(109e) Influence of Carbon Dioxide on the Ignition Temperature of Coal

The purpose of this study is to analyze the influence of carbon dioxide on the auto- ignition temperature of coal. It is shown that the minimum ignition energy necessary to ignite a given thickness of coal increases with addition of carbon dioxide locally near the ignition zone. The results are used to illustrate the feasibility of using carbon dioxide or a mixture of carbon dioxide and water vapor towards control and suppression of underground coal fires. Underground coal fires represent a substantial nuisance in terms of property damage, public safety, greenhouse gas generation, and coal resource destruction. Some of the available techniques employed to combat these fires are compared with the current approach.