On the Issue of the Influence of Interfacial Interactions on the Filtration Processes in Coal

Abstract

The features of gas-liquid fluid filtration processes in a coal mass are discussed and general patterns of mass transfer, extending previously known concepts, are established in the article. It indicates the degree of the influence of wettability, contact angle of wetting on filtration processes. It is assumed the coal-liquid-gas interfacial interactions when infusing the coal mass lead to the deformation of capillary pore space of coal, splitting, swelling and clogging of filter pores and capillaries. A comparison is made between the thermal effect and the effect of surfactants on the deformation processes of the capillary-porous structure of coal. Filtration processes are described by the gas-liquid fluid mass transfer equations. Coal-liquid-gas interfacial processes lead to a change in the state of the interacting phases, which leads to a change in both the filtration properties of the liquid and the filtration properties of a capillary pore space, which is especially characteristic of coal in relation to other rocks. Investigating the interfacial interactions when filtering in the laboratory, it is possible to determine the functions of the variation of the key coefficients in the mass transfer equations. On the basis of such studies, it is possible to predict the results of mass transfer in a coal mass being infused or degassed, as well as the change in the coal mass stress state.