ABSTRACT
The location of the heat source of spontaneous combustion in a coal waste pile by self-potential method was attempted to investigate whether this method can be applied to detect the spontaneous combustion in the coal mines. The results of the electric potential measurement in the coal waste pile showed that there is a negative center of the electrical potential distribution in the area of measurement. The potential of this center is about 140 mV lower than that in its peripheries. Moreover, the negative center of electrical potential distribution almost overlaps with the high temperature zone. These results showed that the potential distribution is generated corresponding to the position of the heat source. Therefore, it is concluded that it is possible to locate the heat source by the measurement of self-potential distribution.
