Experimental study on permeability characteristics of gas-containing raw coal under different stress conditions

Abstract

The present experimental study on permeability characteristics for raw coal under different stress states is implemented by applying the triaxial self-made ‘THM coupled with servo-controlled seepage apparatus for gas-containing coal’; the result indicates that the flow rate of gas in the coal sample gradually decreases with the nonlinear loading of axial pressure and increases with the nonlinear unloading of axial stress and confining pressure. The flow rate, axial stress and confining pressure curves all satisfy the negative exponential function relation. When the sample reaches the peak intensity, the sample will be destroyed and the stress will drop rapidly; then the flow rate of the sample will increase rapidly. At this stage, the flow rate and axial strain show an oblique ‘v' pattern. The flow rate of the coal sample increases nonlinearly with the increase of gas pressure; the relation curve between flow rate and gas pressure satisfies the power function relation. Under the same confining pressure and gas pressure conditions, the larger the axial stress, the smaller the flow rate of the coal sample. Under the same axial stress and gas pressure conditions, the flow rate of the coal sample will first decrease, but then increase as the confining pressure decreases. During the post-peak loading and unloading process, the flow rate of the coal sample will decrease with the loading of confining pressure but increase with the unloading of confining pressure, and there will be an increase in wave shape with the increase in axial strain. The flow rate of each loading and unloading confining pressure is higher than that of the previous loading and unloading confining pressure. At the post-peak stage, the relation curve between the flow rate of the coal sample and the confining pressure satisfies the power function relation in the process of loading and unloading confining pressure.