Application of chemical inhibitors on spontaneous heating of some Indian coal

Abstract

The Spontaneous combustion is a resultant of oxidation reaction that generally happens without an exterior heat source applied. The course alters the internal heat profile of the material, thus leading to an increase in temperature. Thus, the auto oxidation of generally leads to accumulation of heat energy in the coal, which if not decelerated lead to accidents like mine fire. The proper prediction, assessment of the spontaneous heating is very important, and serves as a very vital role in the whole mining industry. The need for prediction, assessment and suppression of the spontaneous heating of coal is important for the efficient working and better production of the mine. Thus the suppression of spontaneous plays an important role in welfare of the mine and workers. For the suppression of the spontaneous combustion, the inhibitors can be applied on surface of the coal. The complex nature of the coal makes the selection of the chemical inhibitor a difficult task. Selecting a particular inhibitor from the set of chemical available, to perform the task of retardation of the spontaneous heating tendency, requires a tedious set of experiments to be done.