Forecast of the Maximum Methane Concentration in the Longwall Outlet and in the Ventilation Roadway. Case Study

Abstract The mining process of the coal seam wall is accompanied by the release of methane into the mine atmosphere. This process is highly variable and depends on the methane content in the seam and the methane saturation of the rocks surrounding the seam. This is the specificity of the Polish hard coal mining industry. In the article, prognostic formulas for the maximum methane concentration at the outlet of the longwall ventilation gallery were developed. In the presented article, these formulas were used to predict methane concentration at the longwall outlet and in the ventilation gallery at a distance of up to 10 m in front of the longwall. In order to assess the accuracy of the forecasts, their results were compared with the forecast at the exit of the ventilation roadway. The obtained results are so accurate that it is worth repeating this type of check also using measurements in other longwalls. It will allow to reduce the risk of methane explosion during operation.