Terahertz Measurement of Indicator Gas Emission From Coal Spontaneous Combustion at Low Temperature

Abstract

Coal spontaneous combustion is an extremely complicated physical and chemical changing process. In order to improve the indicator gases detection technology and coal spontaneous combustion monitoring, a novel forecast method for toxic gases emission from coal oxidation at low temperature is presented in this paper. The experiment system is setup combined with frequency-domain terahertz technology and coal temperature programming device. The concentration curves of carbon monoxide and sulphur dioxide gases from coal spontaneous combustion are estimated according to molecule terahertz spectra. The influences of coal rank and oxygen supply on coal spontaneous combustion characteristics are discussed. Both carbon monoxide and sulphur dioxide gases absorption spectra show the characteristic equi-spaced absorption peaks. Results demonstrate that under the condition of lean oxygen, there exists a critical oxygen concentration in the process of coal oxidation at low temperature. Comparing with Fourier infrared spectrum testing, the presented method is highly accurate and more sensitive, especially suitable for early-stage monitoring of the indicator gases produced by coal spontaneous combustion.