Life detection technology using ultra-wideband (UWB) radar is a non-contact, active detection technology, which can be used to search for survivors in disaster rescues. The existing multi-target detection method based on UWB radar echo signals has low accuracy and has difficulty extracting breathing and heartbeat information at the same time. Therefore, this paper proposes a new multi-target localization and vital sign detection method using ultra-wide band radar. A target recognition and localization method based on permutation entropy (PE) and K means++ clustering is proposed to determine the number and position of targets in the environment. An adaptive denoising method for vital sign extraction based on ensemble empirical mode decomposition (EEMD) and wavelet analysis (WA) is proposed to reconstruct the breathing and heartbeat signals of human targets. A heartbeat frequency extraction method based on particle swarm optimization (PSO) and stochastic resonance (SR) is proposed to detect the heartbeat frequency of human targets. Experimental results show that the PE—K means++ method can successfully recognize and locate multiple human targets in the environment, and its average relative error is 1.83%. Using the EEMD–WA method can effectively filter the clutter signal, and the average relative error of the reconstructed respiratory signal frequency is 4.27%. The average relative error of heartbeat frequency detected by the PSO–SR method was 6.23%. The multi-target localization and vital sign detection method proposed in this paper can effectively recognize all human targets in the multi-target scene and provide their accurate location and vital signs information. This provides a theoretical basis for the technical system of emergency rescue and technical support for post-disaster rescue.

As a new method to detect vital signs, Ultra-wideband (UWB) radar could continuously monitor human respiratory signs without contact. Aimed at addressing the problem of large interference and weak acquisition signal in radar echo signals from complex scenes, this paper adopts a UWB radar echo signal processing method that combines strong physical sign information extraction at P time and Variational Mode Decomposition (VMD) to carry out theoretical derivation. Using this novel processing scheme, respiration and heartbeat signals can be quickly reconstructed according to the selection of the appropriate intrinsic mode functions (IMFs), and the real-time detection accuracy of human respiratory signs is greatly improved. Based on an experimental platform, the data collected by the UWB radar module were first verified against the measured values obtained at the actual scene. The results of a validation test proved that our UWB radar echo signal processing method effectively eliminated the respiratory clutter signal and realized the accurate measurement of respiratory and heartbeat signals, which would prove the existence of life and further improve the quality of respiration and heartbeat signal and the robustness of detection.

The internal collapse of deep seam drainage borehole and negative pressure loss represents a serious technical problem affecting gas drainage. To address this problem a creep model of coal around borehole was established based on the plastic softening characteristics of coal. The final collapse time of the borehole was determined and used to derive the three stages of the borehole collapse process. The model of negative pressure loss in drainage borehole was established according to the theory of fluid dynamics, the model of methane gas flow and the creep model of the coal around the borehole. The relationship between the negative pressure loss of drainage and the change of borehole aperture was derived, thereby revealing the main influencing factors of the negative pressure loss in the borehole. A drainage technique named “Full-hole deep screen mesh pipe” was introduced and tested to prevent the collapse of borehole and reduce the negative pressure loss. The result shows that after the borehole was drilled, the borehole wall was affected by the complex stress of the deep coal seam, the coal surrounding the borehole collapsed or presented the characteristics of creep extrusion towards the borehole. The “Full-hole deep screen mesh pipe drainage technology” could effectively control the collapse as well as the deformation of the borehole and reduced the negative pressure loss. Compared with the traditional drainage technology, the methane gas drainage concentration was increased by 101% and the gas flow was increased by 97% when the methane gas was drained for 90 days, the gas drainage efficiency increased significantly.

Accurately determining the spontaneous combustion zone of coal around the borehole plays an important role in preventing borehole accidents. To solve the problem of dividing the hazardous zone of spontaneous combustion in boreholes, a fully coupled model of the gas flow, coal oxidation reaction, and energy transportation is developed in this study. Taking the drainage borehole of the 24130 working face in the No. 10 Coal Mine of the Pingdingshan mining area as an example, the proposed model is used to simulate the seepage velocity field, oxygen concentration field, and temperature field of the coal around the borehole. The simulation results are found to be consistent with the field test results. Based on the simulation results, the coal around the borehole is divided into two areas in the axial direction of the borehole. The intersection of the seepage velocity u ≤ 0.004 m/s and oxygen concentration 7% ≤ C(O₂) ≤ 21% are considered the “hazardous zone”, and the union of the oxygen concentration C(O₂) < 7% and seepage velocity u > 0.004 m/s are considered the “safety zone”. The influences of various factors inducing spontaneous combustion of coal around the borehole on the hazardous zone are revealed by analyzing the drainage negative pressure, sealing length, and roadway temperature. The results show that reducing the drainage negative pressure and increasing the sealing length can effectively restrain the spontaneous combustion of the borehole and can also help reduce the scope of the hazardous zone of the borehole. Finally, a reasonable arrangement of the predrainage period in the appropriate season can also effectively inhibit the spontaneous combustion of coal around boreholes.

To explore the problem of CO concentration overrun in fully mechanized caving faces, a multiphysical field coupling model of CO emission regularity was established in this study based on the gas flow theory, gas concentration field theory, and heat transfer theory. Taking the 014N1⁻¹ working face of the No. 1 coal seam in Ruian coal mine as the research object, the model was applied to simulate the CO concentration in the fully mechanized caving face. The simulation results were found to be consistent with the field detection results. Based on the simulation results, the effects of advancing speed and wind velocity on the CO emissions in the gob and the CO concentration distribution in the working face were analyzed. The results showed that, the lower the wind velocity, the greater the CO emissions. With increasing advancing speed, the CO emissions in the gob first increased, reached maximum, and then decreased. The production conditions were found to be most suitable when the advancing speed and wind velocity were 2 and 1.8 m/s, respectively. Moreover, the CO emission characteristics of the fully mechanized caving face under the conditions of periodic roof weighting, production process, and atmospheric pressure change were monitored and analyzed. We verified the presence of CO in the coal seam and its emission with the progress of coal seam mining. Our results will be useful in the research and analysis of CO emission source, emission regularity, and overrun warning in fully mechanized working faces.

The suction negative pressure is an important factor affecting the spontaneous combustion of coal around a borehole. Because the mechanism of suction negative pressure in the gas extraction process remains unclear, a constant suction negative pressure is often used in coal mines, leading to a low efficiency of gas extraction in deep coal seams. Moreover, the coal body easily undergoes spontaneous combustion during the extraction process, which is not conducive to safe mining. To study the effect of the suction negative pressure near the end sealing section, a numerical model of the combustion process around a borehole under the influence of suction negative pressure was established using COMSOL. The variation laws of the gas seepage velocity, oxygen concentration, and coal temperature in the borehole cycle were analyzed, and the gas suction negative pressure under different sealing parameters was optimized to ensure efficient gas extraction and prevent the spontaneous combustion of coal. The results showed that the negative pressure of extraction provides the power required for gas seepage into the borehole, and the gas flow rate increases with increasing negative pressure of extraction, exhibiting a linear growth trend. The range of the coal suffocation zone around the sealing section decreases with the increase in the negative pressure. With the extension of the gas extraction time, the oxygen concentration decreases rapidly, and the inflection point advances with the increase in the negative pressure. When the negative pressure of gas extraction is <40 kPa, the range of the high-temperature area around the block increases with the negative pressure of gas extraction. Based on the present situation of the spontaneous combustion induced by gas drainage in the Pingdingshan No. 10 Coal Mine, different sealing parameters should be set with different negative pressures of extraction, and the negative pressure of extraction should not exceed −18 kPa when the sealing depth is 20 m and the sealing length is 8 m in the 24130 working face. These parameter settings can help effectively prevent spontaneous combustion during the extraction process.