Title: Means of protecting materials from spontaneous coal combustion: current developments, mechanisms, classifications, and prospects

Authors: Zhian Huang; Shanlin Xiao; Wei Lu; Yukun Gao; Yinghua Zhang; Hui Wang

Addresses: State Key Laboratory of High-Efficient Mining and Safety of Metal Mines, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Ministry of Education, Beijing, 10083, China; Work Safety Key Lab on Prevention and Control of Gas and Roof Disasters for Southern Coal Mines, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan, 411201, China; School of Civil and Resource Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, 10083, China ' State Key Laboratory of High-Efficient Mining and Safety of Metal Mines, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Ministry of Education, Beijing, 10083, China; School of Civil and Resource Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, 10083, China ' College of Mining and Safety Engineering, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266590, China ' State Key Laboratory of High-Efficient Mining and Safety of Metal Mines, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Ministry of Education, Beijing, 10083, China; School of Civil and Resource Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, 10083, China ' State Key Laboratory of High-Efficient Mining and Safety of Metal Mines, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Ministry of Education, Beijing, 10083, China; School of Civil and Resource Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, 10083, China ' State Key Laboratory of High-Efficient Mining and Safety of Metal Mines, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Ministry of Education, Beijing, 10083, China; School of Civil and Resource Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, 10083, China

Abstract: Spontaneous coal combustion poses serious threats to the world and especially to China, the world's largest coal producer and user. Apart from spurring monetary losses in national exchequers and resource losses for countries, spontaneous coal combustion results in a loss of life, which cannot be measured based on costs. Innumerable researchers and scholars in China and abroad have paid considerable attention to studying means of protecting materials from spontaneous coal combustion. A variety of materials that prevent spontaneous coal combustion have been developed. The goal of this paper is reveal the academic literature on spontaneous coal combustion. In this comprehensive review, mechanisms of spontaneous coal combustion, research findings and advantages and shortcomings of materials that prevent spontaneous coal combustion are explored. In view of different coal mining conditions and material properties, materials that prevent spontaneous coal combustion are classified in accordance with material phases. The development of various coal fire extinguishing materials is discussed. Our comprehensive review can thus be used to prevent and control spontaneous coal combustion and to curtail the currently frequent disasters resulting from spontaneous coal combustion.

Keywords: spontaneous coal combustion; damage; materials; mechanism; research status; criteria.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMSI.2018.093906

International Journal of Materials and Structural Integrity, 2018 Vol.12 No.1/2/3, pp.125 - 150

Received: 20 Nov 2017
Accepted: 16 Apr 2018
Published online: 08 Aug 2018 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article