An Overview of Airflow Catastrophe Induced by Methane Draft Pressure in Coal Mine Roadways

The densities of airflow will be changed by the influx of high-concentration gas, and methane draft pressure will be formed in roadways with height differences. The existence of methane draft pressure may also cause air volume reduction, airflow stagnation and even lead to airflow reversal in some roadways of ventilation networks, resulting in airflow disorder. In recent years, a number of achievements have been made in studies on airflow induced by methane draft pressure with different roadway conditions; however, currently available literature fails to provide a summary study on airflow catastrophes induced by methane draft pressure. Therefore, this paper introduces the definition of methane draft pressure, its influences on ventilation networks, experimental and simulation research, and influence factors and prevention measures of airflow disorder induced by methane draft pressure. It is concluded that methane draft pressure is an important area for future studies on airflow disorder in roadways to cover.