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Thermodynamic Characteristics and Kinetic Mechanism of Bituminous Coal in Low-Oxygen Environments

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Abstract

Coal is a crucial energy source globally, but it poses environmental challenges due to high temperatures and harmful missions during combustion. This study investigates bituminous coal's oxidation combustion in low-oxygen environments using thermogravimetry and differential thermogravimetry tests. We explore the thermal behavior and kinetic properties of three coal samples during combustion. Our findings reveal that, as oxygen concentration decreases, the combined combustion index of the coal samples also decreases during the oxygen-absorption stage. Additionally, the apparent activation energy of coal increases with its conversion rate (temperature). We observe a shift in the reaction mechanism from three-dimensional dissipation mode to two-dimensional as the oxygen concentration decreases. Notably, the activation energy initially rises and then decreases with increasing conversion (temperature) during the pyrolysis combustion stage, with a shortened phase of increased activation energy at lower oxygen concentrations. Furthermore, the kinetic mechanism transitions from stochastic nucleation and growth to one-dimensional phase-boundary mode with decreasing oxygen concentration. These insights enhance our understanding of coal oxidation combustion in low-oxygen environments, contributing to strategies for mitigating coal spontaneous combustion.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 5210-4217 and 5220-4238), the Youth Innovation Team of Shaanxi Universities, China (No. 23JP088), Natural Science Basic Research Program of Shaanxi Province (No. 2021JC-48), and Science and Technology Program of YuLin High Tech Industrial Development Zone (Grant No. ZD-2021-05).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Safety Science and Engineering, Xi’an University of Science and Technology (XUST), 58, Yanta Mid. Rd., Xi’an, 710054, Shaanxi, People’s Republic of China

    LiFeng Ren, Fan Tao, TengFei Weng, QingWei Li, Xin Yu, XiaoWei Zhai & Teng Ma

  2. Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Coal Fire, 58, Yanta Mid. Rd., Xi’an, 710054, Shaanxi, People’s Republic of China

    LiFeng Ren, Fan Tao, TengFei Weng, QingWei Li, Xin Yu, XiaoWei Zhai & Teng Ma

  3. Mine Emergency Rescue Innovation Team, The Youth Innovation Team of Shaanxi Universities, Xi’an, 710054, Shaanxi, People’s Republic of China

    LiFeng Ren, QingWei Li, XiaoWei Zhai & Teng Ma

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  1. LiFeng Ren
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  2. Fan Tao
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  3. TengFei Weng
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Correspondence to QingWei Li.

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Ren, L., Tao, F., Weng, T. et al. Thermodynamic Characteristics and Kinetic Mechanism of Bituminous Coal in Low-Oxygen Environments. Nat Resour Res (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11053-024-10352-2

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