A study on the thermal behavior of coal gangue mountains under airflow influence based on MD and CFD simulations

Abstract

The long-term accumulation of coal gangue can lead to an increase in internal temperature. If the temperature becomes excessive, it can cause spontaneous combustion, posing serious environmental risks. The process is significantly influenced by external airflow. This study analyzes the thermodynamic properties and oxidation heat release rate of coal gangue samples through laboratory experiments. Subsequently, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations are used to investigate the mechanism of oxidation heat release during the heating process of coal gangue under varying oxygen supply conditions. Based on these findings, a coupled three-field model for the heating process of coal gangue mountains is developed. Using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) methods, transient simulations are conducted to analyze the internal thermal behavior of coal gangue mountains under the influence of external airflow, clarifying the risks of spontaneous combustion. The results indicate that after reaching T₂ (295.16 °C), coal gangue enters an accelerated oxidation phase, with an increased heat release rate, heightening the risk of spontaneous combustion. The oxidation heat release rate of coal gangue accelerates with rising temperature and oxygen concentration, entering a rapid reaction phase after 300 °C, with a sharp increase in reaction rate. Compared to N₂, coal gangue surfaces exhibit stronger adsorption of O₂, and temperature changes affect N₂ diffusion more sensitively (O₂ diffusion coefficient increases by 0.312 Å²/ps, N₂ diffusion coefficient increases by 0.334 Å²/ps). The isosteric heat of O₂ adsorption in coal gangue decreases significantly with increasing adsorption amount, and higher temperatures hinder competitive adsorption of O₂. The temperature in the deep and foot areas of the coal gangue mountains is lower, while the middle and upper areas near the slope surface exhibit higher temperatures, indicating a higher risk of spontaneous combustion in these regions. When environmental wind speed is too high or too low, both the internal temperature of the coal gangue mountains and the area of spontaneous combustion risk zones decrease. At a wind speed of 3 m/s, the spontaneous combustion risk zone reaches its maximum area of 73.47 m², but when the wind speed increases to 7 m/s, the risk area decreases to 65.72 m².