Self-ignition of low-rank coals leading to spontaneous combustion accidents remain a great challenge in coal transportation and storage for power generation. Piles compaction and removal of the hot spots are considered to be effective actions to control the hot spots during coal storage if the heavy equipment is available in stockpile area. However, more complex situations arise during coal transportation using coal barges for inter-island transports. Typical coal barges are not equipped with heavy equipment for removal of hot spots in coal self-heating situations. This work continues exploring the possibility of heat exchanger submersion in coal piles as a mean of reducing the temperature of coal piles to prevent the spontaneous combustion accident. Cylindrical reactors with different oven temperatures are used, and the temperature is mapped inside the coal bed. The effectiveness of submerging the heat exchanger in delaying and preventing heat accumulation (leading to spontaneous combustion of coal) is assessed. The method is found to be effective to prevent self-heating, which causes smoldering combustion in subcritical and slightly super-critical conditions. Numerical modeling is undertaken, and the simulation results are compared with the experimental data. Cooling by the heat exchanger could be feasible for preventing smoldering fire accidents in coal barges.

International Seminar on Fire and Explosion Hazards (9; 2019; Saint Petersburg, Russia). Proceedings of the Ninth International Seminar on Fire and Explosion Hazards [Электронный ресурс]: 21-26 April 2019, Saint Petersburg, Russia. Vol. 1 / Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, Autonomous Non-Profit Organization "Fire and Explosion Safety", Gefest Holding Ltd ; [edited by A. Snegirev [et al.]. — Электрон. текстовые дан. (1 файл : 118 Мб). — Saint Petersburg, 2019. — Загл. с титул. экрана. — Свободный доступ из сети Интернет (чтение, печать, копирование). — Adobe Acrobat Reader 7.0. — <URL:http://elib.spbstu.ru/dl/2/k19-45.pdf>. — <URL:http://doi.org/10.18720/SPBPU/2/k19-45>.