An Experimental Study on the Conductivity Changes in Coal during Methane Adsorption-Desorption and their Influencing Factors

During the processes of methane adsorption and desorption, the internal structure of coal changes, accordingly leading to changes in electrical conductivity. In this paper, using low rank coal seams of the Yan’an Formation in the Dafosi field as the research subject, the relationship between coal resistivity, methane adsorption quantity, and equilibrium pressure is analyzed through proximate analysis, mercury injection tests, low temperature liquid nitrogen adsorption tests, and coal resistivity measurements during methane adsorption and desorption. The results show that during the process of pressure rise and methane adsorption, the conductivity of coal increases, resulting from heat release from methane adsorption, coal matrix swelling and adsorbed water molecules replaced by methane, but the resistivity reduction gradually decreases. The relationship between coal resistivity and methane adsorption quantity and equilibrium pressure can be described by a quadratic function. During the processes of depressurization and desorption, the resistivity of coal rebounds slightly, due to decalescence of methane desorption, coal matrix shrinkage and water-gas displacement, and the relationship coincides with a linear function. Methane adsorption leads to irreversible changes in coal internal structure and enhances the coal conductivity, and resistivity cannot be restored to the initial level even after methane desorption. The resistivity and reduction rate of durain are higher than those of vitrain, with relatively greater homogeneous pore throat structure and fewer charged particles in the double electric layer. In addition, moisture can enhance the conductivity of coal and makes it change more complexly during methane adsorption and desorption.