Open Access

ARTICLE

Thermal Performance and Application of a Self-Powered Coal Monitoring System with Heat Pipe and Thermoelectric Integration for Spontaneous Combustion Prevention

Tao Lin^1,*, Chengdai Chen¹, Liyao Chen¹, Fengqin Han¹, Guanghui He²

1 School of Electrical Engineering, Guangzhou City University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510800, China
2 Guangzhou Pukai Thermovoltaic Micro Energy Technology Ltd., Guangzhou, 510800, China

* Corresponding Author: Tao Lin. Email:

Frontiers in Heat and Mass Transfer 2025, 23(5), 1661-1680. https://doi.org/10.32604/fhmt.2025.070787

Received 23 July 2025; Accepted 23 September 2025; Issue published 31 October 2025

Abstract

Targeting spontaneous coal combustion during stacking, we developed an efficient heat dissipation & self-supplied wireless temperature measurement system (SPWTM) with gravity heat pipe-thermoelectric integration for dual safety. The heat transfer characteristics and temperature measurement optimization of the system are experimentally investigated and verified in practical applications. The results show that, firstly, the effects of coal pile heat production power and burial depth, along with heat pipe startup and heat transfer characteristics. At 60 cm burial depth, the condensation section dissipates 98% coal pile heat via natural convection. Secondly, for the temperature measurement error caused by the heat pipe heat transfer temperature difference, the correction method of “superimposing the measured value with the heat transfer temperature difference” is proposed, and the higher the coal temperature, the better the temperature measurement accuracy. Finally, the system can quickly (≤1 h) reduce the temperature of the coal pile to the spontaneous combustion point, significantly inhibiting the spontaneous combustion phenomenon, the maximum temperature does not exceed 49.2°C. Meanwhile, it utilizes waste heat to drive thermoelectric power generation, realizing self-supplied, unattended, and long-term accurate temperature measurement and warning. In a word, synergistic active heat dissipation and self-powered temperature monitoring-warning ensure dual coal pile thermal safety.

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Keywords

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