Experimental Study on Gas Explosion Propagation in Porous Metal Materials

Serious damage and large losses often result from gas explosions in coal mining. However, porous metal materials can suppress a gas explosion and its propagation. Therefore, a gas explosion and its propagation suppression characteristics of porous metal materials are analyzed theoretically. According to the propagation characteristics of a gas explosion in duct, a gas-explosion experiment system with porous metal material (steel wire mesh) is constructed in this paper, and the propagations of explosion wave and flame in porous metal materials are experimentally studied. The study results show that the flame propagation velocity and overpressure of explosion wave are related to the length and layer number of porous metal materials. When the gas explosion propagates a certain distance in porous metal materials, the flame and explosion wave begin to be attenuated. The longer the length of porous metal material is, the better the attenuation effect is. At the same time, the more layer numbers, the better the attenuation effect is. In this experiment, the maximum decreases of explosion wave overpressure and flame propagation velocity are 84% and 91%, respectively. The attenuation of the explosion wave overpressure and the flame propagation velocity has synchronism and correspondence during gas explosion propagation in porous metal materials. The experimental results show the porous metal material has a good suppression effect on gas explosion propagation. The study results can provide an experimental basis for the development of gas explosion propagation suppression technology and devices, and have a great practical significance for the prevention and control of a gas explosion disaster.