Research on a noble extinguish material for the underground fire prevention

Summary The three‐phase foam consisted of solid, liquid and gas is regarded as a highly effective measure for the underground mine fire prevention. In this study, the three‐phase foam technology is introduced and a visualization platform is established to exhibit the foam flow in a physical goaf. The diffusion rule and extinguishing performance for three‐phase foam are researched. Test results show that the three‐phase foam has a superior heat resistance than expansion foam in the top goaf. The coal heating rate is postponed after the three‐phase foam processing and the active functional groups are suppressed effectively. Increasing the foam expansion ratio is adverse to the three‐phase foam stability. The field application of three‐phase foam was evaluated via the practical extinguishment effect. The marked reduction in the sealed zone temperature and CO concentration proved that the proposed three‐phase foam technology was effective on controlling the concealed goaf fire.