Search

The Upper Hunter Valley is a major coal mining area containing approximately 40% of the currently identified total coal reserves in New South Wales (NSW), Australia. Due to the ongoing increase in mining activities, PM10 (airborne particles with an aerodynamic diameter of less than 10 micrometres) pollution has become a major air quality concern in local communities. This paper summarises the spatial and temporal variability modes of PM10 pollution in the region, based on long-term multi-site monitoring data and the application of the rotated principal component analysis (RPCA) and wavelet analysis techniques. RPCA identified two distinct air quality clusters/subregions in the valley: one in the west/northwest and the other in the southeast. Wavelet analysis revealed the annual cycle to be the most persistent temporal mode of PM10 variability in both subregions, with intermittent signals also observed at time scales of around 120, 30~90, and under 30 days. How these variation modes are related to the effects of local PM10 emissions and the influence of meteorology at different time scales deserves further attention in future work. The findings will be used in air quality reporting and forecasting in NSW. The methodology and results can also be useful for air quality research in similar regions elsewhere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dr. Arthur Harold Victor Smith, a highly respected palynologist, passed away in January 2023 at the age of 99. He dedicated his career to studying pollen and spores, particularly in relation to coal resources in Britain. Dr. Smith's research focused on Carboniferous palynology, coal petrology, coal provenance, and thermal maturation. His most notable achievement was the publication of "Smith and Butterworth," a comprehensive account of Late Carboniferous pollen and spores. Dr. Smith's work made him one of the most influential palynologists of his time. In addition to his contributions to the field of palynology, he was also involved in bird monitoring and conservation efforts in South Yorkshire. [Extracted from the article]

Despite the pressure of carbon emissions and clean energy, coal remains the economic backbone of many developing countries due to its abundant resources and widespread distribution. The stable supply of coal is also vital for the global economy and remains irreplaceable in the future global energy structure. China has been a major contributor to annual coal output, accounting for nearly 50% worldwide since 2014. However, despite implementing intelligent coal mining technology, China's coal mining industry still employs over 1.5 million underground miners, posing significant safety risks associated with underground mining operations. Therefore, the introduction of coal mining robots in underground mines is an urgently needed scientific and technological solution for upgrading China's and even the world's coal energy industry. The working face needs a shearer, hydraulic support, a scraper conveyor, and other equipment for coordination. The deep integration of intelligent technology with factors such as "humans, machines, the environment, and management" in the workplace is the core content of intelligent coal mines. This paper puts forward an advanced framework for robot technology systems in coal mining, including single robots, robotized equipment, robot crowds, and unmanned systems. The framework clarifies the common key technologies of coal mining robot research and development and the cross-integration with new technologies such as 5G, the industrial internet, big data, artificial intelligence, and digital twins to improve the autonomous and intelligent application of coal mining robots. By establishing a scientific and complete standard system for coal mining robots, we aim to achieve the customized research and development and standardized production of various types of robot. A specific analysis is conducted on the research progress of common key technologies such as the explosion-proof design, mechanical system innovation, power drive, intelligent sensing, positioning and navigation, and underground communication of coal mining robots. The current research and application status of various types of coal mining robots in China are summarized. A new direction for future coal mining robot research and development is proposed. Robotic mining systems should be promoted to enhance the overall intelligence level and efficiency of mining equipment. To develop human–machine environment-integrated robots to improve the autonomy and collaboration level of coal mining robots, the digital twinning of the entire mine robot system should be accelerated; the normalized operation level of coal mine robots should be improved; research on coal mining robots, shield support robots, and transportation robots should be performed; intelligence should be achieved in fully mechanized mining faces; and equipment shield support for fully mechanized mining faces should be provided. The practical process of implementing coal mining robotization is summarized in this paper, and the technical and engineering feasibility of the coal mining machine population is verified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rare-earth elements are critical components of technologies used in renewable energy, communication, transportation, and national defense. Securing supply chains by developing domestic rare-earth resources, including coal and coal byproducts, has become a national priority. With some of the largest coal reserves in the country, states within the Appalachian Basin can play a key role in supplying these elements. Understanding rare-earth element phase associations and the processes that lead to enrichment in these coals will inform resource prospecting and recovery techniques. This study used sequential leaching in addition to scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy to identify rare-earth element modes of occurrence in WV coals. The results indicate that heavier elements have a stronger association with organic matter and that phosphate minerals are primary sources of both heavy and light rare-earth elements. However, these phases are shielded by a resistant aluminosilicate matrix that can impede the recovery of rare-earth elements using traditional methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of exploiting extensive recoverable coal reserves situated beneath buildings, water bodies, and railways, the application of paste backfill mining has gained prominence. This study addresses the unique requirements of mines characterized by substantial mining heights and the need for long-distance slurry transportation. It focuses on optimizing the composition of paste backfill materials suitable for such demanding conditions. Investigations indicate that increasing the slurry concentration to 79% optimally balances various factors: it reduces the slump degree and bleeding rate while enhancing the material's strength and reducing the setting time. Similarly, an optimal 7% incorporation of cementitious materials into the backfill composition is identified. This proportion not only augments the backfill body's strength and the slurry's slump degree but also minimizes the bleeding rate and shortens both the initial and final setting times. Such a composition ensures efficient transportation performance, effective control over the overlying rock strata and surface movement, and facilitates the extensive disposal of mine-related solid waste. This study underscores the criticality of precise backfill material formulation in ensuring structural stability and environmental sustainability in mining operations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Significant subsoil deformation and additional loads from the new denitrification unit caused a major problem with the load-bearing capacity of the coal power plant. It was necessary to perform an advanced assessment of the technical condition of the structure. Laser scanning (LiDAR) were used to obtain detailed data upon structure. Based on the analysis of the point cloud, the location of the column axes was determined, which allowed to determine the global and local displacements of the structure. Spatial models of the structure were created. Non-linear analyses of the structure were carried out using two types of models: 1) global beam-shell 3D models of the boiler room used to calculate the magnitude of internal forces and deformations of the structure; 2) local beam-shell detailed models of selected structural elements. Based on the results of the calculations, necessary reinforcement of the structure was designed and successfully implemented. Advanced analysis of the structure using laser scanning, subsoil monitoring and complex numerical models made it possible to perform only local reinforcements of the entire complex structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The volatility of raw material prices and the rising prices of CO2 emission allowances when using fossil fuels to produce electricity and heat are still relevant problems for owners of generating units. The decision-making tools are used in the fuel purchase process. However, these tools should also consider environmental issues. The article’s main objective is a quantitative analysis of the potential for reducing costs associated with supplying and using hard coal in public power plants as a result of considering the costs of environmental protection and CO2 emission allowances in the process of planning this fuel supply. A mathematical model was developed to optimize the supply of hard coal for the power industry. The tool and elaborated research scenarios made it possible to calculate and analyze the impact of considering the costs of emissions of harmful substances into the environment and CO2 emission allowances on the planning of coal supplies and the reduction of costs related to acquiring and using coal by public power plants. The calculation results were presented on the example of the Polish power sector. The model’s results confirm that the appropriate selection of coals, taking into account the quality parameters determining the amount of emissions of harmful substances, reduces the amount of these emissions and the total costs of acquiring and using coal in electricity production. However, depending on the considered scenario, the scale of this impact varies. The results of the optimization of coal supplies to power plants and their proper interpretation may constitute an important contribution to making management decisions in energy companies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geotechnical parameters are crucial for mine planning and operation at different stages of development. However, estimating these parameters requires a large number of boreholes and subsequent detailed analysis of the samples, making it a cumbersome exercise. Moreover, even after conducting these studies, it is not possible to cover the entire operational area. To address this issue, this study presents an indirect method of estimating geotechnical parameters through mathematical relations using resistivity data. The present study incorporated 2D and 3D subsurface imaging techniques for exploring coal reserves and analyzing geotechnical parameters that define subsurface soil properties. Electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) was utilized for data acquisition, employing a Dipole–dipole array with a multielectrode ABEM Terrameter LS instrument. Six parallel profiles were conducted, each 400 m in length, with an inter-electrode spacing of 10 m and a spacing of 50 m between profiles. These profiles were combined into a 3D dataset referred to as quasi-3D ERT. The inversion process for both 2D and 3D data was performed using the Res2dinv and Res3dinv programs, respectively. This study overcame the challenges of 2D resistivity sections by evaluating horizontal depth slices in the x-z plane from layers 1 to 10, reaching a depth of 81.2 m. The geotechnical parameters, including cohesion, friction angle, moisture content, and plastic index, were derived from the resistivity data. The ERT method proved to be cost-effective and efficient in determining soil properties over a large area compared with traditional laboratory analysis of borehole samples. Additionally, the variation of geotechnical parameters with resistivity values exhibited unique characteristics. The results from both the 2D and quasi-3D ERT were well correlated with the borehole data. Such studies are valuable for resource exploration and mine planning purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The burning of coal releases toxic gases that disturb the environmental conditions. It is imperative to use this energy as much as possible. Due to its characteristics, it is possible to manipulate unused loss reserves. In this case, it is necessary to continue research emphasizing clean coal technology from an energy perspective, safety, and environmental sustainability problem. It wants to be implemented that 50% of the world's coal reserves are low grades. In this regard, the current work is related to removing sulfur obtained from coal using newly isolated bacteria sl-9. It was determined that different process parameters might be used to remove Sulfur. There is a reduction of 45% of the total Sulfur in unprocessed coal when several parameters are controlled, such as 20% (w/v) pulp density, 180 rpm, 20 mesh (850 microns), and pH 7. So, Sl-9 has the potential to lower coal's sulfate content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we focus on the analysis of factors influencing the siting decision of coal emergency reserve centers. Specifically, we first draw on the quality function deployment theory in marketing to logically integrate the ideas of this study. On this basis, we adopted an interdisciplinary fuzzy decision-making method, namely the G1-entropy method, to quantitatively evaluate the research of this paper. Thereafter, we constructed a three-level index system based on the characteristics of the coal emergency reserve site selection, and used the G1-entropy value method to calculate the weights of the indicators in the coal emergency reserve center siting decision index system and obtain the results. Our research findings have found that the three key indicators of coal conventional reserve, emergency coal transportation methods, and emergency response time play a crucial role in the decision-making of coal emergency reserve center location. Therefore, we propose specific countermeasures and suggestions for these three key indicators. Our study can provide support for the government to better select the location of emergency coal reserves, better improve the national energy layout, and provide support for relevant decision makers on how to better reserve coal. The location of the emergency coal reserve center can better play the role of strategic reserve to stabilize the market function, effectively respond to the impact of various events on the energy market, and can make corresponding suggestions to the construction of the national energy security reserve system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low-rank coal, accounting for 45% of the global coal reserves, is easier to use in terms of realizing ignition and stable combustion due to its relatively high levels of volatile content. But the problem of low-rank coal combustion is that its NO formation is in the range of 300–600 mg/m3, which makes the emission's meeting of the environmental regulation quite difficult or uneconomic. Preheating combustion was a prospective combustion technology which involved preheating in a circulating fluidized bed (CFB) first and then combustion in a combustor for preheated fuel. With three particle sizes (0–0.355 mm, 0–0.5 mm, and 0–1 mm), some experiments were carried out in a 30 kW test rig. The results showed that, in the CFB preheating, a particle size of 0–1 mm had the highest coal-gas heating value due to a long residence time. The release of species in the CFB preheating always followed the order H > N > C > S. For preheated fuel combustion, a particle size of 0–0.355 mm showed the fastest combustion velocity, with the highest temperature point near the nozzle. For all three particle sizes, the combustion of preheated fuel showed a uniform temperature distribution with a small temperature difference. The lowest NO emission was 105 mg/m3 for the particle size of 0–0.5 mm. A GRI-Mech 2.11 mechanism was used to simulate the formation of NO with different influencing factors, such as temperature, oxygen concentration, and secondary-air ratio. There was a good agreement between the experimental data and the simulation's results. The simulation showed that the NO formation could be further decreased with an optimal secondary-air ratio. This investigation provides support for the basic understanding of preheating-combustion technology and potential industrial applications in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The accurate and reliable calculation of tonnage and quality of coal is vital for the success of mining projects. The Ermenek coal basin is located in the Western Taurus Mountains in the southern part of Turkey, which covers an area of approximately 620 km² and is a Neogene coal basin. This paper generates spatial modeling of Pamuklu-Tepebaşı coal seams in the Ermenek Basin and the prediction of coal reserve by using geostatistical methods with Ordinary Kriging (OK) based on the GIS technique. The data used in the study were obtained from 82 boreholes belonging to a private company that has actively produced coal in the Pamuklu-Tepebaşı coalfield. In this study, the OK method was applied to spatial coal seam modeling for comparison of the performance of 11 distinct models. Using the rational quadratic models better explained the spatial structure of the coal seam depth data. The nugget-sill ratio indicated high spatial dependency with 0.01 and 0.02 for coal seam upper-lower surfaces, respectively. The kriged coal depth maps for upper and lower coal seam surfaces have been created using ArcGIS 10.2 software. As a result of these analyses, it was calculated that there is a coal reserve of 3.734.017 m³ using the determined surfaces with OK in the study area. Furthermore, developed spatial distribution maps in the study area could be helpful to plan further exploration activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The majority of small district heating systems (DHS) in Poland are supplied with coal and do not have a status of efficient ones according to Energy Efficiency Directive. They should transform into efficient ones by taking an appropriate measures by the end of 2035. At the same time, a significant reduction of CO 2 emissions is expected in this sector. One of the possible solution for such systems is to apply unites fueled with fuels alternative to coal such as biomass. Cost benefits analysis of implementation a biomass ORC (Organic Rankine Cycle) cogeneration unit in municipal district heating system of 22 MW thermal capacity is the subject of the paper. The research included building configuration scenarios of a heat source regarding ORC size and operation modes. Different economic inputs such as electricity, fuel and European Union Allowance (EUA) for CO 2 prices as well as financial support mechanisms were considered. Economic indexes (Net Present Value, Internal Rate of Return and payback times) have been derived for both Polish and German conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The governance of justice in renewable energy transitions includes implementing regulations and making public investments that address potential negative impacts on marginalized communities, while ensuring equitable access to the benefits of renewable energy.[15] State capability and political will are crucial to ensure this pivotal role for the state. Mitigating climate change is one of the biggest challenges of our time, made more difficult by the need for a fair and inclusive transition to renewable energy. Not only can the funding be used to reduce negative impacts on coal mining communities; it can also catalyze employment creation in the renewable energy sector, with potentially positive political implications for incumbents. [Extracted from the article]

With an increase in energy consumption globally, Fischer-Tropsch (FT) synthesis is a good alternative for producing fuels and chemicals from coal, natural gas or biomass. Among them, coal to liquids has been put into production in countries that have large coal reserves. In this process, Fe-based catalysts are commonly used due to their earth abundance, comparatively wide operation range and ready availability to handle low H2/CO ratio from coal. Despite their extensive applications, the kinetic and mechanistic understandings of Fe carburization and FT reaction on Fe-carbides are relatively limited due to the complexity of the phase composition of the applied catalysts. This review summarizes the current state of knowledge of FT synthesis on Fe-carbide with an emphasis on the underlying mechanism. Specifically, the employment of a model catalyst, such as Raney Fe, could provide a convenient way to furnish kinetic information regarding Fe carburization and subsequent FT reaction. A major challenge for further understanding catalytic reactions occurring at the Fe-carbide surface is correlating FT activity and selectivity to a specific active site. To address this issue, the advancements of both DFT calculations and surface science techniques are highly demanded. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

India, with a population of 1.2 billion people, is one of the world's fastest growing economies. India has committed itself to the rapid growth that is essential for economic and social development and poverty alleviation. While India's energy consumption and carbon emissions are only a small fraction of the world's total energy consumption and carbon emissions (less than 5 %), both are likely to grow rapidly due to structural changes in the Indian economy. India has revealed that electricity, cement and waste emissions have more than doubled since 1994, making India the fifth largest emitter in the world after 1994.1 Carbon mitigation in India is complicated because India has large coal reserves but limited gas and oil reserves, and most of India's carbon emissions result from the use of coal in the electricity and industrial sectors.2 A growing population and rapid industrialization and urbanization, coupled with climate change, will create additional pressure on India's overall ecological and socio-economic system. India's per capita emissions, however, are about one ton per year, which contrasts sharply with the global average of four tons per year. India is more dependent on coal as it has large reserves of coals than gas and oil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to: first, it studies expert opinions about the future of clean, decentralized energy technology in Australia; second, develop an interpretive and participatory foresighting methodology for a forthcoming study. Design/methodology/approach: This paper reports a forecasting study about the future of clean energy. Driven mostly by economics and changing carbon policies, the energy sector is currently moving from fossil fuels to a variety of cleaner technologies. Energy experts have several incommensurate interpretations of how this change will happen. This paper describes the first phase of an ongoing study that foresight clean energy futures in Australia. By building on a participatory method in a scientific expert community, it describes the path from technological presumptions into four parallel yet interconnected scenarios. The paper also explores the social drivers behind these scenarios. Findings: First, energy experts in Australia classify futures into four main scenarios: abundant, where energy will be mostly produced by solar cells; traded, where the future of energy lies in virtual power plants and microgrids; circular, which targets Australia's NetZero goals through biomaterials, carbon capture and new powerful; secure, which secures the country's energy supply through coal and nuclear energy. Second, they locate policy as the most important form of wildcards. The policy is multilayered from local to US politics and falls outside the scope of forecasting. Research limitations/implications: The most important limitations of the study are: first, its reliance on scientific and technological experts, which guarantees its scientific validity but may underrepresent the social drivers of energy; second, this study is a methodological pilot of a larger study that will target industrial, commercial and local drivers; third, its focus on Australia, where politics, the size of the country and climate shape the uptake of clean energy in specific ways, most notably in the case of rapid uptake of solar energy. Practical implications: The main practical implications of the paper are its broad focus on clean energy futures and its participatory foresighting approach, which can be repeated in other studies. Social implications: The main social implication of the study is that it clearly shows that a technological perspective is necessary but not sufficient in understanding the future of clean energy. The paper also shows that local drivers importantly mold the future and should be taken into account in future studies and policy. Originality/value: This paper makes two contributions. First, it organizes several technologies into four scenarios that clarify Australia's clean energy futures better than a piecemeal study would do. Second, it developed and piloted an interpretive participatory methodology for studying futures by building on references from design research. This methodology will be used in subsequent studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coal is a vital basic energy source for any economy in the world, and our country is no exception. Our coal resources are abundant, with high production and demand, not comparable to oil and natural gas. The coal supply chain plays an equally important role in economic production, but unfortunately, the current coal supply chain is not focused on greening while creating profits. Unfortunately, the current coal supply chain does not focus on green production and energy conservation and emission reduction while creating profits, which has caused irreversible harm and loss to resources and environment. This has caused irreversible damage and loss to resources and the environment. The green supplier selection for coal enterprises is affirmed as multiple attribute decision making (MADM). In such paper, motivated by the idea of cosine similarity measure (CSM), the CSMs are extended to DVNSs and four CSMs are created under DVNSs. Then, two weighted CSMs are built for MADM under DVNSs. Finally, a numerical example for Green supplier selection for coal enterprises is affirmed and some comparative algorithms are produced to affirm the built method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At present, the continental margin of the Southeast Africa is being actively prospected. However, unlike the continental margins of West Africa, where along its entire extent, mainly liquid hydrocarbons have been discovered, in the studied region, on the whole, only gas accumulations are known. The reason is most likely formation of the Karoo Complex, dated at the Early Permian, which is widespread in the East African basins. Enormous coal reserves are hosted in the section of the Karoo Formation in different basins (Karoo Basin, SAR). The Karoo Complex stretches from southwest to northeast and little by little decreases not only in thickness, but in the content of its coal reserves. The regions where the complex decreases in northeastern Southeast Africa, oil accumulations have appeared, such as in the Lamu Basin (Kenia), Somali, etc. Large gas reserves have been discovered on the continental margin of the Southeast Africa in the Rovuma Basin, northern Mozambique, and southern Tanzania. This basin is the nearest neighbor of the Karoo Basin. Today Mozambique is becoming a gas state in the Indian Ocean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coal bed methane (CBM) extraction has astounding effects on the global energy budget. Since the earliest discoveries of CBM, this natural gas form has witnessed ever-increasing demands from the core sectors of the economy. CBM is an unconventional source of energy occurring naturally within coal beds. The multiphase CBM generation during coal evolution commences with microbial diagenesis of the sedimentary organic matter during peatification, followed by early to mature thermogenic kerogen decomposition and post-coalification occurrences. Indeed, the origin of the CBM and, moreover, its economically valuable retention within coal seams is a function of various parameters. Several noticeable knowledge gaps include the controls of coal make-up and its physico-chemical position on the CBM generation and genetic link through fossil molecular and stable isotopic integration with the parent coal during its evolution. Therefore, this manuscript reviews the origin of CBM; the influences of coal properties and micropetrographic entities on CBM generation and storage; and its genetic molecular and stable isotope compositions in India and the world's major coal reservoirs. Moreover, analyses of and outlooks on future development trends in the exploration, production, and application of coalbed methane are also addressed. Finally, as India has the fifth largest proven coal reserves, this brief review of the recent CBM discoveries and developments provides a plausible scope for microbially enhanced CBM production from these basins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In-situ stress is a critical factor influencing the permeability of coal reservoirs and the production capacity of coalbed methane (CBM) wells. Accurate prediction of in-situ stress and investigation of its influence on coal reservoir permeability and production capacity are significant for CBM development. This study investigated the CBM development zone in the Zhengzhuang area of the Qinshui Basin. According to the low mechanical strength of coal reservoirs, this study derived a calculation model of the in-situ stress of coal reservoirs based on the multi-loop hydraulic fracturing method and analyzed the impacts of initial fractures on the calculated results. Moreover, by combining the data such as the in-situ stress, permeability, and drainage and recovery data of CBM wells, this study revealed the spatial distribution patterns of the current in-situ stress of the coal reservoirs and discussed the impacts of the insitu stress on the permeability and production capacity. The results are as follows. (1) Under given fracturing pressure, longer initial fractures are associated with higher calculated maximum horizontal principal stress values. Therefore, ignoring the effects of the initial fractures will cause the calculated values of the in-situ stress to be less than the actual values. (2) As the burial depth increases, the fracturing pressure, closure pressure, and the maximum and minimum horizontal principal stress of the coal reservoirs in the Zhengzhuang area constantly increase. The average gradients of the maximum and minimum horizontal principal stress are 3.17 MPa/100 m and 2.05 MPa/100 m, respectively. (3) Coal reservoir permeability is significantly controlled by the magnitude and state of the current in-situ stress. The coal reservoir permeability decreases exponentially with an increase in the effective principal stress. Moreover, a low lateral pressure coefficient (less than 1) is associated with minor horizontal compressive effects and high coal reservoir permeability. (4) Under similar conditions, such as resource endowments, CBM well capacity is higher in primary structural coal regions with moderate paleotectonic stress modification, low current in-situ stress, and lateral pressure coefficient of less than 1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prospect of subsurface structures taking uncontrollable fire is a significant cause of stress held by people from all over the world. Mine fires and explosions have caused countless casualties and material losses for decades. A fire in a mine has the ability to rapidly contaminate the air of the entire mine, which might result in the loss of life and, in certain cases, the suspension of mining industry processes. Mine fires deplete coal supplies, release greenhouse gases and toxic chemicals, and cause ground subsidence from coal volume loss. This study aims to explore some interesting aspects of mine's fire data using Catboost and light gradient boosting machine (LightGBM) methods in order to minimize the human fatalities and material losses during the construction of deep underground engineering projects. Firstly, 120 samples demonstrating several distinct characteristics were gathered from an underground coal mine in Turkey. The prediction framework was developed employing the training set and the appropriate configuration of hyperparameters. The findings indicate that LightGBM algorithms achieved a more comprehensive performance in comparison with Catboost, with an accuracy of 92 % and 89 %, respectively. Hence, the proposed intelligent decision-making model can be employed in preventing and warning system of fire risks in subsurface engineering projects. The suggested strategy would serve as a reliable guide for predicting fire intensity in deep underground projects to ensure safe subsurface environments. This research promotes safe, hygienic, environmentally friendly, climate-smart and sustainable development by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

India has a huge reserve of coal belonging to Permian Period. 85% of these coals fall under non-coking category and are being used for power generation. Looking at the depletion of coking coals, there is a huge challenge for the Indian steel industry to manufacture coke using domestic coals. Utilizing Indian non-coking or inferior coals for coking purpose is a challenging task because of its higher ash content and poor rheological properties. These coals are less matured than coking coals and contain higher amount of organic and inorganic inerts. To study the effect of blending Indian thermal coals on coke CSR, eight different coals of varying characteristics have been used for experimentation. To improvise their coking ability and resulting coke strength on carbonization, phenol formaldehyde-based polymer addition has also been tried and tested. In most of the cases, it has been found that CSR got improved because polymer acts as a catalyst and improves the binding behavior and rheological property of the coal blend. Present work suggests that Indian thermal coals can be used up to 10% as one of the component coals in the blend for coke making with polymer addition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays the complex international political situation has caused the shortage of coal supply in the European region. Scholars have done a lot of research on supplier evaluation. However, these studies don't reflect the variability of the indicators, such as interruption caused by recent war. Coal-electricity-integrated companies have a large demand for thermal coal and high requirements for stable supply, so they need to conduct timely and effective short-term evaluation of suppliers. This paper improves the CRITIC method and uses short-term transaction data for a coal-electricity-integrated firm to evaluate its coal suppliers. The results show that the improved CRITIC method effectively avoids the problem of weight changes caused by conflicting value ranges of indicators, and its evaluation results are more consistent with the actual situation, which can meet the requirements of large coal enterprises for evaluating suppliers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ever-increasing population growth that demands more energy produces tremendous pressure on natural energy reserves such as coal and petroleum, causing their depletion. Climate prediction models predict that drought events will be more intense during the 21st century affecting agricultural productivity. The renewable energy needs in the global energy supply must stabilize surface temperature rise to 1.5 °C compared to pre-industrial values. To address the global climate issue and higher energy demand without depleting fossil reserves, growing bioenergy feedstock as the potential resource for biodiesel production could be a viable alternative. The interest in growing biofuels for biodiesel production has increased due to its potential benefits over fossil fuels and the flexibility of feedstocks. Therefore, this review article focuses on different biofuels and biomass resources for biodiesel production, their properties, procedure, factors affecting biodiesel production, different catalysts used, and greenhouse gas emissions from biodiesel production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the co-combustion process of coal-water slurry (CWS) and pulverized coal fuel (PCF) in E500 pilot boiler when using staged afterburning scheme, was investigated based on numerical simulation. A complex three-dimensional mathematical model and numerical methodology was used to describe the CWS and PCF co-combustion, as well as subprocesses in the combustion chamber. The proposed mathematical model was tested based on data obtained from a full-scale experiment. A good compliance was shown between the computational results and the experimental data. A detailed comparative analysis of the effect of changes in the design of a pilot boiler when using a three-stage combustion scheme and the flare-drip combustion technology for CWS on the physical-chemical processes in the combustion chamber and environmental indicators was carried out for the first time. The change of circulation zones depending on the method of coal fuel supply during three-stage combustion was investigated. Calculations have shown that the implementation of the proposed changes reduced the underburning of solid carbon from 1.9% to 0.51%. It was revealed that using CWS as a reducing agent diminishes the amount of harmful NO x emissions by more than 40% compared to the basic version. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To meet the global demand for energy, biochar can be a substitute and a green source of energy for fossil fuels and their derivatives. Biochar has its own supremacy to meet the requirements of the energy sector and replace coking coal for metallurgical purposes, and the mitigation of CO2 emissions from the Iron and Steel industry. This study includes the characterisation and comparative study of the reduction of iron ore pellets and iron ore fines using saw dust char (SDC) as one of the biomass wastes. The results show that the reduction of iron ore fines with comparable ratios with SDC gives the maximum degree of reduction than that of iron ore pellets. Thus, SDC can play an important role in the premium quality of coking coal reserves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The successful supply of an economy with coal fuel, for a country that carries out its large-scale extraction and import, is a complex production and logistics problem. Violations of the usual supply scheme in conditions of crises in the energy markets, international conflicts, etc., lead to the problem of simultaneous restructuring of the entire supply scheme. This requires changes in the directions and capacities of domestic production and imports. In this article, the above problem is solved by the economic and mathematical model of production type. The developed model includes subsystems of domestic production and import supply. The results of modeling economy supply with thermal coal for different values of demand are given. The model was used to determine the amounts of coal production for Ukraine with the structure of the coal industry of 2021 and under the condition of anthracite consumers' transformation to the high volatile coal. Simulations have shown that eliminating the use of anthracite requires the modernization of existing coal mines. Under those conditions, the import of high volatile coal will amount to 3.751 million tons in 2030 and 11.8 million tons in 2035. The amounts of coking coal imports will be 5.46 million tons, 5.151 million tons, and 7.377 million tons in 2025, 2030, and 2035, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under the background of carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals, with the expansion of the scope of power market-oriented reform and the increase in uncertainty of social, political, and economic factors outside the market, the market environment is becoming more and more complex, and it is more difficult to analyze and control the market situation. From a macro perspective, overall modeling for the power transmission link between the generation side and the consumption side of the provincial power market is built, in which a variety of real-time elements or scenarios such as renewable energy power generation growth, carbon emission quota, coal shortage, and dual control system of total energy consumption and energy intensity are considered. The system dynamics tools are used for simulation, and the medium and long-term operation trends of the market are analyzed. In the case studies, the actual situation of the Jiangsu power market is used as background. The trend of the power market situation under the basic scenario is analyzed, and the sensitivity analysis is carried out for three factors: coal supply growth rate, carbon emission caps, and electricity demand growth rate. It is shown that diversified macro factors inside and outside the market will affect the balance of the market operation situation to varying degrees, making the key operation indicators of the market deviate from the existing stable state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This perspective paper proposes a new conceptual framework for bottom-up climate mitigation: the Fossil Free Zones (FFZs) framework. The aim of the framework is to facilitate grassroots, goal-driven climate action, and government policy at increasingly higher levels, with a view to 'tipping' social systems away from their reliance on fossil fuels. The paper outlines the framework and the theory of change on which it is predicated, after first introducing the historical precedent that inspired it – the system of Nuclear Weapon Free Zones. The FFZs framework offers two main advantages over other anti-fossil fuel initiatives – such as the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative – though it is intended and designed to complement these, not compete with them. First, the FFZs framework combines a unified and accessible discursive frame with a focus on practical decarbonising activities at multiple levels of governance. The discursive frame promotes the diffusion of anti-fossil fuel norms while the practical activities promote positive (reinforcing) social, technological, economic and other feedback effects. Second, the combined focus on supply and demand increases the political resilience of anti-fossil fuel initiatives in the face of fossil fuel price fluctuations, and promotes cooperation between producer regions and urban consumer centres. Anti-fossil fuel activism has become a global phenomenon, but fossil fuel production and combustion continue to rise, threatening climate objectives. A system of Fossil Free Zones is proposed to further mobilise grassroots and subnational action against fossil fuels, and build anti-fossil fuel norms. A Fossil Free Zone is a geographic area characterised by the absence of fossil fuel production and consumption, with intermediate statuses based on fuel types and activities, e.g. 'coal supply free zone'. Motivated groups set zone-related goals and work toward them, cooperating with others and across different levels of government as necessary, and declare the zones they have achieved. Ultimately, Fossil Free Zones could become institutionalised at national and international level, as has occurred with Nuclear Weapon Free Zones. Fossil Free Zones combine discursive framing with practical decarbonising activities, and address fossil fuel production and consumption, improving on other anti-fossil fuel initiatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]