Highwall mining of thick,steeply dipping coal–A case study in geotechnical design and recovery optimization

Highwall mining of thick(up to 30.48 m) steeply dipping(20° or more) coal seams provides many chal lenges, both geotechnically and operationally, as seam dips near or in excess of highwall mining machine capabilities are encountered. Maximizing coal recovery while maintaining highwall stability requires innovative techniques with regard to web and barrier pillar layout, depth of penetration, and choice of mining horizon within the seam. Stability of highwall mining slopes, openings, and pillarsare typically analyzed using the ARMPS-HWM program, as well as LAMODEL, UDEC and SLOPE/W modeling.Highwall stability can be maintained, and highwall mining production optimized by applying design cri-teria in creative ways, including alternating miner penetration depths and initiating mining of thick seams toward the bottom of the seam. Highwall mining of thick, steeply dipping coal requires careful planning and execution, including close cooperation between geotechnical design engineers, the mining company, and the highwall mining contractor. This paper describes the application of creative design techniques to a specific pit arrangement at the Westmoreland Kemmerer Mine, Kemmerer,Wyoming. Highwall mining was accomplished by UGM ADDCAR Systems, LLC on a contract basis.     

Gas isotopes and geochemistry of hot springs in Hengjing,Jiangxi Province

With emphasis on gas isotopes and geochemistry as well as hydrogeochemistry, a field investigation has been carried out in Hengjing geothermal area, south Jiangxi Province of south-eastern China. The water chemistry of the geothermal waters indicates their local meteoric water origin, whereas their gas composition and carbon and helium isotopes reveal that some gases in the geothermal waters have mantle origin.     

Probe into Environmental Kuznets Characteristics and Causes of Wastewater,Waste Gas, and Solid Wastes in Wuhan City

Environmental Kuznets characteristics and causes of waste water, waste gas, and solid wastes in Wuhan city was researched; By comparing the variation of “three wastes”, i.e. waste water, waste gas, and solid wastes,the model between standardized per capita GDP and values of “three wastes” discharge was established and the causes were analyzed based on the theory of environmental economics. The results show that 1) the total amount is fluctuantly increasing, but the discharges of the three kinds are temporarily different, 2) the curve conforms to the three-power function, in which the curve descends from 1985 to 1994, and the curve preliminary shows the environmental Kuznets characteristics from 1995 to 2001, 3) the simulated calculation illustrates that the turning point of this environmental Kuznets curve would be over 25007. 25 Yuan per caprta, and 4) the economic development, changing of industry structure, energy resource structure, and environmental policies are the main factors leading to the Environmental Kuznets Curve in Wuhan city.     

Mechanisms of support failure and prevention measures under double-layer room mining gobs – A case study: Shigetai coal mine

In the practice of mining shallow buried ultra-close seams, support failure tends to occur during the process of longwall undermining beneath two layers of room mining goaf (TLRMG). In this paper, the factors causing support failure are summarized into geology and mining technology. Combining column lithology and composite beam theory, the key stratum of the rock strata is determined. A finite element numerical simulation is used to analyze the overlying load distribution rule of the main roof for different plane positions of the upper and lower room mining pillars. The tributary area theory (TAT) is adopted to analyze the vertical load distribution of each pillar, and dynamic models of coal pillar instability and main roof fracture are established. Through key block instability analysis, two critical moments are established, of which critical moment A has the greater dynamic load strength. Great economic losses and safety hazards are created by the dynamic load of the fracturing of the main roof. To reduce these negative effects, a method of pulling out supports is developed and two alternative measures for support failure prevention are proposed: reinforcing stope supports in conjunction with reducing mining height, or drilling ground holes to pre-split the main roof. Based on a comprehensive consideration of economic factors and the two categories of support failure causes, the method of reinforcing stope supports while reducing mining height was selected for use on the mining site.     

Distribution and significance of＂barkinite＂ in Mowo coal mine of Han-Xing coalfield, North China

In order to study the distribution and significance of "barkinite" in the Han-Xing (Handan-Xingtai) coalfield, northern China, 140 samples were collected from 10 coal mines and then analyzed by maceral separation, Rock-Eval and microscopic method. The results indicate that "barkinite" can be observed in samples from only three mines with a value lower than 2%. The "barkinite" from the Mowo mine was studied in detail because of its relative high content of"barkinite". In addition, the HI value of"barkinite" is higher than that of the coal seam as a whole, showing that "barkinite" has considerable potential for hydrocarbon generation.     

A mathematical model for optimized operation and control in a CDQ-Boiler system

Based on analyzing the thermal process of a CDQ （coke dry quenching）-Boiler system, the mathematical model for opti-mized operation and control in the CDQ-Boiler system was developed. It includes a mathematical model for heat transferring process in the CDQ unit, a mathematical model for heat transferring process in the boiler and a combustion model for circulating gas in the CDQ-Boiler system. The model was verified by field data, then a series of simulations under several typical operating conditions of CDQ-Boiler were carried on, and in turn, the online relation formulas between the productivity and the optimal circulating gas, and the one between the productivity and the optimal second air, were achieved respectively. These relation equations have been success- fully used in a CDQ-Boiler computer control system in the Baosteel, to realize online optimized guide and control, and meanwhile high efficiency in the CDQ-Boiler system has been achieved.     

SFES： A scalable, fault-tolerant, efficient search scheme in a peer-to-peer network

This paper presents SFES: a scalable, fauh-tolerant, efficient search scheme in a peer-to-peer network. The idea is based on the fact that data distribution in an information society has structured features. We designed an algorithm to cluster peers that have similar interests. When receiving a query request, a peer will preferentially forward it to another peer which belongs to the same cluster and shares more similar interests. By this method, search efficiency will be remarkably improved and at the same time good resistance against peer failure (the ability to withstand peer failure) is reserved. Kevword partial-match is supported, too.     

Numerical simulation and disaster prevention for catastrophic fire airflow of main air-intake belt roadway in coal mine—A case study

Coal mine belt fire develops very rapidly and is difficult to control. If not suppressed quickly, a belt fire could easily lead to airflow disorder and undermine the ventilation system. However, belt fire can be prevented effectively by establishing fire airflow control system. In this work, the 5th belt roadway of Kongzhuang coal mine was taken as the object of investigation, where geometrical models of this roadway were established firstly. Then, based on mathematical model of fire smoke flow, the CO volume fraction, smoke density distribution, air temperature and pollutant velocity vector in the roadway before and after taking airflow control measures were simulated by using Fluent software. It can be known from the simulation that with the normal ventilation status in 5th belt roadway, the countercurrent of smoke does not happen when a fire occurs; the roadway's section is almost filled with CO at 10 m downstream from the fire source, and with air velocity getting stable gradually, the CO concentration reaches about 15 %. After taking airflow control measures, the effect range of temperature field which are harmful to the miners decreases from 69 m to 30 m; and the distance of the roadway fully filled with CO is 5 m farther than that before taking measures. Finally, according to the numerical simulation results and the actual condition of the belt roadway, the warning and automatic remote airflow control system with short-circuit method for the 5th belt roadway was designed to guarantee the safety production.     

Mathematical modeling of fluid flow, heat transfer and inclusion transport in a four strand tundish

Mathematical simulation was used for trouble-shooting and optimization. By the mathematical simulation, fluid flow and beat transfer of molten-steel in a four-strand tundish of a billet caster under different conditions （bare tundish and tundish with flow control device） were analyzed, The results showed that （1） the tundish with flow control device （FCD） has an important effect on the fluid pattern and temperature distribution; （2） the unsteady, solving method was used to model the inclusion motions at different time perthds, and it showed that the FCD is advantageous to separate the nonmetallic inclusions. According to the simulation results, the main problem existing in the industry preduction was found, and some helpful rneasurements were executed. Consequently, the large nonmetallic inclusions were separated, and the content of total oxygen was reduced. The qualily of steel was greatly improved.     

Segmentation and classification of high resolution imagery for mapping individual species in a closed canopy, deciduous forest

In this paper we investigate the use of a shadow-based delineation program for identifying segments in imagery of a closed canopy, deciduous forest, in West Virginia, USA, as a way to reduce the noise associated with per-pixel classification in forested environments. Shadows typically cluster along the boundaries of trees and therefore can be used to provide a network of nodes for the delineation of segments. A minimum cost path algorithm, where cost is defined as the cumulative sum of brightness values traversed along the connecting route, was used to connect shadow clumps. To test this approach, a series of classifications was undertaken using a multispectral digital aerial image of a six hectare test site and a minimum cost path segmentation. Three species were mapped: oaks, red maple and yellow poplar. The accuracy of an aspatial maximum likelihood classification (termed PERPIXEL classification) was 68.5%, compared to 74.0% for classification using the mean vector of the segments identified with the minimum cost path algorithm (MEAN_SEG), and 78% when the most common class present in the segment is assigned to the entire segment (POSTCLASS_SEG). By comparison, multispectral classification of the multispectral data using the field-mapped polygons of individual trees as segments, produced an accuracy of 82.3% when the mean vector of the polygon was used for classification (MEAN_TREE), and 85.7% when the most common class was assigned to the entire polygon (POSTCLASS_TREE). A moving window-based post-classification majority filter (POSTCLASS_MAJ5BY5) produced an intermediate accuracy value, 73.8%. The minimum cost path segmentation algorithm was found to correctly delineate approximately 28% of the trees. The remaining trees were either segmented, aggregated, or a combination of both segmented and aggregated. Varying the threshold that was used to discriminate shadows appeared to have little effect on the number of correctly delineated trees, or on the overall accuracy of the multispectral classification, although it did have a notable effect on the proportions of aggregated and segmented trees.     

Matter Composition and Two Stage Evolution of a Liangshan Super High-Sulfur Coal Seam in Kaili, Eastern Guizhou

Super-high sulfur coal resultes in serious coal-derived pollution but might have a particular genesis. Thus,a columnar section of an Early Permian Liangshan Formation coal seam. weight average sulfur content 5.80%,from Kaili,eastern Guizhou,was studied using the methods of coal petrology and geochemistry. The results show that the seam was apparently formed in seawater-effected peat bogs that developed in two distinct stages. During the first stage various layers were formed in a supratidal bog and have a composition characteristic of a bog with a gradually decreasing sea-water effect,decreasing water dynamics,and an increasingly reductive environment. Layers in the upper seam formed during a second stage in an intertidal bog. These layers are very high in total and inorganic sulfur,the ratios of or-ganic/inorganic sulfur and V/I drop,they are high in coal ash yield and have a high ash component index,considerable barkinite,oxidized and detrital macerals,have a porphyroclatic micro-structure and are rich in pyrite,all of which indi-cate the coal-forming environment had higher oxidation potential,strong and roiling water dynamics,and intermittent exposure to a sulfur rich environment.     

Exploring harmonious development between urbanization and eco-environment based on climate analysis—A study in Changsha,China

The process of urbanization affects the urban warming. The change of urban warming was investigated by several urbanization factors in Changsha, China. The data of surface temperature (minimum, maximum and mean) of Changsha were analyzed to understand the possible effects of urbanization on the climate of this region owing to the population growth, built-up area expansion and energy consumption increases. The weights of these three factors were calculated by the analytical hierarchy process (AHP). Then, three weights were simulated with nonlinear method to obtain the urbanization development rate which was utilized to reveal the influence of the urbanization factors on the surface temperature. The result shows that there is a significant upward trend in the urban temperatures of Changsha. The temperature increase seems to be closely related to the rate of urbanization between 1993 and 2008, and there is an evidential increase trend of the influence on urban temperature by urbanization during 16 years. It is a quantifiable approach measuring the relationship between urbanization and urban eco-environment, and can be applied for the urban sustainability.     

A fixed point theorem for a class of β-constrictive operators and its application to the integral equation in L~1(0,∞)

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Integrated evaluation system under randomness and fuzziness for groundwater contamination risk assessment in a little town,Central China简

An integrated evaluation system under randomness and fuzziness was developed in this work to systematically assess the risk of groundwater contamination in a little town, Central China. In this system, randomness of the parameters and the fuzziness of the risk were considered simultaneously, and the exceeding standard probability of contamination and human health risk due to the contamination were integrated. The contamination risk was defined as a combination of ＂vulnerability＂ and ＂hazard＂. To calculate the value of ＂vulnerability＂, pollutant concentration was simulated by MODFLOW with random input variables and a new modified health risk assessment （MRA） model was established to analyze the level of ＂hazard＂. The limit concentration based on environmental-guideline and health risk due to manganese were systematically examined to obtain the general risk levels through a fuzzy rule base. The ＂vulnerability＂ and ＂hazard＂ were divided into five categories of ＂high＂, ＂medium-high＂, ＂medium＂, ＂low-medium＂ and ＂low＂, respectively. Then, ＂vulnerability＂ and ＂hazard＂ were firstly combined by integrated evaluation. Compared with the other two scenarios under deterministic methods, the risk obtained in the proposed system is higher. This research illustrated that ignoring of uncertainties in evaluation process might underestimate the risk level.