Numerical simulations for coupled rock deformation and gas leak flow in parallel coal seams

Based on the new viewpoint of interaction mechanics for solid and gas, gas leakage in parallel deformable coal seams can be understood. That is, under the action of varied geophysical fields, the methane gas flow in a double deformable coal seam can be essentially considered to be compressible with time-dependent and mixed permeation and diffusion through a pore-cleat deformable, heterogeneous and anisotropic medium. From this new viewpoint, coupled mathematical models for coal seam deformation and gas leak flow in parallel coal seams were formulated and the numerical simulations for slow gas emission from the parallel coal seams are presented. It is found that coupled models might be close to reality. Meanwhile, a coupled model for solid deformation and gas leak flow can be applied to the problems of gas leak flow including mining engineering, gas drainage engineering and mining safety engineering in particular the prediction of the safe range using protective layer mining where coal and gas outbursts can efficiently be prevented. © 2004 Kluwer Academic Publisher.