Ignition mechanism of methane by 5G electromagnetic waves and power safety thresholds in underground coal mines

5G technology, with its advantages of high bandwidth, low latency, and extensive connectivity, has shown great potential in driving the intelligent transformation of the coal mining industry. This study systematically investigates the potential risk of methane gas explosions triggered by 5G RF signa...

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Main Authors: Yong ZHANG, Jijian MENG, Xiangyuan CHEN, Xiaofeng WANG, Xiaojing CHEN, Haijian CHEN, Ziwen GUO
Format: Article
Language:zho
Published: Editorial Office of Journal of China Coal Society 2025-03-01
Series:Meitan xuebao
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Online Access:http://www.mtxb.com.cn/article/doi/10.13225/j.cnki.jccs.2024.1400
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author Yong ZHANG
Jijian MENG
Xiangyuan CHEN
Xiaofeng WANG
Xiaojing CHEN
Haijian CHEN
Ziwen GUO
author_facet Yong ZHANG
Jijian MENG
Xiangyuan CHEN
Xiaofeng WANG
Xiaojing CHEN
Haijian CHEN
Ziwen GUO
author_sort Yong ZHANG
collection DOAJ
description 5G technology, with its advantages of high bandwidth, low latency, and extensive connectivity, has shown great potential in driving the intelligent transformation of the coal mining industry. This study systematically investigates the potential risk of methane gas explosions triggered by 5G RF signals in underground coal mines and the limitations of current standards for 5G RF applications. First, existing explosion-proof standards were traced and analyzed to clarify their historical evolution and scope. An evaluation system for the safety thresholds of RF device transmitters in underground coal mines was then established. Subsequently, a universal calculation model for electromagnetic wave power safety thresholds in air/methane mixtures was developed by integrating low-temperature plasma dynamics, electromagnetic wave propagation theory, and methane explosion reaction kinetics. Through parametric matching design of a half-wave dipole antenna, efficient RF energy coupling to the discharge electrode was achieved, and laboratory experiments were conducted to ignite methane gas. The results demonstrated that RF energy can ignite methane, and the safety threshold is influenced by multiple factors, including modulation mode, frequency, temperature and humidity, energy accumulation, antenna gain, and multi-source superposition. The study found that the power safety threshold for the 5G NR 700 MHz band is not lower than 43.3 W. When evaluating the safety threshold based on the transmitter, the impact of antenna gain can be neglected. A method based on correlation coefficients and antenna diversity was developed to effectively quantify the impact of multi-source superposition on safety evaluations, indicating that under certain conditions, the effect of multi-source superposition can be ignored, thereby improving the utilization efficiency of RF power. This study clarified the power safety threshold for 700 MHz 5G base stations in underground coal mines, provided a reference for the safety research of other frequency bands and RF devices, and emphasized the necessity of revising relevant standards. Such revisions aim to precisely assess the risk of RF signals igniting flammable gases in complex underground environments, thereby supporting the intelligent transformation and safe production of the coal mining industry.
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institution DOAJ
issn 0253-9993
language zho
publishDate 2025-03-01
publisher Editorial Office of Journal of China Coal Society
record_format Article
series Meitan xuebao
spelling doaj-art-eb95fc0fe9d249858d200cfa53b504792025-08-20T03:14:45ZzhoEditorial Office of Journal of China Coal SocietyMeitan xuebao0253-99932025-03-015031804182610.13225/j.cnki.jccs.2024.14002024-1400Ignition mechanism of methane by 5G electromagnetic waves and power safety thresholds in underground coal minesYong ZHANG0Jijian MENG1Xiangyuan CHEN2Xiaofeng WANG3Xiaojing CHEN4Haijian CHEN5Ziwen GUO6Explosion-proof and Electrical Safety Technical Standards Institute, China Mine Products Safety Approval and Certification Center, Beijing, 100013, ChinaExplosion-proof and Electrical Safety Technical Standards Institute, China Mine Products Safety Approval and Certification Center, Beijing, 100013, ChinaGuoNeng Yulin Energy Co., Ltd., Yulin 719054, ChinaGuoNeng Yulin Energy Co., Ltd., Yulin 719054, ChinaChina Coal Technology & Engineering Group Corporation Changzhou Research Institute Co., Ltd., Changzhou 213035, ChinaChina Coal Technology & Engineering Group Corporation Changzhou Research Institute Co., Ltd., Changzhou 213035, ChinaExplosion-proof and Electrical Safety Technical Standards Institute, China Mine Products Safety Approval and Certification Center, Beijing, 100013, China5G technology, with its advantages of high bandwidth, low latency, and extensive connectivity, has shown great potential in driving the intelligent transformation of the coal mining industry. This study systematically investigates the potential risk of methane gas explosions triggered by 5G RF signals in underground coal mines and the limitations of current standards for 5G RF applications. First, existing explosion-proof standards were traced and analyzed to clarify their historical evolution and scope. An evaluation system for the safety thresholds of RF device transmitters in underground coal mines was then established. Subsequently, a universal calculation model for electromagnetic wave power safety thresholds in air/methane mixtures was developed by integrating low-temperature plasma dynamics, electromagnetic wave propagation theory, and methane explosion reaction kinetics. Through parametric matching design of a half-wave dipole antenna, efficient RF energy coupling to the discharge electrode was achieved, and laboratory experiments were conducted to ignite methane gas. The results demonstrated that RF energy can ignite methane, and the safety threshold is influenced by multiple factors, including modulation mode, frequency, temperature and humidity, energy accumulation, antenna gain, and multi-source superposition. The study found that the power safety threshold for the 5G NR 700 MHz band is not lower than 43.3 W. When evaluating the safety threshold based on the transmitter, the impact of antenna gain can be neglected. A method based on correlation coefficients and antenna diversity was developed to effectively quantify the impact of multi-source superposition on safety evaluations, indicating that under certain conditions, the effect of multi-source superposition can be ignored, thereby improving the utilization efficiency of RF power. This study clarified the power safety threshold for 700 MHz 5G base stations in underground coal mines, provided a reference for the safety research of other frequency bands and RF devices, and emphasized the necessity of revising relevant standards. Such revisions aim to precisely assess the risk of RF signals igniting flammable gases in complex underground environments, thereby supporting the intelligent transformation and safe production of the coal mining industry.http://www.mtxb.com.cn/article/doi/10.13225/j.cnki.jccs.2024.1400coal mining5g technologyradio frequency electromagnetic energyexplosion-proof safetysafety thresholdlow-temperature plasmamulti-source superposition
spellingShingle Yong ZHANG
Jijian MENG
Xiangyuan CHEN
Xiaofeng WANG
Xiaojing CHEN
Haijian CHEN
Ziwen GUO
Ignition mechanism of methane by 5G electromagnetic waves and power safety thresholds in underground coal mines
Meitan xuebao
coal mining
5g technology
radio frequency electromagnetic energy
explosion-proof safety
safety threshold
low-temperature plasma
multi-source superposition
title Ignition mechanism of methane by 5G electromagnetic waves and power safety thresholds in underground coal mines
title_full Ignition mechanism of methane by 5G electromagnetic waves and power safety thresholds in underground coal mines
title_fullStr Ignition mechanism of methane by 5G electromagnetic waves and power safety thresholds in underground coal mines
title_full_unstemmed Ignition mechanism of methane by 5G electromagnetic waves and power safety thresholds in underground coal mines
title_short Ignition mechanism of methane by 5G electromagnetic waves and power safety thresholds in underground coal mines
title_sort ignition mechanism of methane by 5g electromagnetic waves and power safety thresholds in underground coal mines
topic coal mining
5g technology
radio frequency electromagnetic energy
explosion-proof safety
safety threshold
low-temperature plasma
multi-source superposition
url http://www.mtxb.com.cn/article/doi/10.13225/j.cnki.jccs.2024.1400
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AT xiangyuanchen ignitionmechanismofmethaneby5gelectromagneticwavesandpowersafetythresholdsinundergroundcoalmines
AT xiaofengwang ignitionmechanismofmethaneby5gelectromagneticwavesandpowersafetythresholdsinundergroundcoalmines
AT xiaojingchen ignitionmechanismofmethaneby5gelectromagneticwavesandpowersafetythresholdsinundergroundcoalmines
AT haijianchen ignitionmechanismofmethaneby5gelectromagneticwavesandpowersafetythresholdsinundergroundcoalmines
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