlon LemperaLure
deLermlnaLlon and Lhereby ln dlsLlngulshlng
sponLaneous heaLlng suscepLlblllLy of dlfferenL
coals
u1A ML1PCu
1he raLe rlse of heaL evoluLlon of coal durlng aerlal oxldaLlon may be
compared uslng ulfferenLlal 1hermal AnalyLlcal (u1A) Lechnlque
1hls Lechnlque lnvolves heaLlng a small LesL speclmen aL a consLanL raLe
and conLlnuously recordlng Lhe lnsLanLaneous LermperaLure dlfference
%@% betweeo lt ooJ oo lJeotlcol beoteJ loett reference maLerlal as a
funcLlon of Lhe LemperaLure %@% ptevollloq ln Lhe lnerL medlum 1he
resulLanL Lhermogram a record of (@) agalnsL %@% wltb lts cbotoctetlstlc
beot cbooqes ooJ loteosltles deplcLs Lhe physlcal or chemlcal changes of
Lhe maLerlal aL Lhe parLlcular LemperaLure and ls a characLerlsLlc of Lhe
maLerlal used
1hls Lool can be used ln sLudylng varlous properLles of coal le Lhe
sponLaneous heaLlng suscepLlblllLy of coals
ln Lhls Lechnlque Lhe use of calclned alumlna ls used as Lhe reference
maLerlal Laklng nearly 06 g of coal of parLlcle slze72 8 mesh 1he
oxldlslng aLmosphere ls malnLalned by keeplng Lhe coal sample exposed Lo
alr ln a horlzonLal sampleholder 1he heaLlng raLe of 5

c/mlo wos
molotoloeJ Jotloq tbe expetlmeot
1here are Lhree sLages of LranslLlons ln Lhe u1A Lhermograms
carrled up Lo around 300C (llg 39)
ln Lhe lnlLlal sLage of heaLlng (sLage l) lL ls Lhe endoLhermlc
reacLlon LhaL predomlnaLes malnly from Lhe release of molsLure
from coal
1hls ls found Lo be followed by exoLhermlc reacLlon (supposed Lo
cover a number of concurrenL reacLlon) ln sLage ll of Lhe process
whlch ulLlmaLely leads Lo reacLlon of very hlgh exoLhermlclLy ln
sLage lll
1he raLe rlse ln heaL evoluLlon ln sLage ll ls observed Lo be much
lower for coals wlLh lower suscepLlblllLy Lo sponLaneous heaLlng
ln cases of poorly suscepLlble coals sLage ll ls dragged Lo a
conslderable range of LemperaLure delaylng Lhe lnlLlaLlon of sLage
lll 8uL once lnlLlaLed Lhe exoLhermlclLy ln sLage lll for even Lhe
poorly suscepLlble coals may be as hlgh as LhaL of hlghly suscepLlble
ones
1he crlLerla Lhus seL for caLegorlslng coals from u1A
sLudles are
(a) Lhe sharpness of Lhe slope of Lhermograms ln sLage ll
and
(b) Lhe LemperaLure of lnlLlaLlon of sLage I||
1he llmlLaLlon ln Lhe u1A meLhod ls Lhe dlfflculLy meL
ln obLalnlng Lhe repeaLablllLy of resulLs 1he sharpness
of Lhe peak even by malnLalnlng Lhe above procedure
may change wlLh a change of Lhe sampleholder Lhe
sample cell or even lf Lhe furnace ls replaced
1hus all experlmenLs lnvolved ln maklng Lhe
comparaLlve sLudles of coals are Lo he carrled ouL noL
only under slmllar experlmenLal condlLlons buL also
uslng Lhe same apparaLus
AdlabaLlc CalorlmeLrlc
AdlabaLlc Lype calorlmeLers have also been used
for coal caLegorlsaLlon measurlng heaL
evoluLlon durlng oxldaLlon process under
adlabaLlc condlLlons lL has been obsetveJ
ftom socb stoJles tbot llgnlLe and sub
blLumlnous coals have a much hlgher llablllLy
Lo sponLaneous heaLlng ln amblenL
LemperaLure Lhan blLumlnous coals
W 1he relaLlve effecLlveness of varlous addlLlves ln suppresslng Lhe
selfheaLlng process ln coal was evaluaLed ln an adlabaLlc heaLlng
oven 1he oven ls deslgned Lo mlnlmlze heaL losses from Lhe coal
sample durlng Lhe selfheaLlng sLage of Lhe LesL
W 1he sample ls conLalned ln a brass wlre mesh baskeL 76cm dlam
by 3 cm hlgh whlch ls enclosed ln a sLalnless sLeel assembly
reheaLed humldlfled alr enLers Lhe boLLom of Lhe assembly
passes Lhrough Lhe sample and exlLs aL Lhe Lop A sLalnless sLeel
cyllnder surrounded by a nlckelchromlum wlre reslsLance heaLer
serves as Lhe sample oven 1he cyllnder surrounds Lhe sample
assembly and ls aLLached Lo an lnsulaLed Lop cover ln whlch anoLher
reslsLanceLype heaLer wlred ln parallel Lo Lhe sample oven ls
locaLed
W 1he oven assembly ls conLalned ln a 13cmlu uewar flask LhaL ls
surrounded by a 3cm layer of lnsulaLlon ln whlch anoLher heaLer ls
embedded 1he apparaLus ls
W lnsLrumenLed Lo record sample and oven LemperaLures and C2 and
CC concenLraLlons of Lhe exlL gas sLream
W 8rlefly Lhe coal was flrsL pulverlzed and sleved 1he
mlnus 100 plus 2CC mesh(745 mlctoo% fracLlon of
Lhe coal was Lhen drled ln an oven aL 67
o
c wlLh a 2CC
cm3/mln flow of dry n
2
A 100 g sample was placed ln
Lhe adlabaLlc heaLlng oven and broughL Lo a
W preselecLed lnlLlal LemperaLure under a 2CC cm
3
/mln
flow of dry n
2

W 1he coal was Lhen exposed Lo a 2CC cm

3
/mln flow of
humldlfled alr
W A serles of LesLs were made each wlLh a fresh sample
ln 3 C lncremenLs unLll Lhe mlnlmum lnlLlal
LemperaLure LhaL produced a susLalned exoLhermlc
reacLlon or Lhermal runaway was deLermlned
W L|m|tat|ons
W 1hough a reasonably large number of meLhods have been Lrled for
caLegorlslng Lhe sponLaneous combusLlon suscepLlblllLy of coals
from varlous perspecLlves none of Lhe lndlvldual LesLs can Lake lnLo
accounL all Lhe parameLers responslble for sponLaneous combusLlon
(eg oxygen avldlLy heaL accumulaLlon chnracLerlsLlcs frlablllLy
sLaLe of weaLherlng of coal eLc) nor ls lL posslble Lo slmulaLe Lhe
underground condlLlons ln Lhe laboraLory
W lL ls Lherefore evldenL LhaL Lhe degree of llablllLy of a coal Lo
sponLaneous combusLlon cannoL be accuraLely deLermlned from a
slngle or even a group of LesLs
W lL may also be noLed LhaL Lhe onseL of sponLaneous combusLlon
depends noL only on Lhe properLles of coal buL also on Lhe exLernal
condlLlons caused due Lo mlnlng operaLlons lnfluenclng Lhe
accumulaLlon of heaL 1hus even lf Lhe lndexlng of sponLaneous
combusLlon suscepLlblllLy of coal ls made uslng Lhe LesLs clLed lL ls
apparenL LhaL Lhe resulLs would only compare Lhe behavlour of
dlfferenL coals under ldenLlcal heaL Lransfer condlLlons