Numerical simulation of magma intrusion on the thermal evolution of low-rank coal

To study the effect of magma intrusion on the thermal evolution of low-rank coal with high moisture content, the relationship between moisture content variation and thermal conductivity of low-rank coal was analyzed by COMSOL Multiphysics numerical simulation and field validation. Taking Daxing Mine in Tiefa coalfield as the research background, the effects of magma finite time intrusion mechanism and moisture volatilization in coal on thermal evolution and organic maturity of coal seam are investigated in this paper. The results show that as the sill thickness increases, the thermal evolution temperature of the coal seam increases, the required thermal evolution time increases and the final retention temperature increases after the coal seam is cooled down. The closer coal seam is to magma, the higher maximum temperature it can reach and the longer duration of the maximum temperature. The increase of moisture content of coal makes the thermal conductivity increase, and the rate of heat transfer from coal seam is accelerated, and more heat is transferred to distant places in the same time. At the same time, the heat lost by the magma in the same time increases, the time required for the cooling of the magma decreases, and the maximum temperature reached by the underlying coal seam is significantly lower. The presence of coal moisture weakens the thermal evolution of magma to coal seam and reduces the expected maturity of the coal. The results of average random vitrinite reflectance (Ro) and moisture examination of coal samples collected at the Daxing Mine site verified the numerical simulation results of magma thermal evolution.