Water inflow forecasting method of deep buried coal working face in northern Ordos Basin, China

The Mesozoic strata are mainly fluvial deposits in the Jurassic deep buried area of northern Ordos Basin, which are characterized by multi-cycle evolution in stages, resulting in alternate distribution of the aquifer-bearing seams on the coal seam roof. As the surface is mostly covered by Mu Us Desert, the rainfall infiltration recharge coefficient is large, and the water storage capacity of Quaternary loosen stratum is strong. The sufficient water-filling recharge source causes the water-rich aquifers on the roof of coal seams, among which the main water-filled aquifer is Qilizhen sandstone aquifer. In this study, Qilizhen sandstone aquifer is taken as the key layer, and generalized as a direct water-filled aquifer. When the water level in a confined well is lower than the roof of the aquifer, there would be no pressure flow zone in the aquifer near the well, forming a confined-phreatic well. Segmentation method is used to calculate the flow to well, including non-pressurized and confined water areas. However, in mining process of the working face, the water level in the well has been reduced to the floor of the coal seam. The traditional formula of confined- phreatic wells is based on the assumption that the diameter of wells is small(< 1 m). In mining process of the working face, with the destruction of the key water-filled aquifer(Qilizhen sandstone aquifer) by the water-conducting fracture zone of overburden, a huge drainage well is formed on the roof of the whole coal seam(10²-10³m). As the radius of the well increases with the goaf, the traditional formula is inapplicable. Based on the confined-phreatic well formula in Groundwater Dynamics, combined with the evolution process of the drain wells in the goaf during deep coal mining in northern Ordos Basin, a confined-phreatic well formula suitable for drain wells under mining disturbance in deep buried areas is established. Taking the first mining face of Hulusu Coal Mine as the research object, this paper uses the relevant hydrogeological parameters obtained from geological exploration and underground exposure to calculate the water inflow. The calculation results show that in the initial stage of working face mining, the actual water inflow is relatively small as the water flowing fracture zone has not communicated with Qilizhen sandstone aquifer due to the insufficient development of the zone. In the middle and later stage, the water flowing fracture zone develops to Qilizhen sandstone aquifer, and the calculated water inflow is close to the actual value, which proves that the formula for calculating the water inflow at the working face of deep-buried coal can accurately predict the water inflow in the mining process of the working face in the study area. The formula established in this study is applicable to the roof water hazard areas of Jurassic Coalfields in Western China, and provides scientific basis for water hazard prevention and control for safe mining of coal resources in deep-buried coalfields.