Pore structure characteristics and fractal structure evaluation of medium- and high-rank coal

• Published in: Energy exploration & exploitation Vol. 40; no. 1; pp. 328 - 342
• Main Authors: Yuan, Yuan, Cai, Feng, Yang, Lingling
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London, England SAGE Publications 01-01-2022; Sage Publications Ltd; SAGE Publishing
• Subjects: Adsorption; Briquets; Coal; Desorption; Evaluation; Fractal analysis; Fractal geometry; Fractals; Liquid nitrogen; Low temperature; Pore size; Pore size distribution; specific surface area; experiment of liquid nitrogen; fractal structure; Coal; pore structure characterization; adsorption and desorption
• ISSN: 0144-5987; 2048-4054
• DOI: 10.1177/01445987211034315

The presence of gas content in medium- and high-rank coal poses a threat to safety production. Safe gas extraction is based on a correct understanding of the pore structure of coal. This work investigates the pore structure characteristics of medium- and high-rank coal and evaluates their fractal structure. The coal samples were collected from Huainan Coalfield and Qinshui Coalfield, and divided into four types, according to the difference in surface bright characteristics. Through adopting low-temperature liquid nitrogen adsorption and desorption, and applying Kelvin equation, we obtain the main pore structure types and main pore size distribution characteristics of various coal briquettes. Electron microscope scanning structure and scientific analysis were used for special adsorption and desorption curves and hysteresis to find the dynamic reason. According to the different adsorption mechanism and Frenkel–Halsey–Hill-based model, with P/P0 = 0.4 as the dividing point of fractal dimension analysis, the pore structure of coal samples is classified into five grades. The fractal evaluation results are consistent with the results of curve analysis and pore size analysis.