STUDY OF

CHARACTERISTICS OF
FIRE DAMP EXPLOSION
NATIONAL INSTITUETE OF TECHNOLOGY RAIPUR (C.G.)

RAVI KUMAR MINING 19121906

TABLE OF CONTENT
1. Introduction 1
2. What is Firedamp? 2
3. Ignition point or ignition temperature 2
4. Ignition Lag 3
5. Firedamp Explosion Characteristics
5.1 Flame Temperature 4
5.2 Explosion Pressure 5
5.3 Flame Length 5
5.4 Velocity of propagation of flame 6
5.5 Direct blast and Backlash 6
5.6 Explosion Gases 7
6. Conclusion 7
7. Reference 8
INTRODUCTION:
The continual drop in fatalities Firedamp is actually the mixture of
caused by firedamp explosions in natural gas emanating from the
coal mines attests to the strata of mines specially from coal
preventative procedures that have mines. These gas mixtures are
been established to reduce this mainly consist of methane and in
ever-present threat. Explosion is small quantity of ethane and
the sudden process of combustion ethylene that is why firedamp is
with greater intensity. During this a sometimes taken as methane.
lot of heat energy released and s When we study about the firedamp
higher pressure developed. The explosion, we mainly focus on the
original gas is methane and solid characteristics of firedamp
substance like coal is converted into explosion which include the Flame
gaseous state. Mine explosions are temperature, Explosion pressure,
generally regarded as a serious and Flame length, Velocity of
constant hazards in underground propagation of flame or flame
coal mines. Mine explosion is velocity, Direct blast and backlash,
generally done with the help of Explosion gases.
firedamp and coal dust ignition.

Img. 1.1 firedamp explosion

WHAT IS FIREDAMP?
In coal mines, firedamp is a flammable gas. It's a term used to describe a
variety of combustible gases, including coalbed methane. It's most common in
locations where the coal is bituminous. The gas collects in pockets in the coal
and neighbouring strata, and when these pockets are breached, the gas can be
released, resulting in explosions. If such a pocket was severely pressured in the
past, it was referred to as a "bag of foulness."
Methane is a by-product of the coalification process, which turns vegetative
matter into coal. It may be found in the coal seam in both an adsorbed and
compressed condition, sticking to the internal micropore surface of the coal
matrix. It's also found in nearby layers that have been crushed by the rock's
fracture structure.
When the seam is mined, the equilibrium that existed in the coal seam and
surrounding strata under the confining pressure is disrupted, and gas is
expelled from both the seam being mined and the nearby strata, creating a
major threat unless enough air is cycled through the mine. The reaction by
which the explosion happen is :

CH4 + 2(O2 + 4N2)  CO2 + 2H20+ 8N2

Ignition point or ignition temperature

• It is the lowest temperature to which a portion of the mixture must be
heated in order to start or produce a fast accelerating reaction in the entire
accumulation with flame.
• It does not refer to the temperature of the ignition source, which must be
significantly greater.
• Pure methane in oxygen has an ignition point of 550°C, while flammable
firedamp – air mixtures have an ignition point of 650°C to 750°C.

Ignition lag:
When fire damp comes into touch with an igniting source that is a bit over its
ignition point, it must wait a certain amount of time before it is ignited.
Ignition lag is the term for this time period.
The latency between a 6.5 percent methane–air mixture and a heat source was
calculated to be 11 seconds at 700°C and only 0.1 second at 1175°C.
Firedamp Explosion characteristics
• Flame temperature
• Explosion pressure
• Flame length
• Velocity of propagation of flame or flame velocity
• Direct blast and backlash
• Explosion gases.

Flame Temperature:
It's the temperature of the firedamp-air combination shortly before it
explodes. the more the temperature will the more damage it can cause in the
mines. A flammable firedamp-air mixture's flame temperature is the
temperature right before it explodes. The amount of firedamp in the mixture,
its homogeneity, turbulence, confinement, and heat losses all have a role. It is
highest at the stoichiometric concentration and lowest and highest flammable
limits, respectively.
It depends on:
-concentration of firedamp - directly proportional to concentration of
flammable gases in the mine.
-uniformity of the mixture – as the mixture is uniformly distributed in the
mines then it will burn uniformly leading the continuous increment in the
temperature of the flame.
-turbulence – turbulence means the uneven motion of the gas as they moves
randomly that creates a much heat or assist the heat of flame.
-confinement – the less space is there in the gas chamber or area that will
create a pressure in that area and it will increase the flame temperature.
-heat losses – it is inversely proportional to flame temperature.

Explosion Pressure:
The flame temperature and confinement affect the explosion pressure. When
a methane-air combination (760 mm Hg, 20°C) is ignited in a closed vessel, the
maximum Explosion pressure is given as However, the explosion pressure in
mine workings may surpass this. A methane-air combination ignited in a closed
vessel has a maximum explosion pressure of 7.2 bar (760 mm Hg, 20°C).
However, explosion pressure in mine workings may be higher. A shock wave
moves ahead of the explosion flame, compressing any accumulated firedamp
to a pressure greater than one bar. This has now accumulated to a level of over
7.2 bar.

Flame Length:
As the gas concentration in a gas zone grows from the lower limit of
flammability to around 12%, the duration of the flame increases, then drops.
the limited data indicate that the length of the flame is directly proportional.
Total flame length is four-and-a-half times the length of the gas zone for 9.5
percent mixes and five times the length for 12 percent mixtures for a certain
highway cross-section.

Velocity of propagation of flame or flame velocity:

The velocity of propagation of a firedamp explosion flame is very small. As the
gases keep moving but very slowly inside the area of explosion that makes the
progress of the gases inside the chamber sticky and that create the
propagation of the flame very less. This property doesn’t have much impact on
the study of the characteristics of the firedamp explosion in the mines.
It depends upon the following factor :

(1)Methane content of mine air

The velocity of flame propagation increases with increasing firedamp content
from the lower flammable limit upwards. After reaching the maximum value at
the optimum concentration, the velocity decreases.

(2)Condition of the gas mixture,

whether it is at rest or in motion In quiescent mixtures in tubes, the maximum
velocity of propagation is not greater than 0.6 m/s. On the other hand, when
the gas mixture is in motion, the velocity may quickly increase to a few
hundreds of metres per second.

(3)Point of ignition
effects velocity of propagation at the close end of a roadway----maximum
damage at the outbye end of the roadway----rapid burning, less damage
(4)Length of gas zone
Experiments shows that the velocity of flame propagation of a gas explosion
increases from zero at the point of ignition to a maximum distance of about
twice that of the original length of the gas body. The maximum flame velocity
for the 7.5 m zone is about 99 m/s and that for the 15 m zone is 533 m/s .

Direct blast and backlash:

Direct blast and indirect blast or backlash characterise a firedamp
explosion.
A large, fast-moving pressure wave moves ahead of the explosion
flame in the case of a direct blast. Backlash, on the other hand, is
formed by a vacuum created by the cooling of explosive gases and
condensation of water vapour, and has a lower strength than direct
blasts but follows the same course backwards. There are two types
of explosion flames that occur when methane concentration is
greater than 9.5 percent: primary flame and secondary flame.
The main flame spreads faster and consumes all of the oxygen
available. The secondary flame burns unburned gases with the aid of
oxygen supplied by the backlash in the opposite direction.

Explosion gases:
Whether a firedamp explosion is a pure firedamp explosion or a
combined explosion of firedamp and coaldust, the chemical makeup
of the products varies substantially. Carbon dioxide is always created
in a pure firedamp explosion, while carbon monoxide is usually
detected. Due to fresh air provided by backlash, a small quantity of
oxygen is also discovered, although carbon dioxide is commonly
found in a mixed explosion.

CONCLUSION
The gradual decrease in fatalities caused by firedamp explosions in coal mines
attests to the preventative procedures that have been established to mitigate
this ever-present threat. The authors have condensed an account of the
properties of firedamp, its possible means of ignition in a mine, and how the
risk of explosion can be reduced through the design, maintenance, and testing
of apparatus used in coal mines, based largely on papers published by the
Safety in Mines Research Board in recent years. When fire damp comes into
touch with an igniting source whose temperature is a bit over its ignition point,
it must wait a certain amount of time before it is ignited. Ignition lag is the
term for this time period. The primary flame spreads quickly and consumes all
available oxygen. With the help of oxygen provided by the backlash in the
opposite direction, the secondary flame consumes unburned gases. A firedamp
explosion flame has an extremely slow propagation velocity. Because the gases
inside the explosion region continue to move slowly, the movement of the
gases inside the chamber becomes sticky, limiting the spread of the flame.
REFERENCE:
1. https://mineportal.in/blog/blog_details.php?
id=198&s=firedamp-explosion-and-its-characteristics
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Firedamp
3. Firedamp(1988) by J.Kyle Johnson
4. https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/materials-
science/firedamp