The problem of managing methane emission in the mined-out space of the mines of the Vorkuta coal deposit is considered. The mining-geological and mining-technical conditions affecting the current gas situation are briefly described. The main problems usually arise at a distance of 100-200 m from the mine workings.The main method used to control gas-air flows - the erection of a chug wall. The disadvantages of this method are revealed, which lie in the possible creation of a situation, when the ventilation scheme “direct flow with sublight” turns into a “return” one. Two new ways of solving the problem of the emergence of local concentrations of methane, carried out by air leaks from the worked-out space to the ventilation mine are proposed. The first way is based on the use of foam strips, the second - in the additional laying of strips of filling material. The second method also involves solving the problem of hard-to-crack roof landings. A method of calculating the optimal volume of stowing material for the proposed method, taking into account the necessary undermining of the “Triple” formation, is proposed.
The results of the analysis of the character of the growth with depth of methane content in beds and host rocks of coal deposits in the Pechora basin and the factors affecting it are presented. On the basis of field measurements of methane emission dynamics in the mine workings of a number of mines of the Vorkuta coal field and their statistical processing the effect of the increase in the relative methane emission by increasing the size of the mined-out space - the number of the waste pillars and the distance of the working face from the cut mine working is shown. The efficiency of the degassing schemes used to reduce gas release from the surrounding rock masses under development is analyzed. Geomechanical and gasdynamic models of a complexly structured undermined rock mass are proposed, allowing to justifiably calculate parameters of permeability distribution over its volume, air leakage fluxes from the cleaning face and gas-air mixture in the mined-out spaces.
