Research on N(2)-inhibitor-water mist fire prevention and extinguishing technology and equipment in coal mine goaf

In this study, a new type of N(2)-inhibitor-water mist (NIWM) technology was proposed to resolve the problem of fire prevention and extinguishing in the goaf of coal mine. The corresponding equipment was designed and manufactured. Under the condition that both gas pressure and liquid pressure were 0.5–2MPa, the NIWM equipment produced the water mist with Sauter mean diameter (SMD) range of 166–265μm. The experimental results of the operating parameters of NIWM equipment were in agreement with the theoretical derivation. The theory of two-phase flow atomisation can be used as theoretical guide for this technology. After that, on the basis of the NIWM equipment, the experiments of inhibiting low temperature (30–100°C) oxidation and extinguishing high temperature combustion of large dosage of coal sample were carried out. Water mist with SMD = 188μm had good diffusivity in the container. The inhibiting effect of N(2)-inhibitor-water mist on low temperature oxidation of coal was obviously greater than that of single material. N(2)-water mist extinguished the burning coal completely in 20 minutes. The addition of water mist solved the shortcoming of poor cooling effect of N(2). In different stages of coal-oxygen reaction, N(2), inhibitor and water mist play very different role in controlling the process of coal-oxygen reaction, which was not simple accumulation of the three. The combination of N(2), inhibitor and water mist should be determined according to the state of the coal mine goaf fire. On the basis of the research conclusions, the onsite arrangement diagram of the NIWM fire prevention and extinguishing equipment in the goaf was designed. The research results proved the feasibility and effectiveness of this technology, and it is of great significance to the prevention and control of coal spontaneous combustion in goaf.