The changes associated with the cutting roof and release pressure mining method in the three zones that are susceptible to spontaneous combustion in the goaf with “Y” type ventilation system were studied. For the investigated underground coal mine working face, its three zones of spontaneous combustion have a “U” type ventilation system for the traditional mining method and a “Y” type ventilation system for the cutting roof and release pressure mining method. These systems were monitored using a beam tube method, and the evolution characteristics of spontaneous combustion of the three zones was analysed. The monitoring data showed that when using a traditional mining method with a “U” type ventilation system, the scattered tropical zone converts into the oxidation heating zone after 68.5 m in the goaf, and the suffocative zone presents after 85.5 m. For the cutting roof and release pressure mining method together with a “Y” type ventilation system, the scattered tropical zone converts into the oxidation heating zone after 84 m in the goaf, and the suffocative zone appears after 198.8 m. Compared to traditional mining, the width of the oxidation heating zone increases when using the cutting roof and release pressure method. To prevent spontaneous combustion of the goaf, the comprehensive techniques of the pressure balance for fire control, ground fissure sealing, working face sealing, retained roadways guniting and inert gas fire extinguishing have been used in the studied coal mine. The CO concentration of the goaf is less than 300 ppm during the mining process. Safe mining of the tested working face shows that the cutting roof and release pressure technique can be applied to control the coal seam spontaneous combustion.

In comparison to traditional longwall mining, "roof-cutting and pressure-releasing" mining along gob-side entry retaining changes the permeability of the gob, as well as the pressure-relief characteristics and caving mode of the overlying strata. These changes are a result of the interaction of these factors, which also changes the boundary condition of the gob and the airflow movement law of the working face and the gob. In order to study the law of air flow movement in the working face and gob under the "roof-cutting and pressure-releasing" mining along gob-side entry retaining, the permeability model of gob was established under the engineering background of the 21,304 experimental working face of Chengjiao coal mine, then using fluent numerical simulation software, the movement law of air flow in working face and gob is simulated. The results show that the law of air leakage is much different from that of traditional longwall mining, and there are two main air leakage routes, First, most of the airflow will flow directly into the gob-side entry retaining under the action of inertia, and it will collide with the air flow provided by the fan at the end of the gob-side entry retaining, and the air will leak in the gob along the airflow direction; second, when the remaining airflow flows to the working face, the air leakage is serious in the air inlet corner, and most of the air flow flows into the gob. In view of the air leakage area, the air leakage prevention measures are put forward, such as setting the baffle plate, hanging the wind shield at the corner, and blocking the wall of the roadway with guniting; the simulation results show that the air leakage area is obviously reduced, and it is consistent with the measured data. The simulation results can generally describe the law of air flow movement in the face and gob with "roof-cutting and pressure-releasing".

Cutting roof and release pressure technology has changed the pressure transmission mode of the roof and the caving characteristics of roof rock, which in turn has changed the permeability evolution of the gob. To obtain the permeability characteristics of the gob for the roof cutting and pressure releasing mining method, a mathematical model for the gob voidage and permeability was established by analyzing the overlying strata movement law and the lateral stress variation in the gob. The airflow migration law of haulage roadway 12 201 in Halagou coal mine was studied using Fluent software and an established mathematical model. The main conclusions obtained are as follows: The overburden pressure and lateral stress in the gob gradually increase with the advancement of the working face; along the direction of the retaining roadway, there are two roadway windflows entering the critical zones (the 22‐100 m and 390‐398 m sections). The inflow at these two sections accounted for 59% of the total air inflow, of which the most critical is the 28‐53 m section, which accounts for 43% of the total air inflow in the two severe air leakage sections. The findings of this work provide a theoretical basis for the implementation of antileakage technology in the gob under the roof cutting and pressure releasing mining method and help reduce the risk of spontaneous combustion in the gob.

The main factor affecting the gas content in a coal seam is the geological structure, and different types of geological structure have different effects on the gas content in a coal seam. To explore the main controlling factors of gas content in coal seam No. 3 in the Changping minefield, and the effect of different geological structures on gas control in a coal seam, this study analyzes the types and quantities of geological structures in the Changping minefield. Further, geological boreholes are used to sample and analyze coal seams near different geological structures and at different burial depths. The results show that the main controlling factor of gas content in a coal seam is the burial depth of the coal seam, and the gas content tends to increase with the increasing depth. A geological structure has an effect on the occurrence of coal seam gas in a local area, and the gas content in the coal seam near a fault is 1.6 times that in the normal areas at the same depth. The gas content in the upper wall of a normal fault is 21.6% higher than that in the lower wall. The syncline and anticline axes are prone to form gas accumulation areas, where the gas content is 30%‐60% higher than the normal level. Gas accumulation is prone to occur around a collapse column, and the gas content there is 2.47 times higher than that in a normal area at the same burial depth. Combining the formation mechanism and structural characteristics of different geological structures, this study analyzes the effect of geological structures on coal seam gas quantitatively and provides a theoretical basis for the prevention and control of gas disasters in the Changping minefield.

Aiming at the application of hydraulic punching technology in soft, low permeability, and high gas coal seams in Changping Coal Mine, there are problems such as large workload, poor permeability enhancement effect, and the formation of “blank zones” in the pressure relief and permeability enhancement areas caused by workers' blind construction. By using a combination of theoretical analysis, numerical simulation, and on‐site practice, the threshold pressure for punching and breaking coal was calculated. The simulation analysis determined the reasonable key parameters for hydraulic punching through layered drilling, providing theoretical support for engineering applications; and the application effect of key parameters was investigated in the 5302 bottom extraction roadway of Changping Coal Mine. The research results show that the threshold value of incident pressure for punching and breaking coal in the No. 3 coal seam of Changping Coal Mine is 4.26 MPa, the reasonable hydraulic punching water pressure is 15 MPa, the punching angle is 60°, the diameter of the punching hole is not more than 0.8 m, and the punching time is 120 min; when the punching water pressure is lower than 4.0 MPa, effective coal flushing cannot be achieved. When the water pressure is between 4.0 and 15.0 MPa, the total amount of coal flushing is positively correlated with the punching water pressure; under the determined reasonable parameter punching conditions, the extraction influence radius is 8.9 m, the effective extraction radius is 5 m, and the average pure gas extraction volume is 0.089 m³/min. Under this parameter, hydraulic punching technology effectively improves the permeability characteristics of coal seams, which is conducive to long‐term gas extraction and has a significant effect on pressure relief and drainage promotion.