The Prediction of and Protection against Coal Spontaneous Combustion In Longwall Gobs

Spontaneous combustion (SponCom) has long been a major safety concern in longwall gobs. The main focus of this thesis is to better understand the mechanism of SponCom through combustion experiment using a newly developed testing method, which overcame the drawbacks of previous testing methods, and also to verify the combustion theory proposed in this thesis. In the end, firefighting methods based on study results and case studies were discussed to provide a comprehensive strategy for detection, prevention and protection of a potential SponCom.