Spontaneous Combustion: R70 Testing

Self-heating poses a significant hazard for both open-cut and underground coal mine operations.  One of the major problems facing the coal industry is producing reliable hazard management plans that require identification of the self-heating propensity in advance of mining, during transportation and stockpiling.

CRL Energy has two dedicated systems on which to carry out the adiabatic test (R70) for the spontaneous combustion of coal;
A column test facility is in the process of being developed;
Coals with an R70 value less than 0.5ºC/h = low propensity;
R70 value between 0.5-0.8ºC/h = medium propensity;
R70 values > 0.8ºC/h = high propensity, and thus more prone to spontaneous combustions; and
• We have a comprehensive research programme (r70 research page) looking at the spontaneous combustion propensities of New Zealand coals.

Contact details:

Dr Tana Levi
CRL Energy
68 Gracefield Road
PO Box 31-244
Lower Hutt 5040
Tel: +64 4 570 3700
Fax: +64 4 570 3701