Pilot Plant Program for the AED Advanced Coal Cleaning System. Phase II. Interim final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1980-08-01

Advanced Energy Dynamics, Inc. (AED), has developed a proprietary coal cleaning process which employs a combination of ionization and electrostatic separation to remove both sulfur and ash from dry pulverized coal. The Ohio Department of Energy sponsored the first part of a program to evaluate, develop, and demonstrate the process in a continuous-flow pilot plant. Various coals used by Ohio electric utilities were characterized and classified, and sulfur reduction, ash reduction and Btu recovery were measured. Sulfur removal in various coals ranged from 33 to 68% (on a Btu basis). Ash removal ranged from 17 to 59% (on a Btumore » basis). Ash removal of particles greater than 53 microns ranged from 46 to 88%. Btu recovery ranged from 90 to 97%. These results, especially the large percentage removal of ash particles greater than 53 microns, suggest that the AED system can contribute materially to improved boiler performance and availability. The study indicated the following potential areas for commercial utilization of the AED process: installation between the pulverizer and boiler of conventional coal-fired power utilities; reclamation of fine coal refuse; dry coal cleaning to supplement, and, if necessary, to take the place of conventional coal cleaning; upgrading coal used in: (1) coal-oil mixtures, (2) gasification and liquefaction processes designed to handle pulverized coal; and (3) blast furnaces for making steel, as a fuel supplement to the coke. Partial cleaning of coking coal blends during preheating may also prove economically attractive. Numerous other industrial processes which use pulverized coal such as the production of activated carbon and direct reduction of iron ore may also benefit from the use of AED coal cleaning.« less

Coal technology program progress report, February 1976

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

Final testing of the 20-atm bench-scale system is underway in preparation for experiments with hydrogen. Laboratory-scale testing of a number of inexpensive pure compounds to improve the settling rate of solids in Solvent Refined Coal (SRC) unfiltered oil (UFO), bench-scale testing of the effect of the Tretolite additive on settling, and characterization tests on a new sample of UFO from the PAMCO-SRC process are reported. Experimental engineering support of an in situ gasification process include low-temperature pyrolyses at exceptionally low heating rates (0.3/sup 0/C/min). Highly pyrophoric chars were consistently produced. Aqueous by-products from coal conversion technologies and oil shale retortingmore » have been analyzed directly to determine major organic components. A report is being prepared discussing various aspects of the engineering evaluations of nuclear process heat for coal. A bench-scale test program on thermochemical water splitting for hydrogen production is under consideration. In the coal-fueled MIUS program, preparations for procurement of tubing for the matrix in the fluidized-bed furnace and for fabrication of the furnace continued. Analyses of the AiResearch gas turbine and recuperator under coal-fueled MIUS operating conditions are near completion. Process flow diagrams and heat and material balances were completed for most of the units in the synthoil process. Overall utilities requirements were calculated and the coal preparation flowsheets were finalized. For hydrocarbonization, the flowsheet was revised to include additional coal data. Flowsheets were finalized for the acid gas separation and recycle, and the oil-solids separation. (LTN)« less

Coking properties of coal under pressure and their influence on moving-bed gasification. Final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lancet, M.S.; Curran, G.P.; Sim, F.A.

1982-08-01

The coking properties of seven bituminous coals, including three Eastern US coals, one Midwestern US coal, a Western US coal and two from the UK were studied with respect to the possible utilization of these coals in moving bed gasifier systems. Complete physical, chemical and petrographic analyses were obtained for each coal in addition to the highly specialized CCDC simulated gasifier coking test data. The effects of total pressure, hydrogen partial pressure, heating rate and the addition of gob and tar on the fluidity and swelling properties of each coal was studied. Samples of each coal were shock heated undermore » pressure to simulate coking in the top of a Lurgi gasifier. The resultant cokes were tested for various physical properties and the product yields were determined. Gas release patterns during pressurized pyrolysis were obtained in several instances. The data obtained in this work should provide a valuable data base for future gasifier feedstock evaluation programs.« less

CO-FIRING COAL: FEEDLOT AND LITTER BIOMASS FUELS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dr. Kalyan Annamalai; Dr. John Sweeten; Dr. Sayeed Mukhtar

2000-10-24

The following are proposed activities for quarter 1 (6/15/00-9/14/00): (1) Finalize the allocation of funds within TAMU to co-principal investigators and the final task lists; (2) Acquire 3 D computer code for coal combustion and modify for cofiring Coal:Feedlot biomass and Coal:Litter biomass fuels; (3) Develop a simple one dimensional model for fixed bed gasifier cofired with coal:biomass fuels; and (4) Prepare the boiler burner for reburn tests with feedlot biomass fuels. The following were achieved During Quarter 5 (6/15/00-9/14/00): (1) Funds are being allocated to co-principal investigators; task list from Prof. Mukhtar has been received (Appendix A); (2) Ordermore » has been placed to acquire Pulverized Coal gasification and Combustion 3 D (PCGC-3) computer code for coal combustion and modify for cofiring Coal: Feedlot biomass and Coal: Litter biomass fuels. Reason for selecting this code is the availability of source code for modification to include biomass fuels; (3) A simplified one-dimensional model has been developed; however convergence had not yet been achieved; and (4) The length of the boiler burner has been increased to increase the residence time. A premixed propane burner has been installed to simulate coal combustion gases. First coal, as a reburn fuel will be used to generate base line data followed by methane, feedlot and litter biomass fuels.« less

Application of LIBS and TMA for the determination of combustion predictive indices of coals and coal blends

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ctvrtnickova, T.; Mateo, M. P.; Yañez, A.; Nicolas, G.

2011-04-01

Presented work brings results of Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) and Thermo-Mechanical Analysis (TMA) of coals and coal blends used in coal fired power plants all over Spain. Several coal specimens, its blends and corresponding laboratory ash were analyzed by mentioned techniques and results were compared to standard laboratory methods. The indices of slagging, which predict the tendency of coal ash deposition on the boiler walls, were determined by means of standard chemical analysis, LIBS and TMA. The optimal coal suitable to be blended with the problematic national lignite coal was suggested in order to diminish the slagging problems. Used techniques were evaluated based on the precision, acquisition time, extension and quality of information they could provide. Finally, the applicability of LIBS and TMA to the successful calculation of slagging indices is discussed and their substitution of time-consuming and instrumentally difficult standard methods is considered.

Heterofunctionality interaction with donor solvent coal liquefaction. Final progress report, August 1982-April 1984

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cronauer, D.C.

1984-05-01

This project was undertaken to understand the role of the coal liquefaction solvent through a study of the interaction between the hydrogen donor solvent characteristics and the heterofunctionality of the solvent. Specifically, hydroxyl- and nitrogen-containing solvents were studied and characterized. A series of coal liquefaction experiments were carried out at 450/sup 0/C in a continuous feed stirred-tank reactor (CSTR) to observe the effect of adding phenolics to anthracene oil (AO) and SRC-II recycle solvents. The addition of phenol to AO at a ratio of 5/65 resulted in a nominal increase in coal conversion to THF solubles, but the amount ofmore » asphaltenes more than doubled resulting in a sizable net loss of solvent. The addition of m-cresol to both AO and SRC-II solvents had a positive effect on coal conversion to both THF and pentane solubles (oils). The partial removal of an OH-concentrate from SRC-II solvent was carried out using Amberlyst IRA-904 ion exchange resin. The resin-treated oil was only marginally better than raw SRC-II recycle solvent for coal liquefaction. Hydroaromatics having nitrogen functionality should be good solvents for coal liquefaction considering their effective solvent power, ability to penetrate and swell coal, and their ability to readily transfer hydrogen, particularly in the presence of oxygen functionality. However, these benefits are overshadowed by the strong tendency of the nitrogen-containing species to adduct with themselves and coal-derived materials.« less

Analysis of ecological environment impact of coal exploitation and utilization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Baoliu; Luo, Hong; Lv, Lianhong; Wang, Jian; Zhang, Baoshi

2018-02-01

Based on the theory of life cycle assessment, the ecological and environmental impacts of coal mining, processing, utilization and transportation will be analyzed, with analysing the status of china’s coal exploitation and utilization as the basis, it will find out the ecological and environmental impact in the development and utilization of coal, mainly consist of ecological impact including land damage, water resource destructionand biodiversity loss, etc., while the environmental impact include air, water, solid waste pollutions. Finally with a summary of the ecological and environmental problems, to propose solutionsand countermeasures to promote the rational development and consumption of coal, as well as to reduce the impact of coal production and consumption on the ecological environment, finally to achieve the coordinated development of energy and the environment.

Superacid Catalyzed Coal Conversion Chemistry. Final Technical Report, September 1, 1983-September 1, 1986

DOE R&D Accomplishments Database

Olah, G. A.

1986-01-01

This research project involved the study of a raw comparatively mild coal conversion process. The goal of the project was to study model systems to understand the basic chemistry involved and to provide a possible effective pretreatment of coal which significantly improves liquefaction-depolymerization under mild conditions. The conversion process operates at relatively low temperatures (170 degrees C) and pressures and uses an easily recyclable, stable superacid catalysts (HF-BF{sub 3}). It consequently offers an attractive alternative to currently available processes. From the present studies it appears that the modification of coal structure by electrophilic alkylation and subsequent reaction of alkylated coal with HF-BF{sub 3}-H{sub 2} system under mild conditions considerably improves the extractability of coal in pyridine and cyclohexane. On the other hand, nitration of coal and its subsequent reaction with HF-BF{sub 3}H{sub 2} decreases the pyridine and cyclohexane extractability. Study of model compounds under conditions identical with the superacidic HF/BF{sub 3}/H{sub 2} system provided significant information about the basic chemistry of the involved cleavage-hydrogenation reactions.

Applications of molecular modeling in coal research

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Carlson, G.A.; Faulon, J.L.

Over the past several years, molecular modeling has been applied to study various characteristics of coal molecular structures. Powerful workstations coupled with molecular force-field-based software packages have been used to study coal and coal-related molecules. Early work involved determination of the minimum-energy three-dimensional conformations of various published coal structures (Given, Wiser, Solomon and Shinn), and the dominant role of van der Waals and hydrogen bonding forces in defining the energy-minimized structures. These studies have been extended to explore various physical properties of coal structures, including density, microporosity, surface area, and fractal dimension. Other studies have related structural characteristics to cross-linkmore » density and have explored small molecule interactions with coal. Finally, recent studies using a structural elucidation (molecular builder) technique have constructed statistically diverse coal structures based on quantitative and qualitative data on coal and its decomposition products. This technique is also being applied to study coalification processes based on postulated coalification chemistry.« less

Geomorphology of coal seam fires

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuenzer, Claudia; Stracher, Glenn B.

2012-02-01

. Finally, coal fire geomorphology helps to explain landscape features whose occurrence would otherwise not be understood. Although coal fire-induced thermal anomalies and gas release are also indications of coal fire activity, as addressed by many investigators, no assessment is complete without sound geomorphologic mapping of the fire-induced geomorphologic features.

Bioprocessing of lignite coals using reductive microorganisms. Final technical report, September 30, 1988--March 29, 1992

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Crawford, D.L.

In order to convert lignite coals into liquid fuels, gases or chemical feedstock, the macromolecular structure of the coal must be broken down into low molecular weight fractions prior to further modification. Our research focused on this aspect of coal bioprocessing. We isolated, characterized and studied the lignite coal-depolymerizing organisms Streptomyces viridosporus T7A, Pseudomonas sp. DLC-62, unidentified bacterial strain DLC-BB2 and Gram-positive Bacillus megaterium strain DLC-21. In this research we showed that these bacteria are able to solubilize and depolymerize lignite coals using a combination of biological mechanisms including the excretion of coal solublizing basic chemical metabolites and extracellular coalmore » depolymerizing enzymes.« less

Catalysis and co-catalysis of bond cleavages in coal and coal analogs. Final report, August 1, 1990--January 31, 1994

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Miller, B.

1994-05-01

In work prior to the inception of this project, the authors observed that mixtures of phenolic materials and polyalkoxyaromatic molecules were appreciably more effective in catalyzing the decompositions of di-2-naphthyl ether and of di-1-naphthyl sulfide in tetralin solutions at 450{degrees}C than were the phenols by themselves, even though the polyalkoxyaromatic molecules, in the absence of phenolic co- catalysts, show essentially no catalytic activity. This was of appreciable interest in coal research because dinapthyl ether and dinapthyl sulfide have been employed as model compounds for coals in studies aimed at cleaving ether and sulfide bonds similar to those in coals. Themore » authors proposed (R. K. Sharma, K. P. Raman, and B. Miller) that the mixed catalysts used in these studies catalyze cleavages of ether and sulfide bonds by means of a mechanism involving electron transfer from the polyalkoxyaromatics to the substrates, which are activated as electron acceptors by hydrogen bonding to phenols. Since phenols themselves are electron donors, they also proposed that the well known effects of phenols in catalyzing the conversion of coals are due to similar electron transfer mechanisms.« less

Coal geology and assessment of coal resources and reserves in the Powder River Basin, Wyoming and Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Luppens, James A.; Scott, David C.

2015-01-01

This report presents the final results of the first assessment of both coal resources and reserves for all significant coal beds in the entire Powder River Basin, northeastern Wyoming and southeastern Montana. The basin covers about 19,500 square miles, exclusive of the part of the basin within the Crow and Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservations in Montana. The Powder River Basin, which contains the largest resources of low-sulfur, low-ash, subbituminous coal in the United States, is the single most important coal basin in the United States. The U.S. Geological Survey used a geology-based assessment methodology to estimate an original coal resource of about 1.16 trillion short tons for 47 coal beds in the Powder River Basin; in-place (remaining) resources are about 1.15 trillion short tons. This is the first time that all beds were mapped individually over the entire basin. A total of 162 billion short tons of recoverable coal resources (coal reserve base) are estimated at a 10:1 stripping ratio or less. An estimated 25 billion short tons of that coal reserve base met the definition of reserves, which are resources that can be economically produced at or below the current sales price at the time of the evaluation. The total underground coal resource in coal beds 10–20 feet thick is estimated at 304 billion short tons.

Dandruff, seborrheic dermatitis, and psoriasis drug products containing coal tar and menthol for over-the-counter human use; amendment to the monograph. Final rule

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

2006-03-15

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is issuing a final rule amending the final monograph (FM) for over-the-counter (OTC) dandruff, seborrheic dermatitis, and psoriasis drug products to include the combination of 1.8 percent coal tar solution and 1.5 percent menthol in a shampoo drug product to control dandruff. FDA did not receive any comments or data in response to its previously proposed rule to include this combination. This final rule is part of FDA's ongoing review of OTC drug products.

Combustion and gasification characteristics of chars from four commercially significant coals of different rank. Final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nsakala, N.Y.; Patel, R.L.; Lao, T.C.

1982-09-01

The combustion and gasification kinetics of four size graded coal chars were investigated experimentally in Combustion Engineering's Drop Tube Furnace System (DTFS). The chars were prepared in the DTFS from commercially significant coals representing a wide range of rank; these included a Pittsburgh No. 8 Seam hvAb coal, an Illinois No. 6 Seam hvCb coal, a Wyoming Sub C, and a Texas Lignite A. Additionally, a number of standard ASTM and special bench scale tests were performed on the coals and chars to characterize their physicochemical properties. Results showed that the lower rank coal chars were more reactive than themore » higher rank coal chars and that combustion reactions of chars were much faster than the corresponding gasification reactions. Fuel properties, temperature, and reactant gas partial pressure had a significant influence on both combustion and gasification, and particle size had a mild but discernible influence on gasification. Fuel reactivities were closely related to pore structure. Computer simulation of the combustion and gasification performances of the subject samples in the DTFS supported the experimental findings.« less

A preliminary review of coal exploration activities conducted by the government of Armenia and the coal resource potential of Armenia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Warwick, Peter D.; Pierce, B.S.; Landis, E.R.

1993-01-01

A coal resource assessment team from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the Armenian Department of Underground Resources (DUR) and elements of the Ministry of Energy and Fuel, has completed an initial visit to Armenia under the auspices of the U.S. Agency for International Development JUSAID). The visit included discussions of the coal resources, identification of problems associated with on-going exploration and development activities, and field visits to selected solid fuel areas. The USGS team will return in November with a draft of the final report for discussion of conclusions and recommendations with Armenian counterparts, representatives of USAID, and the American Embassy. The final report, which will contain tabulated coal-sample analytical results and detailed recommendations, will be submitted to the USAID by the end of December 1993.Preliminary conclusions are that: 1) Armenia has usable deposits of coal that could form a viable, though relatively small, component of Armenia's energy budget; 2) on-going exploration and development activities must be augmented and expedited to increase understanding of the coal resource potential and subsequent utilization; 3) deficiencies in supplies (primarily fuel) and equipment (replacement of aging parts and units) have greatly reduced the gathering of necessary resource data; and 4) training of Armenian counterparts in conducting and managing coal exploration activities is desirable.

Development of reliable predictive heat transfer correlations for low-rank coal-fired fluid bed combustors. Final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Grewal, N.S.

(1) The proposed correlation of Equation (5) is recommended to predict the maximum value of heat transfer coefficient between a horzontal tube and a gas-solid fluidized bed of small particles under the conditions given. For high temperature applications (T/sub B/ > 600/sup 0/C), the radiative component is important and was estimated following Baskakov et al. (2) The proposed correlation of Equation (8) was found reliable to predict the existing data on the maximum value of heat transfer coefficient between a horizontal tube bundle and a gas-solid fluidized bed of small particles under the conditions given. At high temperatures, the radiativemore » component was estimated from the experimental data of Baskakov et al. (3) The correlation of Equation (8) predicted the GFETC data taken during the combustion of low-rank coal very well, when the contribution due to radiation was estimated following Baskakov et al. (4) The correlations proposed by Grewal and Bansal et al. were found to predict the data taken during low-rank coal combustion within +-25%, when the contribution due to radiation was included and estimated following Baskakov et al. (5) Finally, the correlations for large particles (anti d/sub p/ > 1mm) as proposed by Glicksman and Decker, Catipovic et al., Xavier and Davidson, and Zabrodsky et al. also predicted the data for low-rank coal fluidized bed combustor quite well, when the radiative component was estimated from the data of Baskakov et al. 64 references, 19 figures, 10 tables.« less

Mercury stable isotope signatures of world coal deposits and historical coal combustion emissions.

PubMed

Sun, Ruoyu; Sonke, Jeroen E; Heimbürger, Lars-Eric; Belkin, Harvey E; Liu, Guijian; Shome, Debasish; Cukrowska, Ewa; Liousse, Catherine; Pokrovsky, Oleg S; Streets, David G

2014-07-01

Mercury (Hg) emissions from coal combustion contribute approximately half of anthropogenic Hg emissions to the atmosphere. With the implementation of the first legally binding UNEP treaty aimed at reducing anthropogenic Hg emissions, the identification and traceability of Hg emissions from different countries/regions are critically important. Here, we present a comprehensive world coal Hg stable isotope database including 108 new coal samples from major coal-producing deposits in South Africa, China, Europe, India, Indonesia, Mongolia, former USSR, and the U.S. A 4.7‰ range in δ(202)Hg (-3.9 to 0.8‰) and a 1‰ range in Δ(199)Hg (-0.6 to 0.4‰) are observed. Fourteen (p < 0.05) to 17 (p < 0.1) of the 28 pairwise comparisons between eight global regions are statistically distinguishable on the basis of δ(202)Hg, Δ(199)Hg or both, highlighting the potential application of Hg isotope signatures to coal Hg emissions tracing. A revised coal combustion Hg isotope fractionation model is presented, and suggests that gaseous elemental coal Hg emissions are enriched in the heavier Hg isotopes relative to oxidized forms of emitted Hg. The model explains to first order the published δ(202)Hg observations on near-field Hg deposition from a power plant and global scale atmospheric gaseous Hg. Yet, model uncertainties appear too large at present to permit straightforward Hg isotope source identification of atmospheric forms of Hg. Finally, global historical (1850-2008) coal Hg isotope emission curves were modeled and indicate modern-day mean δ(202)Hg and Δ(199)Hg values for bulk coal emissions of -1.2 ± 0.5‰ (1SD) and 0.05 ± 0.06‰ (1SD).

78 FR 48593 - Refuge Alternatives for Underground Coal Mines

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-08

... conduct research and tests concerning the use of refuge chambers in underground coal mines, and to report... of Information MSHA will post all comments and information on the Internet without change, including... actions. NIOSH finalized its Research Report on Refuge Alternatives for Underground Coal Mines (NIOSH...

Coal liquefaction process

DOEpatents

Maa, Peter S.

1978-01-01

A process for liquefying a particulate coal feed to produce useful petroleum-like liquid products which comprises contacting; in a series of two or more coal liquefaction zones, or stages, graded with respect to temperature, an admixture of a polar compound; or compounds, a hydrogen donor solvent and particulate coal, the total effluent being passed in each instance from a low temperature zone, or stage to the next succeeding higher temperature zone, or stage, of the series. The temperature within the initial zone, or stage, of the series is maintained about 70.degree. F and 750.degree. F and the temperature within the final zone, or stage, is maintained between about 750.degree. F and 950.degree. F. The residence time within the first zone, or stage, ranges, generally, from about 20 to about 150 minutes and residence time within each of the remaining zones, or stages, of the series ranges, generally, from about 10 minutes to about 70 minutes. Further steps of the process include: separating the product from the liquefaction zone into fractions inclusive of a liquid solvent fraction; hydrotreating said liquid solvent fraction in a hydrogenation zone; and recycling the hydrogenated liquid solvent mixture to said coal liquefaction zones.

Definitional-mission report: Clean-coal-technology assistance project in Poland (final report). Export trade information

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shrivastava, V.K.

1992-01-01

The new impending environmental law in Poland provides for strict environmental guidelines for coal preparation, washing, mine desalination, and application of commercially viable and economical clean coal technologies for utilization of coal. The government of Poland requested the U.S. Trade and Development Program (TDP) carry out a Definitional Mission to Poland to define the requirements of the Polish authorities and to prepare specific recommendations for follow on actions by TDP. The technical assistance package proposed to be funded by TDP includes two specific activities. These are (i) an orientation visit to review selected clean coal technology projects in the U.S.,more » and (ii) preparation of a compendium of the main coal sector requirements in Poland and the types of technologies needed. The Definitional Mission has prepared a Scope of Work which recommends that TDP allocate a fund to finance the cost of the above technical assistance activities. It is further recommended that TDP enlist the assistance of a non-profit trade organization to provide this assistance to the Polish government.« less

The use of ethanol to remove sulfur from coal. Final report, September 1991--December 1992; Revision

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Savage, R.L.; Lazarov, L.K.; Prudich, M.E.

1994-03-10

The initial technical goal in the project was to develop a chemical method for the cost effective removal of both inorganic and organic sulfur from Ohio coals. Verifying and using a process of reacting ethanol vapors with coal under conditions disclosed in U.S. Patent 4,888,029, the immediate technical objectives were to convert a small scale laborative batch process to a larger scale continuous process which can serve as the basis for commercial development of the technology. This involved getting as much information as possible from small scale batch autoclave or fluid bed laboratory reactors for use in pilot plant studies.more » The laboratory data included material balances on the coal and sulfur, temperature and pressure ranges for the reaction, minimum reaction times at different conditions, the effectiveness of different activators such as oxygen and nitric oxide, the amount and nature of by-products such as sulfur dioxide, hydrogen sulfide and acetaldehyde, the effect of coal particle size on the speed and completeness of the reaction, and the effectiveness of the reaction on different Ohio coals. Because the laboratory experiments using the method disclosed in U.S. 4,888,029 were not successful, the objective for the project was changed to develop a new laboratory process to use ethanol to remove sulfur from coal. Using copper as a catalyst and as an H{sub 2}S scavenger, a new laboratory procedure to use ethanol to remove sulfur from coal has been developed at Ohio University and a patent application covering this process was filed in March, 1993. The process is based on the use of copper as a catalyst for the dehydrogenation of ethanol to produce nascent hydrogen to remove sulfur from the coal and the use of copper as a scavenger to capture the hydrogen sulfide formed from the sulfur removed from coal.« less

Superacid Catalyzed Depolymerization and Conversion of Coals. Final Technical Report. [HF:BF{sub 2}/H{sub 2}

DOE R&D Accomplishments Database

Olah, G.

1980-01-01

We were interested in applying superacid catalyzed cleavage-depolymerization and ionic hydrogenation low temperature conversion of coal to liquid hydrocarbon, as well as obtaining information about the reactions involved and the structure of intermediates of the coal liquefaction process. In order to show the feasibility of our proposed research we have carried out preliminary investigation in these areas. Preceding our work there was no practical application of a superacid system to coal liquefaction. We carried out an extensive study of the potential of the HF:BF{sub 3}/H{sub 2} system for coal hydroliquefaction. Under varying conditions of reactant ratio, reaction time and temperature, we were able to obtain over 95% pyridine extractible product by treating coal in HF:BF{sub 3}:H{sub 2} system at approx. 100 degrees C for 4 hours. The coal to acid ratio was 1:5 and FB{sub 3} at 900 psi and H{sub 2} at 500 psi were used. These are extremely encouraging results in that the conditions used are drastically milder than those used in any known process, such as Exxon donor solvent and related processes. The cyclohexane extractibility of the treated coal was as high as 27% and the yield of liquid distillate at 400 degrees C/5 x 10{sup -3}/sup torr/ was approx. 30%. The infrared spectrum of product coal, extracts and distillates were distinctly different from the starting coal and show a significant increase in the amount of saturates. The {sup 1}H NMR spectrum of cyclohexane extract of the treated coal shows essentially all aliphatic photons. The spectra of other treated coal extracts show increased amounts and types of aliphatic protons as well as significant amounts of protons bound to unsaturated sites. This again indicates that the HF-BF{sub 3} system is depolymerizing the coal to small fragments which are soluble in non-polar solvents.

Coal-fluid properties with an emphasis on dense phase. Final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Klinzing, G.E.

1985-04-01

Many fossil fuel energy processes depend on the movement of solids by pneumatic transport. Despite the considerable amount of work reported in the literature on pneumatic transport, the design of new industrial systems for new products continues to rely to a great extent on empiricism. A pilot-scale test facility has been constructed at Pittsburgh Energy Technology Center (PETC), equipped with modern sophisticated measuring techniques (such as Pressure Transducers, Auburn Monitors and Micro Motion Mass Flow Meters) and an automatic computer-controlled data acquisition system to study the effects of particle pneumatic transport. Pittsburgh Seam and Montana Rosebud coals of varying sizemore » consist and moisture content were tested in the atmospheric and pressurized coal flow test loops (AP/CFTL and HP/CFTL) at PETC. The system parameters included conveying gas velocity, injector tank pressure, screw conveyor speed, pipe radius and pipe bends. In this report, results from the coal flow tests were presented and analyzed. Existing theories and correlations on two phase flows were reviewed. Experimental data were compared with values calculated from empirically or theoretically derived equations available in the literature and new correlations were proposed, when applicable, to give a better interpretation of the data and a better understanding of the various flow regimes involved in pneumatic transport. 55 refs., 56 figs., 6 tabs.« less

Nanometre-sized pores in coal: Variations between coal basins and coal origin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sakurovs, Richard; Koval, Lukas; Grigore, Mihaela; Sokolava, Anna; Ruppert, Leslie F.; Melnichenko, Yuri B.

2018-01-01

We have used small angle neutron scattering (SANS) to investigate the differences in methane and hexane penetration in pores in bituminous coal samples from the U.S., Canada, South Africa, and China, and maceral concentrates from Australian coals. This work is an extension of previous work that showed consistent differences between the extent of penetration by methane into 10–20 nm size pores in inertinite in bituminous coals from Australia, North America and Poland.In this study we have confirmed that there are differences in the response of inertinite to methane and hexane penetration in coals sourced from different coal basins. Inertinite in Permian Australian coals generally has relatively high numbers of pores in the 2.5–250 nm size range and the pores are highly penetrable by methane and hexane; coals sourced from Western Canada had similar penetrability to these Australian coals. However, the penetrability of methane and hexane into inertinite from the Australian Illawarra Coal Measures (also Permian) is substantially less than that of the other Australian coals; there are about 80% fewer 12 nm pores in Illawarra inertinite compared to the other Australian coals examined. The inertinite in coals sourced from South Africa and China had accessibility intermediate between the Illawarra coals and the other Australian coals.The extent of hexane penetration was 10–20% less than CD4 penetration into the same coal and this difference was most pronounced in the 5–50 nm pore size range. Hexane and methane penetrability into the coals showed similar trends with inertinite content.The observed variations in inertinite porosity between coals from different coal regions and coal basins may explain why previous studies differ in their observations of the relationships between gas sorption behavior, permeability, porosity, and maceral composition. These variations are not simply a demarcation between Northern and Southern Hemisphere coals.

Effect of multiphase radiation on coal combustion in a pulverized coal jet flame

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Bifen; Roy, Somesh P.; Zhao, Xinyu; Modest, Michael F.

2017-08-01

The accurate modeling of coal combustion requires detailed radiative heat transfer models for both gaseous combustion products and solid coal particles. A multiphase Monte Carlo ray tracing (MCRT) radiation solver is developed in this work to simulate a laboratory-scale pulverized coal flame. The MCRT solver considers radiative interactions between coal particles and three major combustion products (CO2, H2O, and CO). A line-by-line spectral database for the gas phase and a size-dependent nongray correlation for the solid phase are employed to account for the nongray effects. The flame structure is significantly altered by considering nongray radiation and the lift-off height of the flame increases by approximately 35%, compared to the simulation without radiation. Radiation is also found to affect the evolution of coal particles considerably as it takes over as the dominant mode of heat transfer for medium-to-large coal particles downstream of the flame. To investigate the respective effects of spectral models for the gas and solid phases, a Planck-mean-based gray gas model and a size-independent gray particle model are applied in a frozen-field analysis of a steady-state snapshot of the flame. The gray gas approximation considerably underestimates the radiative source terms for both the gas phase and the solid phase. The gray coal approximation also leads to under-prediction of the particle emission and absorption. However, the level of under-prediction is not as significant as that resulting from the employment of the gray gas model. Finally, the effect of the spectral property of ash on radiation is also investigated and found to be insignificant for the present target flame.

The use of ethanol to remove sulfur from coal. Final report, September 1991--December 1992

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1993-04-15

In developing the new Ohio University procedure the thermodynamic limitations of the reactions for removal of both pyritic and organic sulfur from coal at 400--600{degrees}C were studied using copper as a very strong H{sub 2}S-acceptor. Copper serves as a catalyst for ethanol dehydrogenation to form nascent hydrogen. Copper also serves as a scavenger to form copper sulfide from the hydrogen sulfide evolved during the reaction. Copper sulfide in turn serves as a catalyst for organic sulfur hydrodesulfurization reactions. If the coal to be desulfurized contains pyrite (FeS{sub 2}) or FeS, the copper scavenger effect reduces any back reaction of hydrogenmore » sulfide with the iron and increases the removal of sulfur from the carbonaceous material. The desired effect of using copper can be achieved by using copper or copper containing alloys as materials of construction or as liners for a regenerable reactor. During the time period that Ohio Coal Development Office supported this work, small scale (560 grams) laboratory experiments with coals containing about 3.5% sulfur have achieved up to 90% desulfurization at temperatures of 500{degrees}C when using a copper reactor. Results from the autoclave experiments have identified the nature of the chemical reactions taking place. Because the process removes both pyritic and organic sulfur in coal, the successful scale up of the process would have important economic significance to the coal industry. Even though this and other chemical processes may be relatively expensive and far from being commercial, the reason for further development is that this process may hold the promise of achieving much greater sulfur reduction and of producing a cleaner coal than other methods. This would be especially important for small or older power plants and industrial boilers.« less

The demonstration of an advanced cyclone coal combustor, with internal sulfur, nitrogen, and ash control for the conversion of a 23 MMBTU/hour oil fired boiler to pulverized coal

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zauderer, B.; Fleming, E.S.

1991-08-30

This work contains to the final report of the demonstration of an advanced cyclone coal combustor. Titles include: Chronological Description of the Clean Coal Project Tests,'' Statistical Analysis of Operating Data for the Coal Tech Combustor,'' Photographic History of the Project,'' Results of Slag Analysis by PA DER Module 1 Procedure,'' Properties of the Coals Limestone Used in the Test Effort,'' Results of the Solid Waste Sampling Performed on the Coal Tech Combustor by an Independent Contractor During the February 1990 Tests.'' (VC)

The environmental impact of future coal production and use in the EEC

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1983-01-01

The aims of this study are to assess the expected increased levels of coal consumption in the European Community up to the year 2000; to estimate to what extent consumer demand is likely to be met by EEC production; to determine the level of polluting emissions which are likely to derive from changes in coal consumption and production; and finally, to compare the environmental impact of alternative, existing or developing means of coal utilisation. Contents: Conclusions; Future coal supply and demand in the EEC; Environmental consequences of coal production and use; Coal extraction; Transport and storage; Coal combustion: air pollution;more » Coal combustion: water pollution; Pollution from solid wastes; Coal conversion process; Environmental control technology; Bibliography.« less

Process for forming coal compacts and product thereof

DOEpatents

Gunnink, Brett; Kanunar, Jayanth; Liang, Zhuoxiong

2002-01-01

A process for forming durable, mechanically strong compacts from coal particulates without use of a binder is disclosed. The process involves applying a compressive stress to a particulate feed comprising substantially water-saturated coal particles while the feed is heated to a final compaction temperature in excess of about 100.degree. C. The water present in the feed remains substantially in the liquid phase throughout the compact forming process. This is achieved by heating and compressing the particulate feed and cooling the formed compact at a pressure sufficient to prevent water present in the feed from boiling. The compacts produced by the process have a moisture content near their water saturation point. As a result, these compacts absorb little water and retain exceptional mechanical strength when immersed in high pressure water. The process can be used to form large, cylindrically-shaped compacts from coal particles (i.e., "coal logs") so that the coal can be transported in a hydraulic coal log pipeline.

Process for clean-burning fuel from low-rank coal

DOEpatents

Merriam, Norman W.; Sethi, Vijay; Brecher, Lee E.

1994-01-01

A process for upgrading and stabilizing low-rank coal involving the sequential processing of the coal through three fluidized beds; first a dryer, then a pyrolyzer, and finally a cooler. The fluidizing gas for the cooler is the exit gas from the pyrolyzer with the addition of water for cooling. Overhead gas from pyrolyzing is likely burned to furnish the energy for the process. The product coal exits with a tar-like pitch sealant to enhance its safety during storage.

Economic assessment of coal-burning locomotives: Topical report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1986-02-01

The General Electric Company embarked upon a study to evaluate various alternatives for the design and manufacture a coal fired locomotive considering various prime movers, but retaining the electric drive transmission. The initial study was supported by the Burlington-Northern and Norfolk-Southern railroads, and included the following alternatives: coal fired diesel locomotive; direct fired gas turbine locomotives; direct fired gas turbine locomotive with steam injection; raw coal gasifier gas turbine locomotive; and raw coal fluid bed steam turbine locomotive. All alternatives use the electric drive transmission and were selected for final evaluation. The first three would use a coal water slurrymore » as a fuel, which must be produced by new processing plants. Therefore, use of a slurry would require a significant plant capital investment. The last two would use classified run-of-the-mine (ROM) coal with much less capital expenditure. Coal fueling stations would be required but are significantly lower in capital cost than a coal slurry plant. For any coal fired locomotive to be commercially viable, it must pass the following criteria: be technically feasible and environmentally acceptable; meet railroads' financial expectations; and offer an attractive return to the locomotive manufacturer. These three criteria are reviewed in the report.« less

Process for clean-burning fuel from low-rank coal

DOEpatents

Merriam, N.W.; Sethi, V.; Brecher, L.E.

1994-06-21

A process is described for upgrading and stabilizing low-rank coal involving the sequential processing of the coal through three fluidized beds; first a dryer, then a pyrolyzer, and finally a cooler. The fluidizing gas for the cooler is the exit gas from the pyrolyzer with the addition of water for cooling. Overhead gas from pyrolyzing is likely burned to furnish the energy for the process. The product coal exits with a tar-like pitch sealant to enhance its safety during storage. 1 fig.

Coal utilization in China: environmental impacts and human health.

PubMed

Chen, Jian; Liu, Guijian; Kang, Yu; Wu, Bin; Sun, Ruoyu; Zhou, Chuncai; Wu, Dun

2014-08-01

Coal is one of the major energy resources in China, accounting for approximately 70 % of primary energy consumption. Many environmental problems and human health risks arise during coal exploitation, utilization, and waste disposal, especially in the remote mountainous areas of western China (e.g., eastern Yunnan, western Guizhou and Hubei, and southern Shaanxi). In this paper, we report a thorough review of the environmental and human health impacts related to coal utilization in China. The abundance of the toxic trace elements such as F, As, Se, and Hg in Chinese coals is summarized. The environmental problems (i.e., water, soil, and air pollution) that are related to coal utilization are outlined. The provenance, distributions, typical symptoms, sources, and possible pathways of endemic fluorosis, arsenism, and selenosis due to improper coal usage (briquettes mixed with high-F clay, mineralized As-rich coal, and Se-rich stone coal) are discussed in detail. In 2010, 14.8, 1.9 million, and 16,000 Chinese people suffered from dental fluorosis, skeletal fluorosis, and arsenism, respectively. Finally, several suggestions are proposed for the prevention and treatment for endemic problems caused by coal utilization.

Petrographic, mineralogical, and chemical characterization of certain Alaskan coals and washability products. Final report, July 11, 1978-October 11, 1980

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rao, P.D.; Wolff, E.N.

1981-05-01

Petrological, mineralogical and chemical characterization provides basic information needed for proper utilization of coals. Since many of these coals are likely to be beneficiated to reduce ash, the influence of coal washing on the characteristics of the washed product is important. Twenty samples of Alaskan coal seams were used for this study. The coals studied ranged in rank from lignite to high volatile A bituminous with vitrinite/ulminite reflectance ranging from 0.25 to 1.04. Fifteen raw coals were characterized for proximate and ultimate analysis reflectance rank, petrology, composition of mineral matter, major oxides and trace elements in coal ash. Washability productsmore » of three coals from Nenana, Beluga and Matanuska coal fields were used for characterization of petrology, mineral matter and ash composition. Petrological analysis of raw coals and float-sink products showed that humodetrinite was highest in top seam in a stratigraphic sequence« less

Nonlinear-programming mathematical modeling of coal blending for power plant

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tang Longhua; Zhou Junhu; Yao Qiang

At present most of the blending works are guided by experience or linear-programming (LP) which can not reflect the coal complicated characteristics properly. Experimental and theoretical research work shows that most of the coal blend properties can not always be measured as a linear function of the properties of the individual coals in the blend. The authors introduced nonlinear functions or processes (including neural network and fuzzy mathematics), established on the experiments directed by the authors and other researchers, to quantitatively describe the complex coal blend parameters. Finally nonlinear-programming (NLP) mathematical modeling of coal blend is introduced and utilized inmore » the Hangzhou Coal Blending Center. Predictions based on the new method resulted in different results from the ones based on LP modeling. The authors concludes that it is very important to introduce NLP modeling, instead of NL modeling, into the work of coal blending.« less

Status report: USGS coal assessment of the Powder River, Wyoming

USGS Publications Warehouse

Luppens, James A.; Rohrbacher, Timothy J.; Haacke, Jon E.; Scott, David C.; Osmonson, Lee M.

2006-01-01

Summary: This publication reports on the status of the current coal assessment of the Powder River Basin (PRB) in Wyoming and Montana. This slide program was presented at the Energy Information Agency's 2006 EIA Energy Outlook and Modeling Conference in Washington, DC, on March 27, 2006. The PRB coal assessment will be the first USGS coal assessment to include estimates of both regional coal resources and reserves for an entire coal basin. Extensive CBM and additional oil and gas development, especially in the Gillette coal field, have provided an unprecedented amount of down-hole geological data. Approximately 10,000 new data points have been added to the PRB database since the last assessment (2002) which will provide a more robust evaluation of the single most productive U.S. coal basin. The Gillette coal field assessment, including the mining economic evaluation, is planned for completion by the end of 2006. The geologic portion of the coal assessment work will shift to the northern and northwestern portions of the PRB before the end of 2006 while the Gillette engineering studies are finalized.

Advanced liquefaction using coal swelling and catalyst dispersion techniques. Volume 2, appendices. Final technical report, October 1, 1991--September 30, 1994

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Curtis, C.W.; Chander, S.; Gutterman, C.

Liquefaction experiments were undertaken using subbituminous Black Thunder mine coal to observe the effects of aqueous SO{sub 2} coal beneficiation and the introduction of various coal swelling solvents and catalyst precursors. Aqueous SO{sub 2} beneficiation of Black Thunder coal removed alkali metals and alkaline earth metals, increased the sulfur content and increased the catalytic liquefaction conversion to THF solubles compared to untreated Black Thunder coal. The liquefaction solvent had varying effects on coal conversion, depending upon the type of solvent added. The hydrogen donor solvent, dihydroanthracene, was most effective, while a coal-derived Wilsonville solvent promoted more coal conversion than didmore » relatively inert 1-methylnaphthalene. Swelling of coal with hydrogen bonding solvents tetrahydrofuran (THF), isopropanol, and methanol, prior to reaction resulted in increased noncatalytic conversion of both untreated and SO{sub 2} treated Black Thunder coals, while dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), which was absorbed more into the coal than any other swelling solvent, was detrimental to coal conversion. Swelling of SO{sub 2} treated coal before liquefaction resulted in the highest coal conversions; however, the untreated coal showed the most improvements in catalytic reactions when swelled in either THF, isopropanol, or methanol prior to liquefaction. The aprotic solvent DMSO was detrimental to coal conversion.« less

Performance of a diesel engine operating on raw coal-diesel fuel and solvent refined coal-diesel fuel slurries. Final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Marshall, H.P.

1980-03-01

Performance tests using an 11 kW single cylinder diesel engine were made to determine the effects of three different micronized coal-fuel oil slurries being considered as alternative fuels. Slurries containing 20, 32, and 40%-wt micronized raw coal in No. 2 fuel oil were used. Results are presented indicating the changes in the concentrations of SO/sub X/ and NO/sub X/ in the exhaust, exhaust opacity, power and efficiency, and in wear rates relative to operation on fuel oil No. 2. The engine was operated for 10 h at full load and 1400 rpm on al fuels except the 40%-wt slurry. Thismore » test was discontinued because of extremely poor performance.« less

The chemical enhancement of the triboelectric separation of coal from pyrite and ash: A novel approach for electrostatic separation of mineral matter from coal. Final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gustafson, R.M.; DiMare, S.; Sabatini, J.

1992-02-01

Arthur D. Little, Inc., under contract to the US DOE Pittsburgh Energy Technology Center, has developed a triboelectric separation device for coal beneficiation, that employs an entrained-flow, rotating-cylinder concept. The described apparatus has been used to test the efficacy of chemical pretreatment and in-situ treatment of coal on separation efficiency. Coal particle entrainment is achieved with gaseous carbon dioxide and particle collection is accomplished by an electrostatic plate separator. The triboelectric separation device incorporates instrumentation for the direct measurement of charge in the dilute-phase particle stream. Some of the pretreatment materials investigated under this project to modify the surface chargingmore » characteristics of the coal included oleic acid, sodium oleate, quinoline and dicyclohexylamine. Ammonia and sulfur dioxide at a concentration up to 1000 ppM was used for in-situ treatment of the coal, with carbon dioxide as the carrier/inerting gas. Nitrogen was used earlier in the test program as the carrier/inerting gas for the coal, but a severe arcing problem was encountered in the electrostatic collector with nitrogen as the carrier gas. This problem did not occur when carbon dioxide was used. The report covers the chemical treatment employed, and summarizes and interprets the results achieved. In addition, an economic analysis of a full scale system based on this concept is presented.« less

The treatment of some low-rank coals with carbon dioxide water: Effects on slurry-relevant properties: Final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Slegeir, W.; Sanchez, J.; Coughlan, R.

1986-09-01

This project is concerned with the results of employing CO/sub 2//H/sub 2/O treatments on two low-rank coals. The coals employed in this project were North Dakota lignite from the Indianhead Mine and Utah subbituminous from the Sufco mine. This project is concerned with changes in slurry-relevant characteristics for these low-rank coals due to such treatments. These characteristics include equilibrium moisture, ash content and composition, grindability and slurry rheology. Batch CO/sub 2//water treatments on North Dakota Indianhead lignite afforded a reduction in coal-bound moisture, affording as much as a 35% decrease in equilibrium moisture content. The resulting treated lignite also provedmore » to be a ''cleaner'' coal, with a 30 to 35% reduction in ash content. For the Utah Sufco coal, no appreciable changes in equilibrium moisture were attained and the ash contents generally only slightly reduced Sufco. However, for the more severe treatment, alkaline and alkaline earth were lowered appreciably, with a commensurate increase in ash fusion temperature. For both coals, some improvements in grindability were realized under the most severe treatment conditions (80/sup 0/C, 1200 psi). The less severe conditions afforded little changes in grindability. Some measurements taken of the rheology of treated -200 mesh Indianhead coal slurries have shown non-Newtonian behavior. These slurries settled rapidly when concentrations greater than 50% were reached, hence viscosity measurements were difficult to obtain. Although the mechanism of CO/sub 2//H/sub 2/O action on coal is not clear, the results of this project are consistent with an ion-exchange process, whereby the basic components are exchanged with the hydronium ion of the CO/sub 2//H/sub 2/O mixture. Such ion exchange may lead to other changes in the coal matrix. 38 refs., 8 figs, 18 tabs.« less

Bench-scale performance testing and economic analyses of electrostatic dry coal cleaning. Final report, October 1980-July 1983

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rich, S.R.

1987-02-01

The report gives results of preliminary performance evaluations and economic analyses of the Advanced Energy Dynamics (AED) electrostatic dry coal-cleaning process. Grab samples of coal-feed-product coals were obtained from 25 operating physical coal-cleaning (PCC) plants. These samples were analyzed for ash, sulfur, and energy content and splits of the original samples of feed run-of-mine coal were provided for bench-scale testing in an electrostatic separation apparatus. The process showed superior sulfur-removal performance at equivalent cost and energy-recovery levels. The ash-removal capability of the process was not evaluated completely: overall, ash-removal results indicated that the process did not perform as well asmore » the PCC plants.« less

Dustfall design of open coal yard in the power plant-a case study on the closed reconstruction project of coal storage yard in shengli power plant

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Kunpeng; Ji, Weidong; Zhang, Feifei; Yu, Wei; Zheng, Runqing

2018-02-01

This thesis, based on the closed reconstruction project of the coal storage yard of Shengli Power Plant which is affiliated to Sinopec Shengli Petroleum Administration, first makes an analysis on the significance of current dustfall reconstruction of open coal yard, then summarizes the methods widely adopted in the dustfall of large-scale open coal storage yard of current thermal power plant as well as their advantages and disadvantages, and finally focuses on this project, aiming at providing some reference and assistance to the future closed reconstruction project of open coal storage yard in thermal power plant.

Collaborative simulations and experiments for a novel yield model of coal devolatilization in oxy-coal combustion conditions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Iavarone, Salvatore; Smith, Sean T.; Smith, Philip J.

Oxy-coal combustion is an emerging low-cost “clean coal” technology for emissions reduction and Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CCS). The use of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) tools is crucial for the development of cost-effective oxy-fuel technologies and the minimization of environmental concerns at industrial scale. The coupling of detailed chemistry models and CFD simulations is still challenging, especially for large-scale plants, because of the high computational efforts required. The development of scale-bridging models is therefore necessary, to find a good compromise between computational efforts and the physical-chemical modeling precision. This paper presents a procedure for scale-bridging modeling of coal devolatilization, inmore » the presence of experimental error, that puts emphasis on the thermodynamic aspect of devolatilization, namely the final volatile yield of coal, rather than kinetics. The procedure consists of an engineering approach based on dataset consistency and Bayesian methodology including Gaussian-Process Regression (GPR). Experimental data from devolatilization tests carried out in an oxy-coal entrained flow reactor were considered and CFD simulations of the reactor were performed. Jointly evaluating experiments and simulations, a novel yield model was validated against the data via consistency analysis. In parallel, a Gaussian-Process Regression was performed, to improve the understanding of the uncertainty associated to the devolatilization, based on the experimental measurements. Potential model forms that could predict yield during devolatilization were obtained. The set of model forms obtained via GPR includes the yield model that was proven to be consistent with the data. Finally, the overall procedure has resulted in a novel yield model for coal devolatilization and in a valuable evaluation of uncertainty in the data, in the model form, and in the model parameters.« less

Collaborative simulations and experiments for a novel yield model of coal devolatilization in oxy-coal combustion conditions

DOE PAGES

Iavarone, Salvatore; Smith, Sean T.; Smith, Philip J.; ...

2017-06-03

Oxy-coal combustion is an emerging low-cost “clean coal” technology for emissions reduction and Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CCS). The use of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) tools is crucial for the development of cost-effective oxy-fuel technologies and the minimization of environmental concerns at industrial scale. The coupling of detailed chemistry models and CFD simulations is still challenging, especially for large-scale plants, because of the high computational efforts required. The development of scale-bridging models is therefore necessary, to find a good compromise between computational efforts and the physical-chemical modeling precision. This paper presents a procedure for scale-bridging modeling of coal devolatilization, inmore » the presence of experimental error, that puts emphasis on the thermodynamic aspect of devolatilization, namely the final volatile yield of coal, rather than kinetics. The procedure consists of an engineering approach based on dataset consistency and Bayesian methodology including Gaussian-Process Regression (GPR). Experimental data from devolatilization tests carried out in an oxy-coal entrained flow reactor were considered and CFD simulations of the reactor were performed. Jointly evaluating experiments and simulations, a novel yield model was validated against the data via consistency analysis. In parallel, a Gaussian-Process Regression was performed, to improve the understanding of the uncertainty associated to the devolatilization, based on the experimental measurements. Potential model forms that could predict yield during devolatilization were obtained. The set of model forms obtained via GPR includes the yield model that was proven to be consistent with the data. Finally, the overall procedure has resulted in a novel yield model for coal devolatilization and in a valuable evaluation of uncertainty in the data, in the model form, and in the model parameters.« less

Comprehensive evaluation on low-carbon development of coal enterprise groups.

PubMed

Wang, Bang-Jun; Wu, Yan-Fang; Zhao, Jia-Lu

2017-12-19

Scientifically evaluating the level of low-carbon development in terms of theoretical and practical significance is extremely important to coal enterprise groups for implementing national energy-related systems. This assessment can assist in building institutional mechanisms that are conducive for the economic development of coal business cycle and energy conservation as well as promoting the healthy development of coal enterprises to realize coal scientific development and resource utilization. First, by adopting systematic analysis method, this study builds low-carbon development evaluation index system for coal enterprise groups. Second, to determine the weight serving as guideline and criteria of the index, analytic hierarchy process (AHP) is applied using integrated linear weighted sum method to evaluate the level of low-carbon development of coal enterprise groups. Evaluation is also performed by coal enterprise groups, and the process comprises field analysis and evaluation. Finally, industrial policies are proposed regarding the development of low-carbon coal conglomerate strategies and measures. This study aims mainly to guide the low-carbon development of coal enterprise groups, solve the problem of coal mining and the destruction of ecological environment, support the conservation of raw materials and various resources, and achieve the sustainable development of the coal industry.

Performance of a diesel engine operating on raw coal-diesel fuel and solvent refined coal-diesel fuel slurries. Final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Marshall, H.P.

1980-03-01

Performance tests using an 11 kw single cylinder diesel engine were made to determine the effects of three different micronized coal-fuel oil slurries being considered as alternative fuels. Slurries containing 20, 32, and 40 percent by weight micronized raw coal in No. 2 fuel oil were used. Results are presented indicating the changes in the concentrations of SO/sub X/ and NO/sub X/ in the exhaust, exhaust opacity, power and efficiency, and in wear rates relative to operation on fuel oil No. 2. The engine was operated for 10 hrs at full load and 1400 rpm on all fuels except themore » 40% by weight slurry. This test was discontinued because of extremely poor performance.« less

Chemical analyses of coal, coal-associated rocks and coal combustion products collected for the National Coal Quality Inventory

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hatch, Joseph R.; Bullock, John H.; Finkelman, Robert B.

2006-01-01

In 1999, the USGS initiated the National Coal Quality Inventory (NaCQI) project to address a need for quality information on coals that will be mined during the next 20-30 years. At the time this project was initiated, the publicly available USGS coal quality data was based on samples primarily collected and analyzed between 1973 and 1985. The primary objective of NaCQI was to create a database containing comprehensive, accurate and accessible chemical information on the quality of mined and prepared United States coals and their combustion byproducts. This objective was to be accomplished through maintaining the existing publicly available coal quality database, expanding the database through the acquisition of new samples from priority areas, and analysis of the samples using updated coal analytical chemistry procedures. Priorities for sampling include those areas where future sources of compliance coal are federally owned. This project was a cooperative effort between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), State geological surveys, universities, coal burning utilities, and the coal mining industry. Funding support came from the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).

76 FR 45612 - Notice of Availability of the Buckskin Mine Hay Creek II Coal Lease-by-Application Final...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-07-29

... the Wyoming portion of the decertified Powder River Federal Coal Production Region. The BLM is... Properties, Inc., to lease Federal coal near the Buckskin Mine approximately 12 miles north of Gillette... the revision to the Mineral Leasing Act (MLA) mining plan before the Federal coal can be mined. If the...

Coal-to-methanol: an engineering evaluation of Texaco gasification and ICI methanol-synthesis route. Final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Buckingham, P.A.; Cobb, D.D.; Leavitt, A.A.

1981-08-01

This report presents the results of a technical and economic evaluation of producing methanol from bituminous coal using Texaco coal gasification and ICI methanol synthesis. The scope of work included the development of an overall configuration for a large plant comprising coal preparation, air separation, coal gasification, shift conversion, COS hydrolysis, acid gas removal, methanol synthesis, methanol refining, and all required utility systems and off-site facilities. Design data were received from both Texaco and ICI while a design and cost estimate were received from Lotepro covering the Rectisol acid gas removal unit. The plant processes 14,448 tons per day (drymore » basis) of Illinois No. 6 bituminous coal and produces 10,927 tons per day of fuel-grade methanol. An overall thermal efficiency of 57.86 percent was calculated on an HHV basis and 52.64 percent based on LHV. Total plant investment at an Illinois plant site was estimated to be $1159 million dollars in terms of 1979 investment. Using EPRI's economic premises, the first-year product costs were calculated to $4.74 per million Btu (HHV) which is equivalent to $30.3 cents per gallon and $5.37 per million Btu (LHV).« less

Royal Society, Discussion on New Coal Chemistry, London, England, May 21, 22, 1980, Proceedings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1981-03-01

A discussion of new coal chemistry is presented. The chemical and physical structure of coal is examined in the first section, including structural studies of coal extracts, metal and metal complexes in coal and coal microporosity. The second section presents new advances in applied coal technology. The development of liquid fuels and chemicals from coal is given especial emphasis, with papers on the Sasol Synthol process, the Shell-Koppers gasification process, liquefaction and gasification in Germany, the Solvent Refined Coal process, the Exxon Donor Solvent liquefaction process and the Mobil Methanol-to-Gasoline process. Finally, some developments that will be part of the future of coal chemistry in the year 2000 are examined in the third section, including coal-based chemical complexes and the use of coal as an alternative source to oil for chemical feedstocks.

Transformations of inorganic coal constituents in combustion systems. Volume 1, sections 1--5: Final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Helble, J.J.; Srinivasachar, S.; Wilemski, G.

1992-11-01

The inorganic constituents or ash contained in pulverized coal significantly increase the environmental and economic costs of coal utilization. For example, ash particles produced during combustion may deposit on heat transfer surfaces, decreasing heat transfer rates and increasing maintenance costs. The minimization of particulate emissions often requires the installation of cleanup devices such as electrostatic precipitators, also adding to the expense of coal utilization. Despite these costly problems, a comprehensive assessment of the ash formation and had never been attempted. At the start of this program, it was hypothesized that ash deposition and ash particle emissions both depended upon themore » size and chemical composition of individual ash particles. Questions such as: What determines the size of individual ash particles? What determines their composition? Whether or not particles deposit? How combustion conditions, including reactor size, affect these processes? remained to be answered. In this 6-year multidisciplinary study, these issues were addressed in detail. The ambitious overall goal was the development of a comprehensive model to predict the size and chemical composition distributions of ash produced during pulverized coal combustion. Results are described.« less

Comparative coal transportation costs: an economic and engineering analysis of truck, belt, rail, barge and coal slurry and pneumatic pipelines. Volume 3. Coal slurry pipelines. Final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rieber, M.; Soo, S.L.

1977-08-01

A coal slurry pipeline system requires that the coal go through a number of processing stages before it is used by the power plant. Once mined, the coal is delivered to a preparation plant where it is pulverized to sizes between 18 and 325 mesh and then suspended in about an equal weight of water. This 50-50 slurry mixture has a consistency approximating toothpaste. It is pushed through the pipeline via electric pumping stations 70 to 100 miles apart. Flow velocity through the line must be maintained within a narrow range. For example, if a 3.5 mph design is usedmore » at 5 mph, the system must be able to withstand double the horsepower, peak pressure, and wear. Minimum flowrate must be maintained to avoid particle settling and plugging. However, in general, once a pipeline system has been designed, because of economic considerations on the one hand and design limits on the other, flowrate is rather inflexible. Pipelines that have a slowly moving throughput and a water carrier may be subject to freezing in northern areas during periods of severe cold. One of the problems associated with slurry pipeline analyses is the lack of operating experience.« less

Bio-coal briquettes using low-grade coal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Estiaty, L. M.; Fatimah, D.; Widodo

2018-02-01

The technology in using briquettes for fuel has been widely used in many countries for both domestic and industrial purposes. Common types of briquette used are coal, peat, charcoal, and biomass. Several researches have been carried out in regards to the production and the use of briquettes. Recently, researches show that mixing coal and biomass will result in an environmentally friendly briquette with better combustion and physical characteristics. This type of briquette is known as bio-coal briquettes. Bio-coal briquettes are made from agriculture waste and coal, which are readily available, cheap and affordable. Researchers make these bio-coal briquettes with different aims and objectives, depending on the issues to address, e.g. utilizing agricultural waste as an alternative energy to replace fossil fuels that are depleting its reserves, adding coal to biomass in order to add calorific value to bio-coal briquette, and adding biomass to coal to improve its chemical and physical properties. In our research, biocoal briquettes are made to utilize low grade coal. The biomass we use, however, is different from the ones used in past researches because it has undergone fermentation. The benefits of using such biomass are 1. Fermentation turns the hemi cellulose into a simpler form, so that the burning activation energy decreases while the calorific value increases. 2. Enzym produced will bind to heavy metals from coal as co-factors, forming metals that are environmentally friendly.

CoalVal-A coal resource valuation program

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rohrbacher, Timothy J.; McIntosh, Gary E.

2010-01-01

CoalVal is a menu-driven Windows program that produces cost-of-mining analyses of mine-modeled coal resources. Geological modeling of the coal beds and some degree of mine planning, from basic prefeasibility to advanced, must already have been performed before this program can be used. United States Geological Survey mine planning is done from a very basic, prefeasibility standpoint, but the accuracy of CoalVal's output is a reflection of the accuracy of the data entered, both for mine costs and mine planning. The mining cost analysis is done by using mine cost models designed for the commonly employed, surface and underground mining methods utilized in the United States. CoalVal requires a Microsoft Windows? 98 or Windows? XP operating system and a minimum of 1 gigabyte of random access memory to perform operations. It will not operate on Microsoft Vista?, Windows? 7, or Macintosh? operating systems. The program will summarize the evaluation of an unlimited number of coal seams, haulage zones, tax entities, or other area delineations for a given coal property, coalfield, or basin. When the reader opens the CoalVal publication from the USGS website, options are provided to download the CoalVal publication manual and the CoalVal Program. The CoalVal report is divided into five specific areas relevant to the development and use of the CoalVal program: 1. Introduction to CoalVal Assumptions and Concepts. 2. Mine Model Assumption Details (appendix A). 3. CoalVal Project Tutorial (appendix B). 4. Program Description (appendix C). 5. Mine Model and Discounted Cash Flow Formulas (appendix D). The tutorial explains how to enter coal resource and quality data by mining method; program default values for production, operating, and cost variables; and ones own operating and cost variables into the program. Generated summary reports list the volume of resource in short tons available for mining, recoverable short tons by mining method; the seam or property being mined

The determination of methane resources from liquidated coal mines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trenczek, Stanisław

2017-11-01

The article refers to methane presented in hard coal seams, which may pose a serious risk to workers, as evidenced by examples of incidents, and may also be a high energy source. That second issue concerns the possibility of obtaining methane from liquidated coal mines. There is discussed the current methodology for determination of methane resources from hard coal deposits. Methods of assessing methane emissions from hard coal deposits are given, including the degree of rock mass fracture, which is affected and not affected by mining. Additional criteria for methane recovery from the methane deposit are discussed by one example (of many types) of methane power generation equipment in the context of the estimation of potential viable resources. Finally, the concept of “methane resource exploitation from coal mine” refers to the potential for exploitation of the resource and the acquisition of methane for business purposes.

Characterization of Coal Porosity for Naturally Tectonically Stressed Coals in Huaibei Coal Field, China

PubMed Central

Li, Xiaoshi; Hou, Quanlin; Li, Zhuo; Wei, Mingming

2014-01-01

The enrichment of coalbed methane (CBM) and the outburst of gas in a coal mine are closely related to the nanopore structure of coal. The evolutionary characteristics of 12 coal nanopore structures under different natural deformational mechanisms (brittle and ductile deformation) are studied using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and low-temperature nitrogen adsorption. The results indicate that there are mainly submicropores (2~5 nm) and supermicropores (<2 nm) in ductile deformed coal and mesopores (10~100 nm) and micropores (5~10 nm) in brittle deformed coal. The cumulative pore volume (V) and surface area (S) in brittle deformed coal are smaller than those in ductile deformed coal which indicates more adsorption space for gas. The coal with the smaller pores exhibits a large surface area, and coal with the larger pores exhibits a large volume for a given pore volume. We also found that the relationship between S and V turns from a positive correlation to a negative correlation when S > 4 m2/g, with pore sizes <5 nm in ductile deformed coal. The nanopore structure (<100 nm) and its distribution could be affected by macromolecular structure in two ways. Interconversion will occur among the different size nanopores especially in ductile deformed coal. PMID:25126601

20 CFR 726.306 - Finality of administrative assessment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Finality of administrative assessment. 726.306 Section 726.306 Employees' Benefits EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR FEDERAL COAL MINE HEALTH AND SAFETY ACT OF 1969, AS AMENDED BLACK LUNG BENEFITS; REQUIREMENTS FOR COAL...

Coal Tar and Coal-Tar Pitch

Cancer.gov

Learn about coal-tar products, which can raise your risk of skin cancer, lung cancer, and other types of cancer. Examples of coal-tar products include creosote, coal-tar pitch, and certain preparations used to treat skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, and dandruff.

Coal blending preparation for non-carbonized coal briquettes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Widodo; Fatimah, D.; Estiaty, L. M.

2018-02-01

Referring to the national energy policy targets for the years 2025, the government has launched the use of coal briquettes as an alternative energy replacement for kerosene and firewood. Non-carbonized briquettes in the form of coal briquettes as well as bio-coal briquettes are used in many small-medium industries and households, and are rarely used by large industries. The standard quality of coal briquettes used as raw material for non-carbonized briquettes is a minimum calorific value of 4,400 kcal/kg (adb); total sulfur at a maximum of 1% (adb), and water content at <12% (adb). The formation of coal deposits depends on the origin of the coal-forming materials (plants), the environment of deposition, and the geological conditions of the surrounding area, so that the coal deposits in each region will be different as well as the amount and also the quality. Therefore, the quantity and the quality of coal in each area are different to be eligible in the making of briquettes to do blending. In addition to the coal blending, it is also necessary to select the right materials in the making of coal briquettes and bio-coal briquettes. The formulation of the right mixture of material in the making of briquettes, can be produced of good quality and environmental friendly.

Quantitative Modelling of Trace Elements in Hard Coal.

PubMed

Smoliński, Adam; Howaniec, Natalia

2016-01-01

The significance of coal in the world economy remains unquestionable for decades. It is also expected to be the dominant fossil fuel in the foreseeable future. The increased awareness of sustainable development reflected in the relevant regulations implies, however, the need for the development and implementation of clean coal technologies on the one hand, and adequate analytical tools on the other. The paper presents the application of the quantitative Partial Least Squares method in modeling the concentrations of trace elements (As, Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, Rb, Sr, V and Zn) in hard coal based on the physical and chemical parameters of coal, and coal ash components. The study was focused on trace elements potentially hazardous to the environment when emitted from coal processing systems. The studied data included 24 parameters determined for 132 coal samples provided by 17 coal mines of the Upper Silesian Coal Basin, Poland. Since the data set contained outliers, the construction of robust Partial Least Squares models for contaminated data set and the correct identification of outlying objects based on the robust scales were required. These enabled the development of the correct Partial Least Squares models, characterized by good fit and prediction abilities. The root mean square error was below 10% for all except for one the final Partial Least Squares models constructed, and the prediction error (root mean square error of cross-validation) exceeded 10% only for three models constructed. The study is of both cognitive and applicative importance. It presents the unique application of the chemometric methods of data exploration in modeling the content of trace elements in coal. In this way it contributes to the development of useful tools of coal quality assessment.

Quantitative Modelling of Trace Elements in Hard Coal

PubMed Central

Smoliński, Adam; Howaniec, Natalia

2016-01-01

The significance of coal in the world economy remains unquestionable for decades. It is also expected to be the dominant fossil fuel in the foreseeable future. The increased awareness of sustainable development reflected in the relevant regulations implies, however, the need for the development and implementation of clean coal technologies on the one hand, and adequate analytical tools on the other. The paper presents the application of the quantitative Partial Least Squares method in modeling the concentrations of trace elements (As, Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, Rb, Sr, V and Zn) in hard coal based on the physical and chemical parameters of coal, and coal ash components. The study was focused on trace elements potentially hazardous to the environment when emitted from coal processing systems. The studied data included 24 parameters determined for 132 coal samples provided by 17 coal mines of the Upper Silesian Coal Basin, Poland. Since the data set contained outliers, the construction of robust Partial Least Squares models for contaminated data set and the correct identification of outlying objects based on the robust scales were required. These enabled the development of the correct Partial Least Squares models, characterized by good fit and prediction abilities. The root mean square error was below 10% for all except for one the final Partial Least Squares models constructed, and the prediction error (root mean square error of cross–validation) exceeded 10% only for three models constructed. The study is of both cognitive and applicative importance. It presents the unique application of the chemometric methods of data exploration in modeling the content of trace elements in coal. In this way it contributes to the development of useful tools of coal quality assessment. PMID:27438794

Process for coal liquefaction employing selective coal feed

DOEpatents

Hoover, David S.; Givens, Edwin N.

1983-01-01

An improved coal liquefaction process is provided whereby coal conversion is improved and yields of pentane soluble liquefaction products are increased. In this process, selected feed coal is pulverized and slurried with a process derived solvent, passed through a preheater and one or more dissolvers in the presence of hydrogen-rich gases at elevated temperatures and pressures, following which solids, including mineral ash and unconverted coal macerals, are separated from the condensed reactor effluent. The selected feed coals comprise washed coals having a substantial amount of mineral matter, preferably from about 25-75%, by weight, based upon run-of-mine coal, removed with at least 1.0% by weight of pyritic sulfur remaining and exhibiting vitrinite reflectance of less than about 0.70%.

Method of extracting coal from a coal refuse pile

DOEpatents

Yavorsky, Paul M.

1991-01-01

A method of extracting coal from a coal refuse pile comprises soaking the coal refuse pile with an aqueous alkali solution and distributing an oxygen-containing gas throughout the coal refuse pile for a time period sufficient to effect oxidation of coal contained in the coal refuse pile. The method further comprises leaching the coal refuse pile with an aqueous alkali solution to solubilize and extract the oxidized coal as alkali salts of humic acids and collecting the resulting solution containing the alkali salts of humic acids. Calcium hydroxide may be added to the solution of alkali salts of humic acid to form precipitated humates useable as a low-ash, low-sulfur solid fuel.

Coal systems analysis: A new approach to the understanding of coal formation, coal quality and environmental considerations, and coal as a source rock for hydrocarbons

USGS Publications Warehouse

Warwick, Peter D.

2005-01-01

Coal is an important and required energy source for today's world. Current rates of world coal consumption are projected to continue at approximately the same (or greater) levels well into the twenty-first century. This paper will provide an introduction to the concept of coal systems analysis and the accompanying volume of papers will provide examples of how coal systems analysis can be used to understand, characterize, and evaluate coal and coal gas resources. Coal systems analysis incorporates the various disciplines of coal geology to provide a complete characterization of the resource. The coal system is divided into four stages: (1) accumulation, (2) preservation-burial, (3) diagenesis-coalification, and (4) coal and hydrocarbon resources. These stages are briefly discussed and key references and examples of the application of coal systems analysis are provided.

Automatic crack detection method for loaded coal in vibration failure process.

PubMed

Li, Chengwu; Ai, Dihao

2017-01-01

In the coal mining process, the destabilization of loaded coal mass is a prerequisite for coal and rock dynamic disaster, and surface cracks of the coal and rock mass are important indicators, reflecting the current state of the coal body. The detection of surface cracks in the coal body plays an important role in coal mine safety monitoring. In this paper, a method for detecting the surface cracks of loaded coal by a vibration failure process is proposed based on the characteristics of the surface cracks of coal and support vector machine (SVM). A large number of cracked images are obtained by establishing a vibration-induced failure test system and industrial camera. Histogram equalization and a hysteresis threshold algorithm were used to reduce the noise and emphasize the crack; then, 600 images and regions, including cracks and non-cracks, were manually labelled. In the crack feature extraction stage, eight features of the cracks are extracted to distinguish cracks from other objects. Finally, a crack identification model with an accuracy over 95% was trained by inputting the labelled sample images into the SVM classifier. The experimental results show that the proposed algorithm has a higher accuracy than the conventional algorithm and can effectively identify cracks on the surface of the coal and rock mass automatically.

Interaction and the structures of coal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Opaprakasit, Pakorn

solvents, which in turn enhances the coal extraction yield. Finally, the evidence for the presence of a glass transition temperature in coal was examined. The results from Differential Scanning Calorimetry showed that no transition similar to the Tg can be observed in bulk coal or its low-molecular weight fraction, pyridine soluble extracted material, at a temperature near 110°C. In contrast, an irreversible transition that is due to water evaporation has been found. Thermomechanical measurements, which are very sensitive to the presence of a Tg in synthetic polymers, also provided no evidence for a Tg below temperatures where chemical reactions occur. Additionally, the results from Thermomechanical Analysis showed an expansion in size when the coal was heated to 300°C, which is associated with a "caking" process. The degree of expansion during this "caking" process is about five times greater in the direction perpendicular to the bedding plane than the parallel, indicating an accommodation of anisotropic strain relaxation, which was generated in the direction perpendicular to the bedding plane during the coalification process.

77 FR 43721 - Examinations of Work Areas in Underground Coal Mines for Violations of Mandatory Health or Safety...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-07-26

... Examinations of Work Areas in Underground Coal Mines for Violations of Mandatory Health or Safety Standards... effectiveness of information collection requirements contained in the final rule on Examinations of Work Areas... requirements in MSHA's final rule on Examinations of Work Areas in Underground Coal Mines for Violations of...

Model-based estimation of adiabatic flame temperature during coal gasification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sarigul, Ihsan Mert

Coal gasification temperature distribution in the gasifier is one of the important issues. High temperature may increase the risk of corrosion of the gasifier wall or it may cause an increase in the amount of volatile compounds. At the same time, gasification temperature is a dominant factor for high conversion of products and completing the reactions during coal gasification in a short time. In the light of this information it can be said that temperature is one of key parameters of coal gasification to enhance the production of high heating value syngas and maximize refractory longevity. This study aims to predict the adiabatic flame temperatures of Australian bituminous coal and Indonesian roto coal in an entrained flow gasifier using different operating conditions with the ChemCAD simulation and design program. To achieve these objectives, two types of gasification parameters were carried out using simulation of a vertical entrained flow reactor: oxygen-to-coal feed ratio by kg/kg and pressure and steam-to-coal feed ratio by kg/kg and pressure. In the first part of study the adiabatic flame temperatures, coal gasification products and other coal characteristics of two types of coals were determined using ChemCAD software. During all simulations, coal feed rate, coal particle size, initial temperature of coal, water and oxygen were kept constant. The relationships between flame temperature, coal gasification products and operating parameters were fundamentally investigated. The second part of this study addresses the modeling of the flame temperature relation to methane production and other input parameters used previous chapter. The scope of this work was to establish a reasonable model in order to estimate flame temperature without any theoretical calculation. Finally, sensitivity analysis was performed after getting some basic correlations between temperature and input variables. According to the results, oxygen-to-coal feed ratio has the most influential

Variability of Mercury Content in Coal Matter From Coal Seams of The Upper Silesia Coal Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wierzchowski, Krzysztof; Chećko, Jarosław; Pyka, Ireneusz

2017-12-01

The process of identifying and documenting the quality parameters of coal, as well as the conditions of coal deposition in the seam, is multi-stage and extremely expensive. The taking and analyzing of seam samples is the method of assessment of the quality and quantity parameters of coals in deep mines. Depending on the method of sampling, it offers quite precise assessment of the quality parameters of potential commercial coals. The main kind of seam samples under consideration are so-called "documentary seam samples", which exclude dirt bands and other seam contaminants. Mercury content in coal matter from the currently accessible and exploited coal seams of the Upper Silesian Coal Basin (USCB) was assessed. It was noted that the mercury content in coal seams decreases with the age of the seam and, to a lesser extent, seam deposition depth. Maps of the variation of mercury content in selected lithostratigraphic units (layers) of the Upper Silesian Coal Basin have been created.

Effects of low-temperature catalytic pretreatments on coal structure and reactivity in liquefaction. Final technical report, Volume 1 - effects of solvents, catalysts and temperature conditions on conversion and structural changes of low-rank coals

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Huang, Lili; Schobert, Harold H.; Song, Chunshan

1998-01-01

The main objectives of this project were to study the effects of low-temperature pretreatments on coal structure and their impacts on subsequent liquefaction. The effects of pretreatment temperatures, catalyst type, coal rank, and influence of solvent were examined. Specific objectives were to identify the basic changes in coal structure induced by catalytic and thermal pretreatments, and to determine the reactivity of the catalytically and thermally treated coals for liquefaction. In the original project management plan it was indicated that six coals would be used for the study. These were to include two each of bituminous, subbituminous, and lignite rank. Formore » convenience in executing the experimental work, two parallel efforts were conducted. The first involved the two lignites and one subbituminous coal; and the second, the two bituminous coals and the remaining subbituminous coal. This Volume presents the results of the first portion of the work, studies on two lignites and one subbituminous coal. The remaining work accomplished under this project will be described and discussed in Volume 2 of this report. The objective of this portion of the project was to determine and compare the effects of solvents, catalysts and reaction conditions on coal liquefaction. Specifically, the improvements of reaction conversion, product distribution, as well as the structural changes in the coals and coal-derived products were examined. This study targeted at promoting hydrogenation of the coal-derived radicals, generated during thermal cleavage of chemical bonds, by using a good hydrogen donor-solvent and an effective catalyst. Attempts were also made in efforts to match the formation and hydrogenation of the free radicals and thus to prevent retrogressive reaction.« less

Ground penetrating radar coal measurements demonstration at the U.S. Bureau of Mines Research Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gardner, D.; Guerrier, J.; Martinez, M.

1994-01-04

In situ and near real-time measurements of coal seam thickness have been identified by industry as a highly desirable component of robotic mining systems. With it, a continuous mining machine can be guided close to the varying boundary of the seam while the cutting operation is underway. This provides the mining operation the ability to leave behind the high-sulfur, high-particulate coal which is concentrated near the seam boundary. The result is near total recovery of high quality coal resources, an increase in mining efficiency, and opportunities for improved safety through reduction in personnel in the most hazardous coal cutting areas.more » In situ, real-time coal seam measurements using the Special Technologies Laboratory (STL) ground penetrating radar (GPR) technology were shown feasible by a demonstration in a Utah coal mine on April 21, 1994. This report describes the October 18, 1994 in situ GPR measurements of coal seam thickness at the US Bureau of Mines (USBM) robotic mining testing laboratory. In this report, an overview of the measurements at the USBM Laboratory is given. It is followed by a description of the technical aspects of the STL frequency modulated-continuous wave (FM-CW) GPR system. Section 4 provides a detailed description of the USBM Laboratory measurements and the conditions under which they were taken. Section 5 offers conclusions and possibilities for future communications.« less

What component of coal causes coal workers' pneumoconiosis?

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

McCunney, R.J.; Morfeld, P.; Payne, S.

2009-04-15

The objective was to evaluate the component of coal responsible for coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP). A literature search of PubMED was conducted to address studies that have evaluated the risk of CWP based on the components of coal. The risk of CWP (CWP) depends on the concentration and duration of exposure to coal dust. Epidemiology studies have shown inverse links between CWP and quartz content. Coal from the USA and Germany has demonstrated links between iron content and CWP; these same studies indicate virtually no role for quartz. In vitro studies indicate strong mechanistic links between iron content in coalmore » and reactive oxygen species, which play a major role in the inflammatory response associated with CWP. The active agent within coal appears to be iron, not quartz. By identifying components of coal-before mining activities, the risk of developing CWP may be reduced.« less

Coal systems analysis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Warwick, P.D.

This collection of papers provides an introduction to the concept of coal systems analysis and contains examples of how coal systems analysis can be used to understand, characterize, and evaluate coal and coal gas resources. Chapter are: Coal systems analysis: A new approach to the understanding of coal formation, coal quality and environmental considerations, and coal as a source rock for hydrocarbons by Peter D. Warwick. Appalachian coal assessment: Defining the coal systems of the Appalachian Basin by Robert C. Milici. Subtle structural influences on coal thickness and distribution: Examples from the Lower Broas-Stockton coal (Middle Pennsylvanian), Eastern Kentucky Coalmore » Field, USA by Stephen F. Greb, Cortland F. Eble, and J.C. Hower. Palynology in coal systems analysis The key to floras, climate, and stratigraphy of coal-forming environments by Douglas J. Nichols. A comparison of late Paleocene and late Eocene lignite depositional systems using palynology, upper Wilcox and upper Jackson Groups, east-central Texas by Jennifer M.K. O'Keefe, Recep H. Sancay, Anne L. Raymond, and Thomas E. Yancey. New insights on the hydrocarbon system of the Fruitland Formation coal beds, northern San Juan Basin, Colorado and New Mexico, USA by W.C. Riese, William L. Pelzmann, and Glen T. Snyder.« less

Coal resource assessments using coal availability and recoverability methods

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rohrbacher, T.J.

1997-12-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in conjunction with state geological surveys and other federal agencies, has initiated a study and developed methodology to reassess the nation`s major coal resources. This study differs from previous coal resource assessments of the USGS, U.S. Bureau of Mines, and the Department of Energy`s Energy Information Administration, because this program: (1) Identifies and characterizes the coal beds and coal zones that will provide the bulk of the nation`s coal-derived energy during the first quarter of the twenty-first century; (2) organizes geologic, chemical, environmental, and geographic information in digital format and makes these data available tomore » the public through the Internet or other digital media, such as CD ROMs; (3) includes coal resource availability and coal recoverability analyses for selected areas; (4) provides economic assessments and coal recoverability analyses for selected areas; (5) provides methodology to perform socio-economic impact analysis related to coal mining in specific geographical areas as small as a county.« less

Liquefaction of coal by Polyporus versicolor and Poria monticola. Final report, 1 September 1984-31 August 1986

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cohen, M.S.

1986-01-01

Polyporus versicolor (ATCC 12679), obtained from the American Type Culture Collection, Rockville, MD, has been demonstrated to degrade leonardite, lignite, and subbituminous coals to a black liquid product which is called the bioextract. The process of solubilizing the coal has been termed liquification. Fungi were routinely maintained in both solid Sabouraud maltose agar (6%) and in Sabouraud maltose broth cultures. All cultures were incubated at 30/sup 0/C, 84 to 98% relative humidity, and pH = 5.8. All materials which came into contact with the fungi were sterilized before use. Experimental cultures were incubated as described for stock cultures. Cultures weremore » incubated for approximately 12 days to produce a mature fungal mat across a glass petri dish. Coal pieces (approximately 5 mm/sup 3/) were placed directly on the hyphal mat. Liquified coal (the bioextract) was removed from the top of the mycelium and/or coal pieces and either stored for analyses at 4/sup 0/C or else freeze-dried and stored dessicated at room temperature. The bioextract has been produced in sufficient quantity to permit various methods of analysis including high performance liquid chromatography, UV-visible spectrophotometry, titrimetry, electrophoresis, proton nmr spectroscopy, and calorimetry. The solubility of the bioextract in different solvents has also been determined. 6 refs., 26 figs., 3 tabs.« less

13. Coal ejectors mounted on aft bulkhead of coal bunker. ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

13. Coal ejectors mounted on aft bulkhead of coal bunker. Ejectors were used to flush overboard live coals and clinkers from firebed (pipe for carrying coals overboard has been removed from ejector in foreground). Coal doors from bunker appear beside ejector in foreground). Coal doors from bunker appear beside ejectors at deck; note firing shovels in background against hull. - Steamboat TICONDEROGA, Shelburne Museum Route 7, Shelburne, Chittenden County, VT

Appalachian coal assessment: Defining the coal systems of the Appalachian basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Milici, R.C.

2005-01-01

The coal systems concept may be used to organize the geologic data for a relatively large, complex area, such as the Appalachian basin, in order to facilitate coal assessments in the area. The concept is especially valuable in subjective assessments of future coal production, which would require a detailed understanding of the coal geology and coal chemistry of the region. In addition, subjective assessments of future coal production would be enhanced by a geographical information system that contains the geologic and geochemical data commonly prepared for conventional coal assessments. Coal systems are generally defined as one or more coal beds or groups of coal beds that have had the same or similar genetic history from their inception as peat deposits, through their burial, diagenesis, and epigenesis to their ultimate preservation as lignite, bituminous coal, or anthracite. The central and northern parts of the Appalachian basin contain seven coal systems (Coal Systems A-G). These systems may be defined generally on the following criteria: (1) on the primary characteristics of their paleopeat deposits, (2) on the stratigraphic framework of the Paleozoic coal measures, (3) on the relative abundance of coal beds within the major stratigraphic groupings, (4) on the amount of sulfur related to the geologic and climatic conditions under which paleopeat deposits accumulated, and (5) on the rank of the coal (lignite to anthracite). ??2005 Geological Society of America.

Automatic crack detection method for loaded coal in vibration failure process

PubMed Central

Li, Chengwu

2017-01-01

In the coal mining process, the destabilization of loaded coal mass is a prerequisite for coal and rock dynamic disaster, and surface cracks of the coal and rock mass are important indicators, reflecting the current state of the coal body. The detection of surface cracks in the coal body plays an important role in coal mine safety monitoring. In this paper, a method for detecting the surface cracks of loaded coal by a vibration failure process is proposed based on the characteristics of the surface cracks of coal and support vector machine (SVM). A large number of cracked images are obtained by establishing a vibration-induced failure test system and industrial camera. Histogram equalization and a hysteresis threshold algorithm were used to reduce the noise and emphasize the crack; then, 600 images and regions, including cracks and non-cracks, were manually labelled. In the crack feature extraction stage, eight features of the cracks are extracted to distinguish cracks from other objects. Finally, a crack identification model with an accuracy over 95% was trained by inputting the labelled sample images into the SVM classifier. The experimental results show that the proposed algorithm has a higher accuracy than the conventional algorithm and can effectively identify cracks on the surface of the coal and rock mass automatically. PMID:28973032

CAMD studies of coal structure and coal liquefaction

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Faulon, J.L.; Carlson, G.A.

The macromolecular structure of coal is essential to understand the mechanisms occurring during coal liquefaction. Many attempts to model coal structure can be found in the literature. More specifically for high volatile bituminous coal, the subject of interest the most commonly quoted models are the models of Given, Wiser, Solomon, and Shinn. In past work, the authors`s have used computer-aided molecular design (CAMD) to develop three-dimensional representations for the above coal models. The three-dimensional structures were energy minimized using molecular mechanics and molecular dynamics. True density and micopore volume were evaluated for each model. With the exception of Given`s model,more » the computed density values were found to be in agreement with the corresponding experimental results. The above coal models were constructed by a trial and error technique consisting of a manual fitting of the-analytical data. It is obvious that for each model the amount of data is small compared to the actual complexity of coal, and for all of the models more than one structure can be built. Hence, the process by which one structure is chosen instead of another is not clear. In fact, all the authors agree that the structure they derived was only intended to represent an {open_quotes}average{close_quotes} coal model rather than a unique correct structure. The purpose of this program is further develop CAMD techniques to increase the understanding of coal structure and its relationship to coal liquefaction.« less

Liquefaction of calcium-containing subbituminous coals and coals of lower rank

DOEpatents

Brunson, Roy J.

1979-01-01

An improved process for the treatment of a calcium-containing subbituminous coal and coals of lower rank to form insoluble, thermally stable calcium salts which remain within the solids portions of the residue on liquefaction of the coal, thereby suppressing the formation of scale, made up largely of calcium carbonate which normally forms within the coal liquefaction reactor (i.e., coal liquefaction zone), e.g., on reactor surfaces, lines, auxiliary equipment and the like. An oxide of sulfur, in liquid phase, is contacted with a coal feed sufficient to impregnate the pores of the coal. The impregnated coal, in particulate form, can thereafter be liquefied in a coal liquefaction reactor (reaction zone) at coal liquefaction conditions without significant formation of scale.

Removal of chlorine from Illinois coal by high-temperature leaching: Final report, March 1--December 31, 1987

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chen, Han Lin

1988-03-01

The objectives of this research are to: (1) conduct experimental investigations of the removal of chlorine from coal by high- temperature leaching; (2) identify important factors affecting the chlorine removal process; (3) understand the mechanisms involved; and (4) develop a mathematical model to describe the process. A generalized mathematical model based on diffusion and relaxation has been developed for water leaching of chlorine from coal. The model has been fitted to four different samples of Illinois No. 6 coal: C22175, C22651, C8601, and C8602. The weight percent of chlorine ranged from 0.42 to 0.82. The experimental data on these samplesmore » covered a temperature range of 297 to 370K and a particle size range of 60 to 325 mesh. Based on the type of coal and the conditions of leaching, it was found that 40 to 80% of the original chlorine could be leached from the coal matrix. The model based on diffusion-relaxation concept predicted the leaching data within +-5% average absolute deviation. The diffusion rate constants at different temperatures were correlated to Arrhenius type relations. Attempts made to correlate the constants in the Arrhenius equations with the chlorine content in coal and with particle size have been discussed. The water leaching data were used to extract Fickian diffusivities based on the time required for 50% desorption. The calculated diffusivity values ranged from 0.6 to 3 /times/ 10/sup /minus/11/ cm/sup 2//sec. The effect of chemical additives on the rate of leaching has also been studied. Both HNO/sub 3/ and NH/sub 4/OH were used as additives. 28 refs., 3 figs., 7 tabs.« less

Simultaneous destraction and desulfurization of Illinois coals with supercritical ethanol

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wu, B.C.

1983-01-01

Various Illinois coals (with Illinois number6 being the main one) are liquefied with various supercritical solvents (ethanol being the main solvent) at 543-598 K, system pressures of 6.99-24.23 MPa, flow rates of 3.0-7.5 ml/min, reaction time of 0-180 minutes, and coal particle sizes of 0.36-0.85 mm to 1.00-2.36 mm to systematically investigate the effects of flow rates, reaction time, coal particle size, temperature, pressure, coal characteristics (by using different Illinois coals), supercritical medium (by using different solvents), and the addition of potassium hydroxide. The % weight loss of coal and the % sulfur removal during destraction and desulfurization of coalmore » are functions of the flow rate, the reaction time, the coal particle size, temperature, pressure and the supercritical solvent. Temperature, pressure and the supercritical medium are the most important parameters in controlling the % weight loss of coal and the % sulfur removal. The % weight loss of coal can be related to a power law and fits quite nicely into a second order kinetic model. The % sulfur removal also follows a second order kinetic model. A secondary reaction is observed during the destraction process, which implies that destraction, and possibly desulfurization, of coal is a multistep reaction including a physical extraction step where the major portion of the coal and sulfur was removed and then followed by a chemical reaction. Supercritical ethanol definitely enhances the removal of sulfur compounds from coal. The enhanced selectivity by supercritical ethanol is greatest at a pressure just above the critical pressure of ethanol. Finally, addition of a base such as potassium hydroxide enhances both % weight loss of coal and the % sulfur removal.« less

20 CFR 726.318 - Final decision of the Secretary.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Final decision of the Secretary. 726.318 Section 726.318 Employees' Benefits EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR FEDERAL COAL MINE HEALTH AND SAFETY ACT OF 1969, AS AMENDED BLACK LUNG BENEFITS; REQUIREMENTS FOR COAL MINE OPERATOR...

78 FR 26739 - Notice of Final Action on Petition From Earthjustice To List Coal Mines as a Source Category and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-05-08

... Action on Petition From Earthjustice To List Coal Mines as a Source Category and To Regulate Air Emissions From Coal Mines AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Denial of petition for... Perciasepe, signed a letter denying a petition to add coal mines to the Clean Air Act (CAA) section 111 list...

Flotation and flocculation chemistry of coal and oxidized coals

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Somasundaran, P.

1990-01-01

The objective of this research project is to understand the fundamentals involved in the flotation and flocculation of coal and oxidized coals and elucidate mechanisms by which surface interactions between coal and various reagents enhance coal beneficiation. An understanding of the nature of the heterogeneity of coal surfaces arising from the intrinsic distribution of chemical moieties is fundamental to the elucidation of mechanism of coal surface modification and its role in interfacial processes such as flotation, flocculation and agglomeration. A new approach for determining the distribution in surface properties of coal particles was developed in this study and various techniquesmore » capable of providing such information were identified. Distributions in surface energy, contact angle and wettability were obtained using novel techniques such as centrifugal immersion and film flotation. Changes in these distributions upon oxidation and surface modifications were monitored and discussed. An approach to the modelling of coal surface site distributions based on thermodynamic information obtained from gas adsorption and immersion calorimetry is proposed. Polyacrylamide and dodecane was used to alter the coal surface. Methanol adsorption was also studied. 62 figs.« less

Novel nanodispersed coal liquefaction catalysts: Molecular design via microemulsion-based synthesis. Final technical report, October 1990--December 1994

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Osseo-Asare, K.; Boakye, E.; Vittal, M.

1995-04-01

This report described the synthesis of Molybdenum Sulfides in microemulsions by acidification of ammonium tetrathiomolybdate. Molybdenum Sulfides have been shown to be potential coal liquefaction catalysts. The importance of particle size, temperature effects, and coal surface chemistry to impregnation are discussed.

Flash pyrolysis of coal, coal maceral, and coal-derived pyrite with on-line characterization of volatile sulfur compounds

USGS Publications Warehouse

Chou, I.-Ming; Lake, M.A.; Griffin, R.A.

1988-01-01

A Pyroprobe flash pyrolysis-gas chromatograph equipped with a flame photometric detector was used to study volatile sulfur compounds produced during the thermal decomposition of Illinois coal, coal macerals and coal-derived pyrite. Maximum evolution of volatile organic sulfur compounds from all coal samples occurred at a temperature of approximately 700??C. At this temperature, the evolution of thiophene, its alkyl isomers, and short-chain dialkyl sulfide compounds relative to the evolution of benzothiophene and dibenzothiophene compounds was greater from coal high in organic sulfur than from coal low in organic sulfur. The variation in the evolution of sulfur compounds observed for three separate coal macerals (exinite, vitrinite, and inertinite) was similar to that observed for whole coal samples. However, the variation trend for the macerals was much more pronounced. Decomposition of coal-derived pyrite with the evolution of elemental sulfur was detected at a temperature greater than 700??C. The results of this study indicated that the gas chromotographic profile of the volatile sulfur compounds produced during flash pyrolysis of coals and coal macerals varied as a function of the amount of organic sulfur that occurred in the samples. Characterization of these volatile sulfur compounds provides a better understanding of the behavior of sulfur in coal during the thermolysis process, which could be incorporated in the design for coal cleaning using flash pyrolysis techniques. ?? 1988.

Coal desulfurization by chlorinolysis production and combustion test evaluation of product coals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kalvinskas, J. J.; Daly, D.

1982-01-01

Laboratory-scale screening tests were carried out on coal from Harrison County, Ohio to establish chlorination and hydrodesulfurization conditions for the batch reactor production of chlorinolysis and chlorinolysis-hydrodesulfurized coals. In addition, three bituminous coals, were treated on the lab scale by the chlorinolysis process to provide 39 to 62% desulfurization. Two bituminous coals and one subbituminous coal were then produced in 11 to 15 pound lots as chlorinolysis and hydrodesulfurized coals. The chlorinolysis coals had a desulfurization of 29-69%, reductions in voltatiles and hydrogen. Hydrodesulfurization provided a much greater desulfurization (56-86%), reductions in volatiles and hydrogen. The three coals were combustion tested in the Penn State ""plane flame furnace'' to determine ignition and burning characteristics. All three coals burned well to completion as: raw coals, chlorinolysis processed coals, and hydrodesulfurized coals. The hydrodesulfurized coals experienced greater ignition delays and reduced burning rates than the other coals because of the reduced volatile content. It is thought that the increased open pore volume in the desulfurized-devolatilized coals compensates in part for the decreased volatiles effect on ignition and burning.

Coal resources, production, and quality in the Eastern kentucky coal field: Perspectives on the future of steam coal production

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hower, J.C.; Hiett, J.K.; Wild, G.D.; Eble, C.F.

1994-01-01

The Eastern Kentucky coal field, along with adjacent portions of Virginia and southern West Virginia, is part of the greatest production concentration of high-heating-value, low-sulfur coal in the United States, accounting for over 27% of the 1993 U.S. production of coal of all ranks. Eastern Kentucky's production is spread among many coal beds but is particularly concentrated in a limited number of highquality coals, notably the Pond Creek coal bed and its correlatives, and the Fire Clay coal bed and its correlatives. Both coals are relatively low ash and low sulfur through the areas of the heaviest concentration of mining activity. We discuss production trends, resources, and the quality of in-place and clean coal for those and other major coals in the region. ?? 1994 Oxford University Press.

Refining and end use study of coal liquids II - linear programming analysis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lowe, C.; Tam, S.

1995-12-31

A DOE-funded study is underway to determine the optimum refinery processing schemes for producing transportation fuels that will meet CAAA regulations from direct and indirect coal liquids. The study consists of three major parts: pilot plant testing of critical upgrading processes, linear programming analysis of different processing schemes, and engine emission testing of final products. Currently, fractions of a direct coal liquid produced form bituminous coal are being tested in sequence of pilot plant upgrading processes. This work is discussed in a separate paper. The linear programming model, which is the subject of this paper, has been completed for themore » petroleum refinery and is being modified to handle coal liquids based on the pilot plant test results. Preliminary coal liquid evaluation studies indicate that, if a refinery expansion scenario is adopted, then the marginal value of the coal liquid (over the base petroleum crude) is $3-4/bbl.« less

Underground thermal generation of hydrocarbons from dry, southwestern coals

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Vanderborgh, N.E.; Elliott, G.R.B.

1978-01-01

The LASL underground coal conversion concept produces intermediate-BTU fuel gas for nearby industries such as ''minemouth'' electric power plants, plus major byproducts in the form of liquid and gaseous hydrocarbons for feedstocks to chemical plants e.g., substitute natural gas (SNG) producers. The concept involves controlling the water influx and drying the coal, generating hydrocarbons, by pyrolysis and finally gasifying the residual char with O/sub 2//CO/sub 2/ or air/CO/sub 2/ mixtures to produce industrial fuel gases. Underground conversion can be frustrated by uncontrolled water in the coal bed. Moisture can (a) prevent combustion, (b) preclude fuel gas formation by lowering reactionmore » zone temperatures and creating kinetic problems, (c) ruin product gas quality by dropping temperatures into a thermodynamically unsatisfactory regime, (d) degrade an initially satisfactory fuel gas by consuming carbon monoxide, (e) waste large amounts of heat, and (f) isolate reaction zones so that the processing will bypass blocks of coal.« less

Coal Research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1986-01-01

Coal slurries are "clean" pulverized coal mixed with oil or water. Significant fuel savings can be realized when using coal slurries. Advanced Fuels Technology (AFT) utilized a COSMIC program, (Calculation of Complex Chemical Equilibrium Compositions), which provides specific capabilities for determining combustion products. The company has developed a cleaning process that removes much of the mineral sulphur and ash from the coals.

Phyto-bioconversion of hard coal in the Cynodon dactylon/coal rhizosphere.

PubMed

Igbinigie, Eric E; Mutambanengwe, Cecil C Z; Rose, Peter D

2010-03-01

Fundamental processes involved in the microbial degradation of coal and its derivatives have been well documented. A mutualistic interaction between plant roots and certain microorganisms to aid growth of plants such as Cynodon dactylon (Bermuda grass) on hard coal dumps has recently been suggested. In the present study coal bioconversion activity of nonmycorrhizal fungi was investigated in the C. dactylon/coal rhizosphere. Fungal growth on 2% Duff-agar, gutation formation on nitric acid treated coal and submerged culture activity in nitrogen-rich and -deficient broth formed part of the screening and selection of the fungi. The selected fungal isolates were confirmed to be found in pristine C. dactylon/coal rhizosphere. To simulate bioconversion, a fungal aliquot of this rhizosphere was used as inoculum for a Perfusate fixed bed bioreactor, packed with coal. The results demonstrate an enhanced coal bioconversion facilitated by low molecular weight organics and the bioconversion of coal may be initiated by an introduction of nitrogen moieties to the coal substrate. These findings suggest a phyto-bioconversion of hard coal involving plant and microbes occurring in the rhizosphere to promote the growth of C. dactylon. An understanding of this relationship can serve as a benchmark for coal dumps rehabilitation as well as for the industrial scale bioprocessing of hard coal.

Coal liquefaction process utilizing coal/CO.sub.2 slurry feedstream

DOEpatents

Comolli, Alfred G.; McLean, Joseph B.

1989-01-01

A coal hydrogenation and liquefaction process in which particulate coal feed is pressurized to an intermediate pressure of at least 500 psig and slurried with CO.sub.2 liquid to provide a flowable coal/CO.sub.2 slurry feedstream, which is further pressurized to at least 1000 psig and fed into a catalytic reactor. The coal particle size is 50-375 mesh (U.S. Sieve Series) and provides 50-80 W % coal in the coal/CO.sub.2 slurry feedstream. Catalytic reaction conditions are maintained at 650.degree.-850.degree. F. temperature, 1000-4000 psig hydrogen partial pressure and coal feed rate of 10-100 lb coal/hr ft.sup.3 reactor volume to produce hydrocarbon gas and liquid products. The hydrogen and CO.sub.2 are recovered from the reactor effluent gaseous fraction, hydrogen is recycled to the catalytic reactor, and CO.sub.2 is liquefied and recycled to the coal slurrying step. If desired, two catalytic reaction stages close coupled together in series relation can be used. The process advantageously minimizes the recycle and processing of excess hydrocarbon liquid previously needed for slurrying the coal feed to the reactor(s).

Detection of coal mine workings using high-resolution earth resistivity techniques. Final technical report, September 1979-September 1980

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Peters, W.R.; Campbell, T.M.; Sturdivant, V.R.

1980-09-26

Shallow underground voids resulting from early coal mining and other resource recovery activities over the past several decades are now being recognized as a significant cause of ground subsidence problems in developing urban areas. Uncertain knowledge of abandoned coal mines also imposes potential hazards in coal excavation operations since water inundation or the release of methane gas is a principal hazard when mine excavation operations break into an abandoned mine. US Army requirements for an effective method for detecting and mapping subversive abandoned tunnels have resulted in a surface-operated automatic earth resistivity survey system with a digital computer data processingmore » system. Field tests aimed at demonstrating the system performance resulted in successful detection of tunnels having depth-to-diameter ratios up to 15 to 1. Under the sponsorship of the Bureau of Mines, a similar system was designed and constructed for use in the detection of coal mine workings. This report discusses the hardware and software aspects of the system and the application of the high-resolution earth resistivity method to the survey and mapping of abandoned coal mine workings. In the field tests reported, the targets of interest were both air- and water-filled workings.« less

Underground Coal Gasification - Experience of ONGC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jain, P. K.

2017-07-01

with Ministry of Coal (MoC), MoC finally allotted in-principle Vastan Lignite block to GIPCL in Aug. 2015. The project was to be carried out through a joint venture between ONGC and GIPCL. Unfortunately, efforts lacking sincerity were made by GIPCL for JV. MOC also did not bother adequately to monitor development of JV between ONGC and GIPCL. And finally, GIPCL citing the company to be small sized and it being without any experience on UCG, withdrew from the project in Dec. 2016. Now the block allocation process for the Vastan will have to be initiated afresh by MOC. The future of ONGC yet another UCG campaign seems to have once again hanged in balance. In view of the association with UCG for the decade and based on the feedback from the world-wide status of the technology, the author tries to make important suggestions in the paper for expeditious and efficient implementation of UCG technology in the country.

76 FR 34096 - Notice of Availability of the Record of Decision for the Final Environmental Impact Statement and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-10

... the South Gillette Area West Coal Creek Coal Lease-by-Application, Wyoming AGENCY: Bureau of Land... Decision (ROD) for the West Coal Creek Coal Lease-by- Application (LBA) included in the South Gillette Area Coal Lease Applications Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). ADDRESSES: The document is...

Quarterly Coal Distribution

EIA Publications

2017-01-01

The Quarterly Coal Distribution Report (QCDR) provides detailed U.S. domestic coal distribution data by coal origin state, coal destination state, mode of transportation, and consuming sector. Quarterly data for all years are preliminary and will be superseded by the release of the corresponding Annual Coal Distribution Report.

Coal resources of the Sonda coal field, Sindh Province, Pakistan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Thomas, R.E.; Riaz, Khan M.; Ahmed, Khan S.

1993-01-01

Approximately 4.7 billion t of original coal resources, ranging from lignite A to subbituminous C in rank, are estimated to be present in the Sonda coal field. These resources occur in 10 coal zones in the Bara Formation of Paleocene age. The Bara Formation does not out crop in the area covered by this report. Thin discontinuous coal beds also occur in the Sonhari Member of the Laki Formation, of Paleocene and Eocene age, but they are unimportant as a resource of the Sonda coal field. The coal resource assessment was based on 56 exploratory drill holes that were completed in the Sonda field between April 1986 and February 1988. The Sonda coal field is split into two, roughly equal, areas by the southwestward flowing Indus River, a major barrier to the logistics of communications between the two halves. As a result the two halves, called the Sonda East and Sonda West areas, were evaluated at different times by slightlydifferent techniques; but, because the geology is consistent between the two areas, the results of both evaluations have been summarized in this report. The resource estimates for the Sonda East area, approximately 1,700 million t, were based on the thickest coal bed in each zone at each drill hole. This method gives a conservative estimate of the total amount of coal in the Sonda East area. The resource estimates for the Sonda West area, approximately 3,000 million t, were based on cumulative coal bed thicknesses within each coal zone, resulting in a more liberal estimate. In both cases, minimum parameters for qualifying coal were a thickness of 30 cm or greater and no more than 50% ash; partings thicker than 1 cm were excluded. The three most important coal zones in the Sonda field are the Inayatabad, the Middle Sonda and the Lower Sonda. Together, these three coal zones contain 50% of the total resources. Isopachs were constructed for the thickest coal beds in these three coal zones and indicate large variations in thickness over relatively small

Method for recovering light hydrocarbons from coal agglomerates

DOEpatents

Huettenhain, Horst; Benz, August D.; Getsoian, John

1991-01-01

A method and apparatus for removing light hydrocarbons, such as heptane, from coal agglomerates includes an enclosed chamber having a substantially horizontal perforate surface therein. The coal agglomerates are introduced into a water bath within the chamber. The agglomerates are advanced over the surface while steam is substantially continuously introduced through the surface into the water bath. Steam heats the water and causes volatilization of the light hydrocarbons, which may be collected from the overhead of the chamber. The resulting agglomerates may be collected at the opposite end from the surface and subjected to final draining processes prior to transportation or use.

Carbon dioxide from coal combustion: Variation with rank of US coal

USGS Publications Warehouse

Quick, J.C.; Glick, D.C.

2000-01-01

Carbon dioxide from combustion of US coal systematically varies with ASTM rank indices, allowing the amount of CO2 produced per net unit of energy to be predicted for individual coals. No single predictive equation is applicable to all coals. Accordingly, we provide one equation for coals above high volatile bituminous rank and another for lower rank coals. When applied to public data for commercial coals from western US mines these equations show a 15% variation of kg CO2 (net GJ)-1. This range of variation suggests reduction of US CO2 emissions is possible by prudent selection of coal for combustion. Maceral and mineral content are shown to slightly affect CO2 emissions from US coal. We also suggest that CO2 emissions increased between 6 and 8% in instances where Midwestern US power plants stopped burning local, high-sulfur bituminous coal and started burning low-sulfur, subbituminous C rank coal from the western US.

Microbial oxidation of pyrrhotites in coal chars

USGS Publications Warehouse

Miller, K.W.; Risatti, J.B.

1988-01-01

The ability of Thiobacillus ferrooxidans to oxidize pyrrhotite minerals occurring in coal chars was investigated, to evaluate the feasibility of microbial char desulphurization. Bio-oxidation of pyrrhotites in chars produced by two different processes was demonstrated conclusively. Microbial removal of sulphur from a char and its parent coal proceeded at the rate of 3.5% and 12% day-1, respectively with a total of 48% and 81% removal after 27 days. The pH of shake flask cultures containing the coal dropped naturally to a final value of 2.2, while the pH of cultures containing the corresponding char rose and had to be lowered artificially with additional acid. Amending char cultures with elemental sulphur to increase acidity upon bio-oxidation and prevent precipitation of ferric iron was successful; however, the extent of pyrrhotite removal, as demonstated by X-ray diffraction analysis, was not improved. As yet, there is no explanation for the failure of microbial removal of pyrrhotitic sulphur to go to completion. ?? 1988.

Rosebud SynCoal Partnership, SynCoal{reg_sign} demonstration technology update

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sheldon, R.W.

1997-12-31

An Advanced Coal Conversion Process (ACCP) technology being demonstrated in eastern Montana (USA) at the heart of one of the world`s largest coal deposits is providing evidence that the molecular structure of low-rank coals can be altered successfully to produce a unique product for a variety of utility and industrial applications. The product is called SynCoal{reg_sign} and the process has been developed by the Rosebud SynCoal Partnership (RSCP) through the US Department of Energy`s multi-million dollar Clean Coal Technology Program. The ACCP demonstration process uses low-pressure, superheated gases to process coal in vibrating fluidized beds. Two vibratory fluidized processing stagesmore » are used to heat and convert the coal. This is followed by a water spray quench and a vibratory fluidized stage to cool the coal. Pneumatic separators remove the solid impurities from the dried coal. There are three major steps to the SynCoal{reg_sign} process: (1) thermal treatment of the coal in an inert atmosphere, (2) inert gas cooling of the hot coal, and (3) removal of ash minerals. When operated continuously, the demonstration plant produces over 1,000 tons per day (up to 300,000 tons per year) of SynCoal{reg_sign} with a 2% moisture content, approximately 11,800b Btu/lb and less than 1.0 pound of SO{sub 2} per million Btu. This product is obtained from Rosebud Mine sub-bituminous coal which starts with 25% moisture, 8,600 Btu/lb and approximately 1.6 pounds of SO{sub 2} per million Btu.« less

Coal and Energy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bryant, Reba; And Others

This teaching unit explores coal as an energy resource. Goals, student objectives, background information, and activity options are presented for each major section. The sections are: (1) an introduction to coal (which describes how and where coal was formed and explains the types of coal); (2) the mining of coal (including the methods and ways of…

Stress distribution characteristics in the vicinity of coal seam floor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cui, Zimo; Chanda, Emmanuel; Zhao, Jingli; Wang, Zhihe

2018-01-01

Although longwall top-coal caving (LTCC) has been a popular, more productive and cost-effective method in recent years, roadway floor heave and rock bursts frequently appear when exploiting such coal seams with large dip angle. This paper proposes addressing this problem by adopting three-dimensional roadway layout of stagger arrangement (3-D RLSA). In this study, the first step was to analyse the stress distribution characteristics in the vicinity of coal seam floor based on the stress slip line field theory. In the second step, numerical calculation using FLAC3D was conducted. Finally, an evaluation of the 3-D RLSA for solving this particular issue was given. Results indicate that for this particular mine the proposed 3-D RLSA results in 24% increase in the coal recovery ratio and a modest reduction in excavation and maintenance costs compared to the conventional LTCC method.

[Coal fineness effect on primary particulate matter features during pulverized coal combustion].

PubMed

Lü, Jian-yi; Li, Ding-kai

2007-09-01

Three kinds of coal differed from fineness were burned in a laboratory-scale drop tube furnace for combustion test, and an 8-stage Andersen particle impactor was employed for sampling the primary particulate matter (PM), in order to study coal fineness effect on primary PM features during pulverized coal combustion. It has been shown that the finer the coal was, the finer the PM produced. PM, emission amount augmented with coal fineness decreased, and the amount of PM10 increased from 13 mg/g to 21 mg/g respectively generated by coarse coal and fine coal. The amount of PM2.5 increased from 2 mg/g to 8 mg/g at the same condition. Constituents and content in bulk ash varied little after three different fineness coal combustion, while the appearance of grading PM differed visibly. The value of R(EE) increased while the coal fineness deceased. The volatility of trace elements which were investigated was Pb > Cr > Zn > Cu > Ni in turn. The concentration of poisonous trace elements was higher which generated from fine coal combustion. The volatilization capacity was influenced little by coal fineness, but the volatilization extent was influenced differently by coal fineness. Fine coal combustion affects worse environment than coarse coal does.

Chemical composition and some trace element contents in coals and coal ash from Tamnava-Zapadno Polje Coal Field, Serbia

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Vukasinovic-Pesic, V.; Rajakovic, L.J.

2009-07-01

The chemical compositions and trace element contents (Zn, Cu, Co, Cr, Ni, Pb, Cd, As, B, Hg, Sr, Se, Be, Ba, Mn, Th, V, U) in coal and coal ash samples from Tamnava-Zapadno Polje coal field in Serbia were studied. The coal from this field belongs to lignite. This high volatility coal has high moisture and low S contents, moderate ash yield, and high calorific value. The coal ash is abundant in alumosilicates. Many trace elements such as Ni > Cd > Cr > B > As > Cu > Co > Pb > V > Zn > Mn inmore » the coal and Ni > Cr > As > B > Cu > Co = Pb > V > Zn > Mn in the coal ash are enriched in comparison with Clarke concentrations.« less

Coal combustion products

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kalyoncu, R.S.; Olson, D.W.

2001-01-01

Coal-burning powerplants, which supply more than half of U.S. electricity, also generate coal combustion products, which can be both a resource and a disposal problem. The U.S. Geological Survey collaborates with the American Coal Ash Association in preparing its annual report on coal combustion products. This Fact Sheet answers questions about present and potential uses of coal combustion products.

Attitudes toward Women Coal Miners in an Appalachian Coal Community.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trent, Roger B.; Stout-Wiegand, Nancy

1987-01-01

In a coal mining community, a survey revealed that the level of negative sentiment toward women coal miners was substantial and varied by gender role. Male coal miners were negative toward female co-workers, but they supported women's right to coal mine jobs, while female homemakers did not. (Author/CH)

Health impacts of coal and coal use: Possible solutions

USGS Publications Warehouse

Finkelman, R.B.; Orem, W.; Castranova, V.; Tatu, C.A.; Belkin, H.E.; Zheng, B.; Lerch, H.E.; Maharaj, S.V.; Bates, A.L.

2002-01-01

Coal will be a dominant energy source in both developed and developing countries for at least the first half of the 21st century. Environmental problems associated with coal, before mining, during mining, in storage, during combustion, and postcombustion waste products are well known and are being addressed by ongoing research. The connection between potential environmental problems with human health is a fairly new field and requires the cooperation of both the geoscience and medical disciplines. Three research programs that illustrate this collaboration are described and used to present a range of human health problems that are potentially caused by coal. Domestic combustion of coal in China has, in some cases, severely affected human health. Both on a local and regional scale, human health has been adversely affected by coals containing arsenic, fluorine, selenium, and possibly, mercury. Balkan endemic nephropathy (BEN), an irreversible kidney disease of unknown origin, has been related to the proximity of Pliocene lignite deposits. The working hypothesis is that groundwater is leaching toxic organic compounds as it passes through the lignites and that these organics are then ingested by the local population contributing to this health problem. Human disease associated with coal mining mainly results from inhalation of particulate matter during the mining process. The disease is Coal Worker's Pneumoconiosis characterized by coal dust-induced lesions in the gas exchange regions of the lung; the coal worker's "black lung disease". ?? 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Control technology assessment for coal gasification and liquefaction processes, coal gasification facility, Caterpillar Tractor Company, York, Pennsylvania. Report for the site visit of May 1981. Final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Telesca, D.R.

A control technology survey was conducted at the coal gasification facility of the Caterpillar Tractor Company (SIC-5161), in York, Pennsylvania on August 18, 1980 and May 7, 1981, in conjunction with an industrial hygiene characterization study. Potential hazards included coal dust, noise, fire, carbon-monoxide (630080) (CO), polynuclear aromatics, hydrogen sulfide (7783064), phenols, and flammable and explosive gases. Preemployment physicals were given to employees including complete medical histories, physical examinations, and skin examination. Examinations were given annually for the first 5 years and semiannually thereafter. The most hazardous activities were poking, cleaning, inspection of process equipment, and equipment maintenance. Coal dustmore » emissions were effectively reduced by enclosure and venting. Venturi steam injectors in the gasifier pokeholes prevented gas emissions during poking. Ash dust was controlled by removal and handling while it was wet. An audible and visual alarm was used for CO monitoring. The ventilation system in the building effectively prevented accumulation of gases. The author recommends separate lockers for contaminated and clean clothing; a clean area for eating; escape pack respirators located in the rectifier room, control room, and coal bunker; and supplied air respirators in dangerous areas. Disposal of off gas from the feeding system should be addressed.« less

Liquefaction of calcium-containing subbituminous coals and coals of lower rank

DOEpatents

Gorbaty, Martin L.; Taunton, John W.

1980-01-01

A process for the treatment of a calcium-containing subbituminous coal and coals of lower rank to form insoluble, thermally stable calcium salts which remain within the solids portions of the residue on liquefaction of the coal, thereby suppressing the formation scale, made up largely of calcium carbonate deposits, e.g., vaterite, which normally forms within the coal liquefaction reactor (i.e., coal liquefaction zone), e.g., on reactor surfaces, lines, auxiliary equipment and the like. A solution of a compound or salt characterized by the formula MX, where M is a Group IA metal of the Periodic Table of the Elements, and X is an anion which is capable of forming water-insoluble, thermally stable calcium compounds, is maintained in contact with a particulate coal feed sufficient to impregnate said salt or compound into the pores of the coal. On separation of the impregnated particulate coal from the solution, the coal can be liquefied in a coal liquefaction reactor (reaction zone) at coal liquefaction conditions without significant formation of vaterite or other forms of calcium carbonate on reactor surfaces, auxiliary equipment and the like; and the Group IA metal which remains within the liquefaction bottoms catalyzes the reaction when the liquefaction bottoms are subjected to a gasification reaction.

Oxidation and carbonisation of coals: a case study of coal fire affected coals from the Wuda coalfield, Inner Mongolia, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kus, Jolanta; Meyer, Uwe; Ma, Jianwei; Chen-Brauchler, Dai

2010-05-01

At the coalfield of Wuda (Inner Mongolia, PR China) extensive underground coal fires cause widespread thermal and oxidative effects in coal seams. Within phase B of the Coal Fire Research Project of the Sino-German Initiative, methods for innovative fire-extinguishing technologies were investigated in multifaceted research approaches. Extensive investigations of oxidative and thermally affected coal seams in coal fire zone 18 were conducted in 2008 prior to application of new fire-extinguishing methods. We present results from the outcrop of coal seam No. 4 in the fire zone 18. The coal of seam No. 4 is of Early Permian age and belongs stratigraphically to the Shanxi Formation. The unaffected coal displays a high volatile bituminous A rank with a background value of random vitrinite reflectance ranging from 0.90 to 0.96 % Rr. Coal channel samples were coallected at actively extracted coal faces along multiple profiles with surface temperatures ranging from about 50° to 600°C. Microscopic examinations revealed a variety of products of coal exposure to the fire. Within coal samples, a marked rise in vitrinite reflectance from background values to 5.55% Rr (6.00 % Rmax) is encountered. In addition, a number of coal samples showed suppressed vitrinite reflectances ranging between 0.82 to 0.88% Rr. Further, seemingly heat unaffected coal samples display intensive development of oxidations rims at coal grain edges and cracks as well as shrinkage cracks and formation of iron oxides/hydroxides. Instead, thermally affected coal samples with higher coalification grade are further characterised by development of macropores (devolatilisation pores) in vitrinitic streaks, transformation of liptinite to meta-liptinite and micrinite as well as by natural coke particles of mostly porous nature and fine to coarse grained anisotropic mosaic. Coal petrographic investigations confirmed a hypothesis that both, oxidations as well as low temperature carbonisation govern the thermal

Baseload coal investment decisions under uncertain carbon legislation.

PubMed

Bergerson, Joule A; Lave, Lester B

2007-05-15

More than 50% of electricity in the U.S. is generated by coal. The U.S. has large coal resources, the cheapest fuel in most areas. Coal fired power plants are likely to continue to provide much of U.S. electricity. However, the type of power plant that should be built is unclear. Technology can reduce pollutant discharges and capture and sequester the CO2 from coal-fired generation. The U.S. Energy Policy Act of 2005 provides incentives for large scale commercial deployment of Integrated Coal Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) systems (e.g., loan guarantees and project tax credits). This analysis examines whether a new coal plant should be Pulverized Coal (PC) or IGCC. Do stricter emissions standards (PM, SO2, NOx, Hg) justify the higher costs of IGCC over PC? How does potential future carbon legislation affect the decision to add carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology? Finally, can the impact of uncertain carbon legislation be minimized? We find that SO2, NOx, PM, and Hg emission standards would have to be far more stringent than twice current standards to justify the increased costs of the IGCC system. A C02 tax less than $29/ton would lead companies to continuing to choose PC, paying the tax for emitted CO2. The earlier a decision-maker believes the carbon tax will be imposed and the higher the tax, the more likely companies will choose IGCC w/CCS. Having government announce the date and level of a carbon tax would promote more sensible decisions, but government would have to use a tax or subsidy to induce companies to choose the technology that is best for society.

Structural characterization/correlation of calorimetric properties of coal fluids: Final report, September 1, 1985--August 31, 1988

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Starling, K.E.; Mallinson, R.G.; Li, M.H.

The objective of this research is to examine the relationship between the calorimetric properties of coal fluids and their molecular functional group composition. Coal fluid samples which have had their calorimetric properties measured are characterized using proton NMR, IR, and elemental analysis. These characterizations are then used in a chemical structural model to determine the composition of the coal fluid in terms of the important molecular functional groups. These functional groups are particularly important in determining the intramolecular based properties of a fluid, such as ideal gas heat capacities. Correlational frameworks for ideal gas heat capacities are then examined withinmore » an existing equation of state methodology to determine an optimal correlation. The optimal correlation for obtaining the characterization/chemical structure information and the sensitivity of the correlation to the characterization and structural model is examined. 8 refs.« less

Computational fluid dynamics study of pulverized coal combustion in blast furnace raceway

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shen, Y.S.; Maldonado, D.; Guo, B.Y.

In this work, a numerical model is used to study the flow and coal combustion along the coal plume in a large-scale setting simulating the lance-blowpipe-tuyere-raceway region of a blast furnace. The model formulation is validated against the measurements in terms of burnout for both low and high volatile coals. The typical phenomena related to coal combustion along the coal plume are simulated and analyzed. The effects of some operational parameters on combustion behavior are also investigated. The results indicate that oxygen as a cooling gas gives a higher coal burnout than methane and air. The underlying mechanism of coalmore » combustion is explored. It is shown that under the conditions examined, coal burnout strongly depends on the availability of oxygen and residence time. Moreover, the influences of two related issues, i.e. the treatment of volatile matter (VM) and geometric setting in modeling, are investigated. The results show that the predictions of final burnouts using three different VM treatments are just slightly different, but all comparable to the measurements. However, the influence of the geometric setting is not negligible when numerically examining the combustion of pulverized coal under blast furnace conditions.« less

High pressure rotary piston coal feeder for coal gasification applications

DOEpatents

Gencsoy, Hasan T.

1977-05-24

The subject development is directed to an apparatus for feeding pulverized coal into a coal gasifier operating at relatively high pressures and elevated temperatures. This apparatus is a rotary piston feeder which comprises a circular casing having a coal loading opening therein diametrically opposed from a coal discharge and contains a rotatable discoid rotor having a cylinder in which a reciprocateable piston is disposed. The reciprocation of the piston within the cylinder is provided by a stationary conjugate cam arrangement whereby the pulverized coal from a coal hopper at atmospheric pressure can be introduced into the cylinder cavity and then discharged therefrom into the high-pressure gasifier without the loss of high pressure gases from within the latter.

Relevance of Clean Coal Technology for India’s Energy Security: A Policy Perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garg, Amit; Tiwari, Vineet; Vishwanathan, Saritha

2017-07-01

Climate change mitigation regimes are expected to impose constraints on the future use of fossil fuels in order to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. In 2015, 41% of total final energy consumption and 64% of power generation in India came from coal. Although almost a sixth of the total coal based thermal power generation is now super critical pulverized coal technology, the average CO2 emissions from the Indian power sector are 0.82 kg-CO2/kWh, mainly driven by coal. India has large domestic coal reserves which give it adequate energy security. There is a need to find options that allow the continued use of coal while considering the need for GHG mitigation. This paper explores options of linking GHG emission mitigation and energy security from 2000 to 2050 using the AIM/Enduse model under Business-as-Usual scenario. Our simulation analysis suggests that advanced clean coal technologies options could provide promising solutions for reducing CO2 emissions by improving energy efficiencies. This paper concludes that integrating climate change security and energy security for India is possible with a large scale deployment of advanced coal combustion technologies in Indian energy systems along with other measures.

Electricity from Coal Combustion: Improving the hydrophobicity of oxidized coals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seehra, Mohindar; Singh, Vivek

2011-03-01

To reduce pollution and improve efficiency, undesirable mineral impurities in coals are usually removed in coal preparation plants prior to combustion first by crushing and grinding coals followed by gravity separation using surfactant aided water flotation. However certain coals in the US are not amendable to this process because of their poor flotation characteristics resulting in a major loss of an energy resource. This problem has been linked to surface oxidation of mined coals which make these coals hydrophilic. In this project, we are investigating the surface and water flotation properties of the eight Argonne Premium (AP) coals using x-ray diffraction, IR spectroscopy and zeta potential measurements. The role of the surface functional groups, (phenolic -OH and carboxylic -COOH), produced as a result of chemisorptions of O2 on coals in determining their flotation behavior is being explored. The isoelectric point (IEP) in zeta potential measurements of good vs. poor floaters is being examined in order to improved the hydrophobicity of poor floating coals (e.g. Illinois #6). Results from XRD and IR will be presented along with recent findings from zeta potential measurements, and use of additives to improve hydrophobicity. Supported by USDOE/CAST, Contract #DE-FC26-05NT42457.

Lightweight monitoring and control system for coal mine safety using REST style.

PubMed

Cheng, Bo; Cheng, Xin; Chen, Junliang

2015-01-01

The complex environment of a coal mine requires the underground environment, devices and miners to be constantly monitored to ensure safe coal production. However, existing coal mines do not meet these coverage requirements because blind spots occur when using a wired network. In this paper, we develop a Web-based, lightweight remote monitoring and control platform using a wireless sensor network (WSN) with the REST style to collect temperature, humidity and methane concentration data in a coal mine using sensor nodes. This platform also collects information on personnel positions inside the mine. We implement a RESTful application programming interface (API) that provides access to underground sensors and instruments through the Web such that underground coal mine physical devices can be easily interfaced to remote monitoring and control applications. We also implement three different scenarios for Web-based, lightweight remote monitoring and control of coal mine safety and measure and analyze the system performance. Finally, we present the conclusions from this study and discuss future work. Copyright © 2014 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Coal desulfurization process

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hsu, G. C.; Gavalas, G. R.; Ganguli, P. S.; Kalfayan, S. H.

1978-01-01

A method for chlorinolysis of coal is an organic solvent at a moderate temperautre and atmospheric pressure has been proven to be effective in removing sulfur, particularly the organic sulfur, from coal. Chlorine gas is bubbled through a slurry of moist coal in chlorinated solvent. The chlorinated coal is separated, hydrolyzed and the dechlorinated. Preliminary results of treating a high sulfutr (4.77%S) bituminous coal show that up to 70% organic sulfur, 90% hyritic sulfur and 76% total sulfur can be removed. The treated coal is dechlorinated by heating at 500 C. The presence of moisture helps to remove organic sulfur.

30 CFR 75.386 - Final mining of pillars.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Final mining of pillars. 75.386 Section 75.386... MANDATORY SAFETY STANDARDS-UNDERGROUND COAL MINES Ventilation § 75.386 Final mining of pillars. When only one mine opening is available due to final mining of pillars, no more than 20 miners at a time shall...

Apparatus and method for feeding coal into a coal gasifier

DOEpatents

Bissett, Larry A.; Friggens, Gary R.; McGee, James P.

1979-01-01

This invention is directed to a system for feeding coal into a gasifier operating at high pressures. A coal-water slurry is pumped to the desired pressure and then the coal is "dried" prior to feeding the coal into the gasifier by contacting the slurry with superheated steam in an entrained bed dryer for vaporizing the water in the slurry.

15. VIEW OF COAL TRESTLE LOOKING NORTHEAST. COAL DUMPED FROM ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

15. VIEW OF COAL TRESTLE LOOKING NORTHEAST. COAL DUMPED FROM HOPPER CARS COULD BE CRUSHED AND LOADED ON A CONVEYOR THAT PARALLELED THE TRACK TO THE EAST (LEFT) AND CARRIED IT TO A 1000 TON BUNKER LOCATED ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE EAST BOILER ROOM. COAL COULD ALSO GO THROUGH THE CRUSHER AND BE DIVERTED TO THE CONVEYOR SHOWN IN THE LEFT FOREGROUND. COAL PILES FORMED UNDER THE CONVEYOR WOULD BE MOVED AND SHAPED BY BULLDOZER. A GROUND LEVEL HOPPER WAS LOCATED TO THE RIGHT OF THE SLOPING HOUSING WHICH EXTENDS FROM THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE COAL TRESTLE. THIS HOPPER FED A CONVEYOR LOCATED WITHIN THE SLOPING HOUSING. COAL DROPPED INTO THE HOPPER WOULD BE CONVEYED INTO THE CRUSHER UNDER THE TRESTLE AND THEN DIVERTED TO THE CONVEYOR WHICH LOADED THE 1000 TON BUNKER. THE COAL HANDLING SYSTEM WAS DESIGNED BY GIBBS AND HILL IN 1947. - New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad, Cos Cob Power Plant, Sound Shore Drive, Greenwich, Fairfield County, CT

Innovative Clean Coal Technology (ICCT). Demonstration of Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) technology for the control of nitrogen oxide (NO{sub x}) emissions from high-sulfur coal-fired boilers: Volume 1. Final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1996-10-01

The objective of this project is to demonstrate and evaluate commercially available Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) catalysts from U.S., Japanese and European catalyst suppliers on a high-sulfur U.S. coal-fired boiler. SCR is a post-combustion nitrogen oxide (NO.) control technology that involves injecting ammonia into the flue gas generated from coal combustion in an electric utility boiler. The flue gas containing ammonia is then passed through a reactor that contains a specialized catalyst. In the presence of the catalyst, the ammonia reacts with NO. to convert it to nitrogen and water vapor. Although SCR is widely practiced in Japan and Europemore » on gas-, oil-, and low-sulfur coal- fired boilers, there are several technical uncertainties associated with applying SCR to U.S. coals. These uncertainties include: 1) potential catalyst deactivation due to poisoning by trace metal species present in U.S. coals that are not present in other fuels. 2) performance of the technology and effects on the balance-of- plant equipment in the presence of high amounts of SO{sub 2} and SO{sub 3}. 3) performance of a wide variety of SCR catalyst compositions, geometries and methods of manufacturer under typical high-sulfur coal-fired utility operating conditions. These uncertainties were explored by operating nine small-scale SCR reactors and simultaneously exposing different SCR catalysts to flue gas derived from the combustion of high sulfur U.S. coal. In addition, the test facility operating experience provided a basis for an economic study investigating the implementation of SCR technology.« less

Coal feed lock

DOEpatents

Pinkel, I. Irving

1978-01-01

A coal feed lock is provided for dispensing coal to a high pressure gas producer with nominal loss of high pressure gas. The coal feed lock comprises a rotor member with a diametral bore therethrough. A hydraulically activated piston is slidably mounted in the bore. With the feed lock in a charging position, coal is delivered to the bore and then the rotor member is rotated to a discharging position so as to communicate with the gas producer. The piston pushes the coal into the gas producer. The rotor member is then rotated to the charging position to receive the next load of coal.

New method of feeding coal - Continuous extrusion of fully plastic coal

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ryason, P. R.; England, C.

1978-01-01

Continuous feeding of coal in a compressing screw extruder is described as a method of introducing coal into pressurized systems. The method utilizes the property of many bituminous coals of softening at temperatures from 350 to 400 C. Coal is then fed much in the manner of common thermoplastics, using screw extruders. Preliminary results show that coals can be extruded at rates of about 3.3 kg/MJ, similar to those for plastics.

Looking southeast at coal conveyor leading from the coal unloading ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Looking southeast at coal conveyor leading from the coal unloading station to the coal elevator. - Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel Corporation, Allenport Works, Boiler House, Route 88 on West bank of Monongahela River, Allenport, Washington County, PA

Coal recovery process

DOEpatents

Good, Robert J.; Badgujar, Mohan

1992-01-01

A method for the beneficiation of coal by selective agglomeration and the beneficiated coal product thereof is disclosed wherein coal, comprising impurities, is comminuted to a particle size sufficient to allow impurities contained therein to disperse in water, an aqueous slurry is formed with the comminuted coal particles, treated with a compound, such as a polysaccharide and/or disaccharide, to increase the relative hydrophilicity of hydrophilic components, and thereafter the slurry is treated with sufficient liquid agglomerant to form a coagulum comprising reduced impurity coal.

Organic matter in a coal ball: Peat or coal?

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hatcher, P.G.; Lyons, P.C.; Thompson, C.L.; Brown, F.W.; Maciel, G.E.

1982-01-01

Chemical analyses of morphologically preserved organic matter in a Carboniferous coal ball reveal that the material is coalified to a rank approximately equal to that of the surrounding coal. Hence, the plant tissues in the coal ball were chemically altered by coalification processes and were not preserved as peat. Copyright ?? 1982 AAAS.

39. BOILER HOUSE, COAL CONVEYOR LEADING FROM COAL TOWER No. ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

39. BOILER HOUSE, COAL CONVEYOR LEADING FROM COAL TOWER No. 1 (WEST) (NOTE: COAL CARS No. 9 & 5 IN BACKGROUND) - Delaware County Electric Company, Chester Station, Delaware River at South end of Ward Street, Chester, Delaware County, PA

35. BOILER HOUSE, TRACK FOR COAL CARS LEADING TO COAL ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

35. BOILER HOUSE, TRACK FOR COAL CARS LEADING TO COAL TOWER No. 2 (NOTE: SKYLIGHT ABOVE; COAL CARS IN FAR BACKGROUND) - Delaware County Electric Company, Chester Station, Delaware River at South end of Ward Street, Chester, Delaware County, PA

34. BOILER HOUSE, COAL CONVEYOR AND TURNAROUND TRACK FOR COAL ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

34. BOILER HOUSE, COAL CONVEYOR AND TURN-AROUND TRACK FOR COAL CARS (NOTE: COAL CAR No. 6 IN FAR BACK GROUND) - Delaware County Electric Company, Chester Station, Delaware River at South end of Ward Street, Chester, Delaware County, PA

Coals of Hungary

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Landis, E.R.; Rohrbacher, T.J.; Gluskoter, H.

1999-07-01

As part of the activities conducted under the U.S. Hungarian Science and Technology Fund, a total of 39 samples from five coal mines in Hungary were selected for standard coal analyses and major, minor and trace elements analysis. The mine areas sampled were selected to provide a spectrum of coal quality information for comparison with other coal areas in central Europe and worldwide. All of the areas are of major importance in the energy budget of Hungary. The five sample sites contain coal in rocks of Jurassic, Cretaceous, Eocene, Miocene, and Pliocene age. The coals, from four underground and onemore » surface mine, range in rank from high volatile bituminous to lignite B. Most of the coal produced from the mines sampled is used to generate electricity. Some of the power plants that utilize the coals also provide heat for domestic and process usage. The standard coal analysis program is based on tests performed in accordance with standards of the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM). Proximate and ultimate analyses were supplemented by determinations of the heating value, equilibrium moisture, forms of sulfur, free-swelling index, ash fusion temperatures (both reducing and oxidizing), apparent specific gravity and Hardgrove Grindability index. The major, minor and trace element analyses were performed in accordance with standardized procedures of the U.S. Geological Survey. The analytical results will be available in the International Coal Quality Data Base of the USGS. The results of the program provide data for comparison with test data from Europe and information of value to potential investors or cooperators in the coal industry of Hungary and Central Europe.« less

Electrical Resistivity Tomography for coal fire mapping over Jharia coal field, India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pal, S. K.; Kumar, S.; Bharti, A. K.; Pathak, V. K.; Kumar, R.

2016-12-01

Over the decades, coal fires are serious global concern posing grievous hazards to the valuable energy resources, local environments and human life. The coal seam and coal mine fires may be initiated due to improper mining activities, exothermic reactions, lighting, forest fire and other anthropic activities, which burn the coal and may continue underground for decades. The burning of concealed coal seams is a complex process involving numerous ill-defined parameters. Generally, the coal exhibits resistivity of 100 to 500Ωm at normal temperature conditions. During the pyrolysis process, at temperatures greater than 6500C coal became a good conductor with a resistivity of approximately 1 Ωm. The present study deals with the mapping of coal fire over Jharia coal field, India using Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT). A state-of-the-art 61-channel 64 electrode FlashRES-Universal ERT data acquisition system has been used for data acquisition in the field. The ERT data have been collected using Gradient array and processed in FlashRES Universal survey data checking program for removing noisy data. Then, filtered output data have been inverted using a 2.5D resistivity inversion program. Low resistivity anomalies over 80m-125m and 320m-390m along the profile are inferred to be active coal fire in seam- XVI at a depth of 25m -35m(Figure 1). High resistivity anomaly over 445m - 510m at a depth of 25m -35m has been delineated, due to void associated with complete combustion of seam- XVI coal, followed by char and ash formation resulting from the coal seam fire. Results prove the efficacy of the ERT study comprising Gradient array for coal fire mapping over, Jharia coal field, India.

Deep-coal potential in the Appalachian Coal Basin, USA: The Kentucky model

USGS Publications Warehouse

Haney, D.C.; Chesnut, D.R.

1997-01-01

The Eastern Kentucky Coal Field is located in the Appalachian Basin of the United States and occupies an area of approximately 15,000 square kilometers. The coal beds range from a few centimeters to several meters in thickness and consist of high-grade bituminous coal. Currently the amount of coal mined by surface methods exceeds underground extraction; however, there is a steady and gradual shift toward underground mining. In the future, as near-surface resources are depleted, this trend toward increased underground mining will continue. Knowledge about deeper coals is essential for future economic development of resources. Preliminary investigations indicate that coal-bearing strata with deep-mining potential exist in several parts of eastern Kentucky, especially along the Eastern Kentucky Syncline. Eastern Kentucky coals are Westphalian A through D; however, current production is from major beds of Westphalian A and B. Because coals that occur above drainage are more easily accessible and are generally of better quality, most of the current mining takes place in formations that are at or near the surface. In the future, however, due to environmental regulations and increased demands, it will be necessary to attempt to utilize deeper coals about which little is known. Future development of deep resources will require data from boreholes and high-resolution geophysical-logging techniques. There is also potential for coal-bed methane from the deeper coals which could be an important resource in the Appalachian Coal Basin where a natural gas distribution system already exists.

Nitrogen in Chinese coals

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wu, D.; Lei, J.; Zheng, B.; Tang, X.; Wang, M.; Hu, Jiawen; Li, S.; Wang, B.; Finkelman, R.B.

2011-01-01

Three hundred and six coal samples were taken from main coal mines of twenty-six provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities in China, according to the resource distribution and coal-forming periods as well as the coal ranks and coal yields. Nitrogen was determined by using the Kjeldahl method at U. S. Geological Survey (USGS), which exhibit a normal frequency distribution. The nitrogen contents of over 90% Chinese coal vary from 0.52% to 1.41% and the average nitrogen content is recommended to be 0.98%. Nitrogen in coal exists primarily in organic form. There is a slight positive relationship between nitrogen content and coal ranking. ?? 2011 Science Press, Institute of Geochemistry, CAS and Springer Berlin Heidelberg.

Microbial solubilization of coal

DOEpatents

Strandberg, G.W.; Lewis, S.N.

1988-01-21

The present invention relates to a cell-free preparation and process for the microbial solubilization of coal into solubilized coal products. More specifically, the present invention relates to bacterial solubilization of coal into solubilized coal products and a cell-free bacterial byproduct useful for solubilizing coal. 5 tabs.

Pelletizing/reslurrying as a means of distributing and firing clean coal. Final quarterly technical progress report No. 5, July 1, 1991--September 30, 1991

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Conkle, H.N.; Raghavan, J.K.; Smit, F.J.

1991-11-21

The objective of this study is to develop technology that permits the practical and economic preparation, storage, handling, and transportation of coal pellets, which can be reslurried into Coal water fuels (CWF) suitable for firing in small- and medium-size commercial and industrial boilers, furnaces, and engines. The project includes preparing coal pellets and capsules from wet filter cake that can be economically stored, handled, transported, and reslurried into a CWF that can be suitably atomized and fired at the user site. The wet cakes studied were prepared from ultra-fine (95% -325 mesh) coal beneficiated by advanced froth-flotation techniques. The coalsmore » studied included two eastern bituminous coals, one from Virginia (Elkhorn) and one from Illinois (Illinois No. 6) and one western bituminous coal from Utah (Sky Line coal).« less

[Cost-benefit analysis to substituting natural gas for coal project in large Chinese cities].

PubMed

Mao, Xianqiang; Peng, Yingdeng; Guo, Xiurui

2002-09-01

Since China's large cities were faced with serious coal-smoke pollution with PM10 and SO2 as the main pollutants, natural gas is becoming one of the most attractive clean replacers of coal. To clarify the wide disputation and doubt on the rationality of burning natural gas instead of coal, cost-benefit analysis (CBA) of urban natural gas substitution projects in Beijing and Chongqing was done respectively, in which, the health benefit was carefully estimated with epidemical dose-response function as the main external benefit. The final result shows that in large cities with intensively concentrated population and economic activities, natural gas consumption as municipal civil energy has obvious priority in terms of large environmental benefit from reducing non-point and low-altitude air pollutant concentration. This paper finally recommends that market oriented system reform in natural gas production and retailing system should be considered.

Brecciated and mineralized coals in Union County Western Kentucky coal field

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hower, J.C.; Williams, D.A.; Eble, C.F.; Sakulpitakphon, T.; Moecher, D.P.

2001-01-01

Coals from the D-2 and D-3 boreholes in the Grove Center 7 1/2 min quadrangle, Union County, KY, have been found to be highly brecciated and mineralized. The mineralization is dominated by a carbonate assemblage with minor sulfides and sulfates. Included among the secondary minerals is the lead selenide, clausthalite. Overall, the emplacement of secondary vein minerals was responsible for raising the rank of the coals from the 0.6-0.7% Rmax range found in the area to as high as 0.95-0.99% Rmax. A 1.3-m-thick coal found in one of the boreholes is unique among known Western Kentucky coals in having less than 50% vitrinite. Semifusinite and fusinite dominate the maceral assemblages. The coal is also low in sulfur coal, which is unusual for the Illinois Basin. It has an ash yield of less than 10%; much of it dominated by pervasive carbonate veining. The age of the thick coal in core D-2 is similar to that of the Elm Lick coal bed, found elsewhere in the Western Kentucky coalfield. The coals in D-3 are younger, having Stephanian palynomorph assemblages. ?? 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Coal desulfurization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Corcoran, William H. (Inventor); Vasilakos, Nicholas P. (Inventor); Lawson, Daniel D. (Inventor)

1982-01-01

A method for enhancing solubilizing mass transport of reactive agents into and out of carbonaceous materials, such as coal. Solubility parameters of mass transfer and solvent media are matched to individual peaks in the solubility parameter spectrum of coals to enhance swelling and/or dissolution. Methanol containing reactive agent carriers are found particularly effective for removing organic sulfur from coals by chlorinolysis.

The migration law of overlay rock and coal in deeply inclined coal seam with fully mechanized top coal caving.

PubMed

Liu, Jian; Chen, Shan-Le; Wang, Hua-Jun; Li, Yu-Cheng; Geng, Xiaowei

2015-07-01

In a mine area, some environment geotechnics problems always occure, induced by mined-out region such as the subsidence and cracks at ground level, deformation and destruction of buildings, landslides destruction of water resources and the ecological environment. In order to research the migration of surrounding rock and coal in steeply inclined super high seams which used fully mechanized top coal caving, a working face of a certain mine was made as an example, analyzed the migration law of the overlay rock and coal under different caving ratio of fully mechanized top coal caving with numerical simulation analysis. The results suggest that the laws of overlay rock deformation caused by deeply inclined coal seam were different from horizontal coal seam. On the inclined direction, with an increase of dip angle and caving ratio, the vertical displacement of overlay rock and coal became greater, the asymmetric phenomenon of vertical displacement became obvious. On the trend direction, active region and transition region in goaf became smaller along with the increase of mining and caving ratio. On the contrary, the stable region area became greater. Therefore, there was an essential difference between the mechanism of surface movement deformation with deeply inclined coal seam and that with horizontal coal seam.

Coal-Quality Information - Key to the Efficient and Environmentally Sound Use of Coal

USGS Publications Warehouse

Finkleman, Robert B.

1997-01-01

The rock that we refer to as coal is derived principally from decomposed organic matter (plants) consisting primarily of the element carbon. When coal is burned, it produces energy in the form of heat, which is used to power machines such as steam engines or to drive turbines that produce electricity. Almost 60 percent of the electricity produced in the United States is derived from coal combustion. Coal is an extraordinarily complex material. In addition to organic matter, coal contains water (up to 40 or more percent by weight for some lignitic coals), oils, gases (such as methane), waxes (used to make shoe polish), and perhaps most importantly, inorganic matter (fig. 1). The inorganic matter--minerals and trace elements--cause many of the health, environmental, and technological problems attributed to coal use (fig. 2). 'Coal quality' is the term used to refer to the properties and characteristics of coal that influence its behavior and use. Among the coal-quality characteristics that will be important for future coal use are the concentrations, distribution, and forms of the many elements contained in the coal that we intend to burn. Knowledge of these quality characteristics in U.S. coal deposits may allow us to use this essential energy resource more efficiently and effectively and with less undesirable environmental impact.

Coal resources, reserves and peak coal production in the United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Milici, Robert C.; Flores, Romeo M.; Stricker, Gary D.

2013-01-01

In spite of its large endowment of coal resources, recent studies have indicated that United States coal production is destined to reach a maximum and begin an irreversible decline sometime during the middle of the current century. However, studies and assessments illustrating coal reserve data essential for making accurate forecasts of United States coal production have not been compiled on a national basis. As a result, there is a great deal of uncertainty in the accuracy of the production forecasts. A very large percentage of the coal mined in the United States comes from a few large-scale mines (mega-mines) in the Powder River Basin of Wyoming and Montana. Reported reserves at these mines do not account for future potential reserves or for future development of technology that may make coal classified currently as resources into reserves in the future. In order to maintain United States coal production at or near current levels for an extended period of time, existing mines will eventually have to increase their recoverable reserves and/or new large-scale mines will have to be opened elsewhere. Accordingly, in order to facilitate energy planning for the United States, this paper suggests that probabilistic assessments of the remaining coal reserves in the country would improve long range forecasts of coal production. As it is in United States coal assessment projects currently being conducted, a major priority of probabilistic assessments would be to identify the numbers and sizes of remaining large blocks of coal capable of supporting large-scale mining operations for extended periods of time and to conduct economic evaluations of those resources.

Comparison Analysis of Coal Biodesulfurization and Coal's Pyrite Bioleaching with Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans

PubMed Central

Hong, Fen-Fen; He, Huan; Liu, Jin-Yan; Tao, Xiu-Xiang; Zheng, Lei; Zhao, Yi-Dong

2013-01-01

Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans (A. ferrooxidans) was applied in coal biodesulfurization and coal's pyrite bioleaching. The result showed that A. ferrooxidans had significantly promoted the biodesulfurization of coal and bioleaching of coal's pyrite. After 16 days of processing, the total sulfur removal rate of coal was 50.6%, and among them the removal of pyritic sulfur was up to 69.9%. On the contrary, after 12 days of processing, the coal's pyrite bioleaching rate was 72.0%. SEM micrographs showed that the major pyrite forms in coal were massive and veinlets. It seems that the bacteria took priority to remove the massive pyrite. The sulfur relative contents analysis from XANES showed that the elemental sulfur (28.32%) and jarosite (18.99%) were accumulated in the biotreated residual coal. However, XRD and XANES spectra of residual pyrite indicated that the sulfur components were mainly composed of pyrite (49.34%) and elemental sulfur (50.72%) but no other sulfur contents were detected. Based on the present results, we speculated that the pyrite forms in coal might affect sulfur biooxidation process. PMID:24288464

Low NO{sub x} burner modifications to front-fired pulverized coal boilers

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Broderick, R.G.; Wagner, M.

1998-07-01

Madison Gas and Electric Blount Street Station Units 8 and 9 are Babcock and Wilcox pulverized coal fired and natural gas fired boilers. These boilers were build in the late 1950's and early 1960's with each boiler rated at 425,000 lb./hr of steam producing 50 MW of electricity. The boilers are rated at 9,500 F at 1,350 psig. Each unit is equipped with one Ljungstroem air heater and two B and W EL pulverizers. These units burn subbituminous coal with higher heating value of 10,950 Btu/LB on an as-received basis. The nitrogen content is approximately 1.23% with 15% moisture. Inmore » order to comply with the new Clean Air Act Madison Gas and Electric needs to reduce NO{sub x} on these units to less than .5 LB/mmBtu. Baseline NO{sub x} emissions on these units range between .8--.9 lb./mmBtu. LOIs average approximately 8%. Madison Gas and Electric contracted with RJM Corporation to modify the existing burners to achieve this objective. These modifications consisted of adding patented circumferentially and radially staged flame stabilizers, modifying the coal pipe, and replacing the coal impeller with a circumferentially staged coal spreader. RJM Corporation utilized computational fluid dynamics modeling in order to design the equipment to modify these burners. The equipment was installed during the March 1997 outage and start-up and optimization was conducted in April 1997. Final performance results and economic data will be included in the final paper.« less

Coal and Coal/Biomass-Based Power Generation

EPA Science Inventory

For Frank Princiotta's book, Global Climate Change--The Technology Challenge Coal is a key, growing component in power generation globally. It generates 50% of U.S. electricity, and criteria emissions from coal-based power generation are being reduced. However, CO2 emissions m...

Process for changing caking coals to noncaking coals

DOEpatents

Beeson, Justin L.

1980-01-01

Caking coals are treated in a slurry including alkaline earth metal hydroxides at moderate pressures and temperatures in air to form noncaking carbonaceous material. Hydroxides such as calcium hydroxide, magnesium hydroxide or barium hydroxide are contemplated for slurrying with the coal to interact with the agglomerating constituents. The slurry is subsequently dewatered and dried in air at atmospheric pressure to produce a nonagglomerating carbonaceous material that can be conveniently handled in various coal conversion and combustion processes.

Quality of economically extractable coal beds in the Gillette coal field as compared with other Tertiary coal beds in the Powder River basin, Wyoming and Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ellis, Margaret S.

2002-01-01

The Powder River Basin, and specifically the Gillette coal field, contains large quantities of economically extractable coal resources. These coal resources have low total sulfur content and ash yield, and most of the resources are subbituminous in rank. A recent U.S Geological Survey study of economically extractable coal in the Gillette coal field focused on five coal beds, the Wyodak rider, Upper Wyodak, Canyon, Lower Wyodak-Werner, and Gates/Kennedy. This report compares the coal quality of these economically extractable coal beds to coal in the Wyodak-Anderson coal zone in the Powder River Basin and in the Gillette coal field (Flores and others, 1999) and other produced coal in the Gillette coal field (Glass, 2000). The Upper Wyodak, Canyon, and Lower Wyodak/Werner beds are within the Wyodak-Anderson coal zone. Compared with all coal in the Wyodak-Anderson coal zone, both throughout the Powder River Basin and just within the Gillette coal field; the thick, persistent Upper Wyodak coal bed in the Gillette coal field has higher mean gross calorific value (8,569 Btu/lb), lower mean ash yield (5.8 percent), and lower mean total sulfur content (0.46 percent).

Coal burning issues. [Book - monograph

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Green, A.E.S.

1980-01-01

The results of the scoping phase of an interdisciplinary assessment of the impact of the increased use of coal are reported in this monograph. Subject areas include: coal availability and coal mining; an energetics analysis of coal quality; coal transportation; coal burning technology; synthetic fuels from coal; technological innovations; water resources; atmospheric pollution; air pollution dispersion modeling; atmospheric modifications; solid waste and trace element impacts; agriculture; health effects of air pollution resulting from coal combustion; quantitative public policy assessments; financing capacity growth and coal conversions in the electric utility industry; coal and the states - a public choice perspective; andmore » federal regulatory and legal aspects.« less

Process for hydrogenating coal and coal solvents

DOEpatents

Tarrer, Arthur R.; Shridharani, Ketan G.

1983-01-01

A novel process is described for the hydrogenation of coal by the hydrogenation of a solvent for the coal in which the hydrogenation of the coal solvent is conducted in the presence of a solvent hydrogenation catalyst of increased activity, wherein the hydrogenation catalyst is produced by reacting ferric oxide with hydrogen sulfide at a temperature range of 260.degree. C. to 315.degree. C. in an inert atmosphere to produce an iron sulfide hydrogenation catalyst for the solvent. Optimally, the reaction temperature is 275.degree. C. Alternately, the reaction can be conducted in a hydrogen atmosphere at 350.degree. C.

Coal-fired power generaion, new air quality regulations, and future U.S. coal production

USGS Publications Warehouse

Attanasi, E.D.; Root, D.H.

1999-01-01

Tighter new regulation of stack gas emissions and competition in power generation are driving electrical utilities to demand cleaner, lower sulfur coal. Historical data on sulfur content of produced coals shows little variability in coal quality for individual mines and individual coal-producing counties over relatively long periods of time. If coal-using power generators follow the compliance patterns established in Phase I of the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments, then the industry's response to the tighter Phase II emissions standards will result in large amounts of coal production shifting from higher sulfur areas to areas with lower cost low sulfur coal. One reason this shift will likely occur is that currently only 30% of U.S. coal-fired electrical generating capacity is equipped with flue-gas scrubbers. In 1995, coal mines in the higher sulfur areas of the Illinois Basin and Northern and Central Appalachia employed 78% of all coal miners (>70,000 miners). A substantial geographical redistribution of the nation's coal supplies will likely lead to economic dislocations that will reach beyond local coal-producing areas.

Hydrogeochemistry and coal-associated bacterial populations from a methanogenic coal bed

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Barnhart, Elliott P.; Weeks, Edwin P.; Jones, Elizabeth J. P.

Biogenic coalbed methane (CBM), a microbially-generated source of natural gas trapped within coal beds, is an important energy resource in many countries. Specific bacterial populations and enzymes involved in coal degradation, the potential rate-limiting step of CBM formation, are relatively unknown. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has established a field site, (Birney test site), in an undeveloped area of the Powder River Basin (PRB), with four wells completed in the Flowers-Goodale coal bed, one in the overlying sandstone formation, and four in overlying and underlying coal beds (Knoblach, Nance, and Terret). The nine wells were positioned to characterize the hydraulicmore » conductivity of the Flowers-Goodale coal bed and were selectively cored to investigate the hydrogeochemistry and microbiology associated with CBM production at the Birney test site. Aquifer-test results indicated the Flowers-Goodale coal bed, in a zone from about 112-120 m below land surface at the test site, had very low hydraulic conductivity (0.005 m/d) compared to other PRB coal beds examined. Consistent with microbial methanogenesis, groundwater in the coal bed and overlying sandstone contain dissolved methane (46 mg/L average) with low δ 13C values (-67‰ average), high alkalinity values (22 meq/kg average), relatively positive δ 13C-DIC values (4‰ average), and no detectable higher chain hydrocarbons, NO 3 -, or SO 4 2-. Bioassay methane production was greatest at the upper interface of the Flowers-Goodale coal bed near the overlying sandstone. Pyrotag analysis identified Aeribacillus as a dominant in situ bacterial community member in the coal near the sandstone and statistical analysis indicated Actinobacteria predominated coal core samples compared to claystone or sandstone cores. These bacteria, which previously have been correlated with hydrocarbon-containing environments such as oil reservoirs, have demonstrated the ability to produce biosurfactants to break down

Hydrogeochemistry and coal-associated bacterial populations from a methanogenic coal bed

DOE PAGES

Barnhart, Elliott P.; Weeks, Edwin P.; Jones, Elizabeth J. P.; ...

2016-05-04

Biogenic coalbed methane (CBM), a microbially-generated source of natural gas trapped within coal beds, is an important energy resource in many countries. Specific bacterial populations and enzymes involved in coal degradation, the potential rate-limiting step of CBM formation, are relatively unknown. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has established a field site, (Birney test site), in an undeveloped area of the Powder River Basin (PRB), with four wells completed in the Flowers-Goodale coal bed, one in the overlying sandstone formation, and four in overlying and underlying coal beds (Knoblach, Nance, and Terret). The nine wells were positioned to characterize the hydraulicmore » conductivity of the Flowers-Goodale coal bed and were selectively cored to investigate the hydrogeochemistry and microbiology associated with CBM production at the Birney test site. Aquifer-test results indicated the Flowers-Goodale coal bed, in a zone from about 112-120 m below land surface at the test site, had very low hydraulic conductivity (0.005 m/d) compared to other PRB coal beds examined. Consistent with microbial methanogenesis, groundwater in the coal bed and overlying sandstone contain dissolved methane (46 mg/L average) with low δ 13C values (-67‰ average), high alkalinity values (22 meq/kg average), relatively positive δ 13C-DIC values (4‰ average), and no detectable higher chain hydrocarbons, NO 3 -, or SO 4 2-. Bioassay methane production was greatest at the upper interface of the Flowers-Goodale coal bed near the overlying sandstone. Pyrotag analysis identified Aeribacillus as a dominant in situ bacterial community member in the coal near the sandstone and statistical analysis indicated Actinobacteria predominated coal core samples compared to claystone or sandstone cores. These bacteria, which previously have been correlated with hydrocarbon-containing environments such as oil reservoirs, have demonstrated the ability to produce biosurfactants to break down

Economics and coal resource appraisal: strippable coal in the Illinois Basin ( USA).

USGS Publications Warehouse

Attanasi, E.D.; Green, E.K.

1981-01-01

Because coal is expected to provide an increasing part of U.S. energy supply, it is crucial for long term planning that coal-resource appraisals convey sufficient information regarding the degree of economic resource scarcity as coal consumption increases. Argues that coal-resource estimates, as they are now made, will not give warning of future supply difficulties. A method for incorporating an economic dimension into appraisals of strippable coal resources is presented and applied to a major producing region, the Illinois part of the Illinois basin? In particular, a long-run incremental cost function (that is unit costs vs. cumulative reserves extracted) is estimated for strippable coal in Illinois. -from Authors

Continuous coal processing method

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ryason, P. R. (Inventor)

1980-01-01

A coal pump is provided in which solid coal is heated in the barrel of an extruder under pressure to a temperature at which the coal assumes plastic properties. The coal is continuously extruded, without static zones, using, for example, screw extrusion preferably without venting through a reduced diameter die to form a dispersed spray. As a result, the dispersed coal may be continuously injected into vessels or combustors at any pressure up to the maximum pressure developed in the extrusion device. The coal may be premixed with other materials such as desulfurization aids or reducible metal ores so that reactions occur, during or after conversion to its plastic state. Alternatively, the coal may be processed and caused to react after extrusion, through the die, with, for example, liquid oxidizers, whereby a coal reactor is provided.

Comparison of the Eastern and Western Kentucky coal fields (Pennsylvanian), USA-why are coal distribution patterns and sulfur contents so different in these coal fields?

USGS Publications Warehouse

Greb, S.F.; Eble, C.F.; Chesnut, D.R.

2002-01-01

More than 130 Mt of Pennsylvanian coal is produced annually from two coal fields in Kentucky. The Western Kentucky Coal Field occurs in part of the Illinois Basin, an intercratonic basin, and the Eastern Kentucky Coal Field occurs in the Central Appalachian Basin, a foreland basin. The basins are only separated by 140 km, but mined western Kentucky coal beds exhibit significantly higher sulfur values than eastern Kentucky coals. Higher-sulfur coal beds in western Kentucky have generally been inferred to be caused by more marine influences than for eastern Kentucky coals. Comparison of strata in the two coal fields shows that more strata and more coal beds accumulated in the Eastern than Western Kentucky Coal Field in the Early and Middle Pennsylvanian, inferred to represent greater generation of tectonic accommodation in the foreland basin. Eastern Kentucky coal beds exhibit a greater tendency toward splitting and occurring in zones than time-equivalent western Kentucky coal beds, which is also inferred to represent foreland accommodation influences, overprinted by autogenic sedimentation effects. Western Kentucky coal beds exhibit higher sulfur values than their eastern counterparts, but western Kentucky coals occurring in Langsettian through Bolsovian strata can be low in sulfur content. Eastern Kentucky coal beds may increase in sulfur content beneath marine zones, but generally are still lower in sulfur than mined Western Kentucky coal beds, indicating that controls other than purely marine influences must have influenced coal quality. The bulk of production in the Eastern Kentucky Coal Field is from Duckmantian and Bolsovian coal beds, whereas production in the Western Kentucky Coal Field is from Westphalian D coals. Langsettian through Bolsovian paleoclimates in eastern Kentucky were favorable for peat doming, so numerous low-sulfur coals accumulated. These coals tend to occur in zones and are prone to lateral splitting because of foreland tectonic and

Energy conservation in coal conversion. Final report, September 15, 1977--September 1, 1978. Selected case studies and conservation methodologies

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Purcupile, J.C.

The purpose of this study is to apply the methodologies developed in the Energy Conservation in Coal Conversion August, 1977 Progress Report - Contract No. EY77S024196 - to an energy efficient, near-term coal conversion process design, and to develop additional, general techniques for studying energy conservation and utilization in coal conversion processes. The process selected for study was the Ralph M. Parsons Company of Pasadena, California ''Oil/Gas Complex, Conceptual Design/Economic Analysis'' as described in R and D Report No. 114 - Interim Report No. 4, published March, 1977, ERDA Contract No. E(49-18)-1975. Thirteen papers representing possible alternative methods of energymore » conservation or waste heat utilization have been entered individually into EDB and ERA. (LTN)« less

Chapter 4: Low compaction grading to enhance reforestation success on coal surface mines

Treesearch

R. Sweigard; J. Burger; C. Zipper; J. Skousen; C. Barton; P. Angel

2017-01-01

This Forest Reclamation Advisory describes final-grading techniques for reclaiming coal surface mines to forest postmining land uses. Final grading that leaves a loose soil and a rough surface increases survival of planted seedlings and forest productivity. Such practices are often less costly than traditional "smooth grading" while meeting the requirements...

Coal Data Browser

EIA Publications

The Coal Data Browser gives users easy access to coal information from EIA's electricity and coal surveys as well as data from the Mine Safety and Health Administration and trade information from the U.S. Census Bureau. Users can also see the shipment data from individual mines that deliver coal to the U.S. electric power fleet, have the ability to track supplies delivered to a given power plant, and to see which mines serve each particular plant.

Direct comparison of XAFS spectroscopy and sequential extraction for arsenic speciation in coal

USGS Publications Warehouse

Huggins, Frank E.; Huffman, G.P.; Kolker, A.; Mroczkowski, S.; Palmer, C.A.; Finkelman, R.B.

2000-01-01

The speciation of arsenic in an Ohio bituminous coal and a North Dakota lignite has been examined by the complementary methods of arsenic XAFS spectroscopy and sequential extraction by aqueous solutions of ammonium acetate, HCl, HF, and HNO3. In order to facilitate a more direct comparison of the two methods, the arsenic XAFS spectra were obtained from aliquots of the coal prepared after each stage of the leaching procedure. For the aliquots, approximately linear correlations (r2 > 0.98 for the Ohio coal, > 0.90 for the ND lignite) were observed between the height of the edge-step in the XAFS analysis and the concentration of arsenic measured by instrumental neutron activation analysis. Results from the leaching sequence indicate that there are two major arsenic forms present in both coals; one is removed by leaching with HCl and the other by HNO3. Whereas the XAFS spectral signatures of the arsenic leached by HCl are compatible with arsenate for both coals, the arsenic leached by HNO3 is identified as arsenic associated with pyrite for the Ohio coal and as an As3+ species for the North Dakota lignite. Minor arsenate forms persist in both coals after the final leaching with nitric acid. The arsenate forms extracted in HCl are believed to be oxidation products derived from the other major arsenic forms upon exposure of the pulverized coals to air.

Subtle structural influences on coal thickness and distribution: Examples from the Lower Broas-Stockton coal (Middle Pennsylvanian), Eastern Kentucky Coal Field, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Greb, S.F.; Eble, C.F.; Hower, J.C.

2005-01-01

The Lower Broas-Stockton coal is a heavily mined coal of the Central Appalachian Basin. Coal thickness, distribution, composition, and stratigraphic position were compared with basement structure, gas and oil field trends, and sequence strat- igraphic and paleoclimate interpretations to better understand the geology of the Stockton coal bed in eastern Kentucky. The thickest coal occurs south of the Warfield structural trend and east of the Paint Creek Uplift, two basement-related structures. Along the Warfield trend, coal beds in the underlying Peach Orchard coal zone locally merge with the Stockton coal to form a seam more than 3 m thick. Other areas of thick coal occur in elongate trends. Two pairs of elongate, conjugate trends in Stockton coal thickness are interpreted as regional paleofractures that influenced paleotopography and groundwater during peat accumulation. Compositional group analyses indicate that the Stockton peat infilled depressions in the paleotopography as a topogenous to soligenous mire codominated by tree ferns and lycopsid trees. Flooding from adjacent paleochannels is indicated by partings and seam splits along the margins of the mineable coal body. One or more increments of low-vitrinite coal, dominated by tree ferns and shrubby, Densosporites-producing lycopsids occur at all sample sites. Similar assemblages have been previously used to identify ombrogenous, domed mire origins for Early and Middle Pennsylvanian coals in which ash yields were less than 10%. It is difficult, however, to reconcile ombrogenous conditions with the partings in the Stockton coal in this area. Low-ash, low-vitrinite increments may have been formed in topogenous to soligenous mires with periodic drying or water-table fluctuations, rather than widespread doming. This is consistent with interpretations of increasingly seasonal paleoclimates in the late Middle and Late Pennsylvanian and fracture-influenced groundwater conditions. ??2005 Geological Society of America.

List of Publicly Accessible Internet Sites Hosting Compliance Data and Information Required by the Disposal of Coal Combustion Residuals Rule

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This page is to make accessible a list of the websites coal-fired power plants have created to post for the public to view with respect to their compliance with the disposal of coal combustion residuals final rule.

Clean coal initiatives in Indiana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bowen, B.H.; Irwin, M.W.; Sparrow, F.T.; Mastalerz, Maria; Yu, Z.; Kramer, R.A.

2007-01-01

Purpose - Indiana is listed among the top ten coal states in the USA and annually mines about 35 million short tons (million tons) of coal from the vast reserves of the US Midwest Illinois Coal Basin. The implementation and commercialization of clean coal technologies is important to the economy of the state and has a significant role in the state's energy plan for increasing the use of the state's natural resources. Coal is a substantial Indiana energy resource and also has stable and relatively low costs, compared with the increasing costs of other major fuels. This indigenous energy source enables the promotion of energy independence. The purpose of this paper is to outline the significance of clean coal projects for achieving this objective. Design/methodology/approach - The paper outlines the clean coal initiatives being taken in Indiana and the research carried out at the Indiana Center for Coal Technology Research. Findings - Clean coal power generation and coal for transportation fuels (coal-to-liquids - CTL) are two major topics being investigated in Indiana. Coking coal, data compilation of the bituminous coal qualities within the Indiana coal beds, reducing dependence on coal imports, and provision of an emissions free environment are important topics to state legislators. Originality/value - Lessons learnt from these projects will be of value to other states and countries.

Hydrogeochemistry and coal-associated bacterial populations from a methanogenic coal bed

USGS Publications Warehouse

Barnhart, Elliott P.; Weeks, Edwin P.; Jones, Elizabeth J.P.; Ritter, Daniel J.; McIntosh, Jennifer C.; Clark, Arthur C.; Ruppert, Leslie F.; Cunningham, Alfred B.; Vinson, David S.; Orem, William H.; Fields, Matthew W.

2016-01-01

Biogenic coalbed methane (CBM), a microbially-generated source of natural gas trapped within coal beds, is an important energy resource in many countries. Specific bacterial populations and enzymes involved in coal degradation, the potential rate-limiting step of CBM formation, are relatively unknown. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has established a field site, (Birney test site), in an undeveloped area of the Powder River Basin (PRB), with four wells completed in the Flowers-Goodale coal bed, one in the overlying sandstone formation, and four in overlying and underlying coal beds (Knoblach, Nance, and Terret). The nine wells were positioned to characterize the hydraulic conductivity of the Flowers-Goodale coal bed and were selectively cored to investigate the hydrogeochemistry and microbiology associated with CBM production at the Birney test site. Aquifer-test results indicated the Flowers-Goodale coal bed, in a zone from about 112 to 120 m below land surface at the test site, had very low hydraulic conductivity (0.005 m/d) compared to other PRB coal beds examined. Consistent with microbial methanogenesis, groundwater in the coal bed and overlying sandstone contain dissolved methane (46 mg/L average) with low δ13C values (−67‰ average), high alkalinity values (22 meq/kg average), relatively positive δ13C-DIC values (4‰ average), and no detectable higher chain hydrocarbons, NO3−, or SO42−. Bioassay methane production was greatest at the upper interface of the Flowers-Goodale coal bed near the overlying sandstone. Pyrotag analysis identified Aeribacillus as a dominant in situbacterial community member in the coal near the sandstone and statistical analysis indicated Actinobacteria predominated coal core samples compared to claystone or sandstone cores. These bacteria, which previously have been correlated with hydrocarbon-containing environments such as oil reservoirs, have demonstrated the ability to produce biosurfactants to break down

Coal Markets

EIA Publications

2017-01-01

Summarizes spot coal prices by coal commodity regions (i.e., Central Appalachia (CAP), Northern Appalachia (NAP), Illinois Basin (ILB), Power River Basin (PRB), and Uinta Basin (UIB)) in the United States.

Estimation of Coal Reserves for UCG in the Upper Silesian Coal Basin, Poland

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bialecka, Barbara

One of the prospective methods of coal utilization, especially in case of coal resources which are not mineable by means of conventional methods, is underground coal gasification (UCG). This technology allows recovery of coal energy 'in situ' and thus avoid the health and safety risks related to people which are inseparable from traditional coal extraction techniques.In Poland most mining areas are characterized by numerous coal beds where extraction was ceased on account of technical and economic reasons or safety issues. This article presents estimates of Polish hard coal resources, broken down into individual mines, that can constitute the basis ofmore » raw materials for the gasification process. Five mines, representing more than 4 thousand tons, appear to be UCG candidates.« less

In-plant testing of a novel coal cleaning circuit using advanced technologies. Final technical report, September 1, 1995--August 31, 1996

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Honaker, R.Q.; Reed, S.; Mohanty, M.K.

1997-05-01

A circuit comprised of advanced fine coal cleaning technologies was evaluated in an operating preparation plant to determine circuit performance and to compare the performance with current technologies used to treat -16 mesh fine coal. The circuit integrated a Floatex hydrosizer, a Falcon enhanced gravity concentrator and a Jameson flotation cell. A Packed-Column was used to provide additional reductions in the pyritic sulfur and ash contents by treatment of the Floatex-Falcon-Jameson circuit product. For a low sulfur Illinois No. 5 coal, the pyritic sulfur content was reduced from 0.67% to 0.34% at a combustible recovery of 93.2%. The ash contentmore » was decreased from 27.6% to 5.84%, which equates to an organic efficiency of 95% according to gravity-based washability data. The separation performance achieved on a high sulfur Illinois No. 5 coal resulted in the rejection of 72.7% of the pyritic sulfur and 82.3% of the ash-forming material at a recovery of 8 1 %. Subsequent pulverization of the cleaned product and retreatment in a Falcon concentrator and Packed-Column resulted in overall circuit ash and pyritic sulfur rejections of 89% and 93%, respectively, which yielded a pyritic sulfur content reduction from 2.43% to 0.30%. This separation reduced the sulfur dioxide emission rating of an Illinois No. 5 coal from 6.21 to 1.75 lbs SO{sub 2}/MBTU, which is Phase I compliance coal. A comparison of the results obtained from the Floatex-Falcon-Jameson circuit with those of the existing circuit revealed that the novel fine coal circuit provides 10% to 20% improvement in mass yield to the concentrate while rejecting greater amounts of ash and pyritic sulfur.« less

78 FR 28242 - Proposed Information Collection; Cleanup Program for Accumulations of Coal and Float Coal Dusts...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-05-14

... Program for Accumulations of Coal and Float Coal Dusts, Loose Coal, and Other Combustibles AGENCY: Mine... collection for developing and updating a cleanup program for accumulations of coal and float coal dusts, loose coal, and other combustibles in underground coal mines. DATES: All comments must be postmarked or...

Hydromechanical Advanced Coal Excavator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Estus, Jay M.; Summers, David

1990-01-01

Water-jet cutting reduces coal dust and its hazards. Advanced mining system utilizes full-face, hydromechanical, continuous miner. Coal excavator uses high-pressure water-jet lances, one in each of cutting heads and one in movable lance, to make cuts across top, bottom and middle height, respectively, of coal face. Wedge-shaped cutting heads advance into lower and upper cuts in turn, thereby breaking coal toward middle cut. Thrust cylinders and walking pads advance excavator toward coal face.

Hydrodesulfurization of chlorinized coal

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kalvinskas, J. J.; Rohatgi, N. K. (Inventor)

1983-01-01

A method of desulfurization is described in which high sulfur coals are desulfurized by low temperature chlorinolysis of coal in liquid media, preferably water, followed by hydrodesulfurization at a temperature above 500 C. The coals are desulfurized to an extent of up to 90% by weight and simultaneously dechlorinated to a chlorine content below 0.1% by weight. The product coals have lower volatiles loss, lower oxygen and nitrogen content and higher fixed carbon than raw coals treated with hydrogen under the same conditions. Heating the chlorinated coal to a temperature above 500 C. in inert gas such as nitrogen results in significantly less desulfurization.

Coal pump development phase 3

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kushida, R. O.; Sankur, V. D.; Gerbracht, F. G.; Mahajan, V.

1980-01-01

Techniques for achieving continuous coal sprays were studied. Coazial injection with gas and pressure atomization were studied. Coal particles, upon cooling, were found to be porous and fragile. Reactivity tests on the extruded coal showed overall conversion to gases and liquids unchanged from that of the raw coal. The potentials for applications of the coal pump to eight coal conversion processes were examined.

Microbial solubilization of coals

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Campbell, J.A.; Fredrickson, J.K.; Stewart, D.L.

1988-11-01

Microbial solubilization of coal may serve as a first step in a process to convert low-rank coals or coal-derived products to other fuels or products. For solubilization of coal to be an economically viable technology, a mechanistic understanding of the process is essential. Leonardite, a highly oxidized, low-rank coal, has been solubilized by the intact microorganism, cell-free filtrate, and cell-free enzyme of /ital Coriolus versicolor/. A spectrophotometric conversion assay was developed to quantify the amount of biosolubilized coal. In addition, a bituminous coal, Illinois No. 6, was solubilized by a species of /ital Penicillium/, but only after the coal hadmore » been preoxidized in air. Model compounds containing coal-related functionalities have been incubated with the leonardite-degrading fungus, its cell-free filtrate, and purified enzyme. The amount of degradation was determined by gas chromatography and the degradation products were identified by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. We have also separated the cell-free filtrate of /ital C. versicolor/ into a <10,000 MW and >10,000 MW fraction by ultrafiltration techniques. Most of the coal biosolubilization activity is contained in the <10,000 MW fraction while the model compound degradation occurs in the >10,000 MW fraction. The >10,000 MW fraction appears to contain an enzyme with laccase-like activity. 10 refs., 8 figs., 5 tabs.« less

USE OF COAL DRYING TO REDUCE WATER CONSUMED IN PULVERIZED COAL POWER PLANTS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Edward Levy; Nenad Sarunac; Harun Bilirgen

2005-04-01

This is the ninth Quarterly Report for this project. The background and technical justification for the project are described, including potential benefits of reducing fuel moisture using power plant waste heat, prior to firing the coal in a pulverized coal boiler. During this last Quarter, comparative analyses were performed for lignite and PRB coals to determine how unit performance varies with coal product moisture. Results are given showing how the coal product moisture level and coal rank affect parameters such as boiler efficiency, station service power needed for fans and pulverizers and net unit heat rate. Results are also givenmore » for the effects of coal drying on cooling tower makeup water and comparisons are made between makeup water savings for various times of the year.« less

Depositional controls on coal distribution and quality in the Eocene Brunner Coal Measures, Buller Coalfield, South Island, New Zealand

USGS Publications Warehouse

Flores, R.M.; Sykes, R.

1996-01-01

The Buller Coalfield on the West Coast of the South Island, New Zealand, contains the Eocene Brunner Coal Measures. The coal measures unconformably overlie Paleozoic-Cretaceous basement rocks and are conformably overlain by, and laterally interfinger with, the Eocene marine Kaiata Formation. This study examines the lithofacies frameworks of the coal measures in order to interpret their depositional environments. The lower part of the coal measures is dominated by conglomeratic lithofacies that rest on a basal erosional surface and thicken in paleovalleys incised into an undulating peneplain surface. These lithofacies are overlain by sandstone, mudstone and organic-rich lithofacies of the upper part of the coal measures. The main coal seam of the organic-rich lithofacies is thick (10-20 m), extensive, locally split, and locally absent. This seam and associated coal seams in the Buller Coalfield are of low- to high-volatile bituminous rank (vitrinite reflectance between 0.65% and 1.75%). The main seam contains a variable percentage of ash and sulphur. These values are related to the thickening and areal distribution of the seam, which in turn, were controlled by the nature of clastic deposition and peat-forming mire systems, marine transgression and local tidal incursion. The conglomeratic lithofacies represent deposits of trunk and tributary braided streams that rapidly aggraded incised paleovalleys during sea-level stillstands. The main seam represents a deposit of raised mires that initially developed as topogenous mires on abandoned margins of inactive braidbelts. Peat accumulated in mires as a response to a rise in the water table, probably initially due to gradual sea-level rise and climate, and the resulting raised topography served as protection from floods. The upper part of the coal measures consists of sandstone lithofacies of flu vial origin and bioturbated sandstone, mudstone and organic-rich lithofacies, which represent deposits of paralic (deltaic

Preliminary investigation on the effects of primary airflow to coal particle distribution in coal-fired boilers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Noor, N. A. W. Mohd; Hassan, H.; Hashim, M. F.; Hasini, H.; Munisamy, K. M.

2017-04-01

This paper presents an investigation on the effects of primary airflow to coal fineness in coal-fired boilers. In coal fired power plant, coal is pulverized in a pulverizer, and it is then transferred to boiler for combustion. Coal need to be ground to its desired size to obtain maximum combustion efficiency. Coarse coal particle size may lead to many performance problems such as formation of clinker. In this study, the effects of primary airflow to coal particles size and coal flow distribution were investigated by using isokinetic coal sampling and computational fluid dynamic (CFD) modelling. Four different primary airflows were tested and the effects to resulting coal fineness were recorded. Results show that the optimum coal fineness distribution is obtained at design primary airflow. Any reduction or increase of air flow rate results in undesirable coal fineness distribution.

Process development for production of coal/sorbent agglomerates. Final technical report, September 1, 1990--August 31, 1991

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rapp, D.M.

1991-12-31

The goal of this work was to develop a process flow diagram to economically produce a clean-burning fuel from fine Illinois coal. To accomplish this, the process of pelletizing fine coal with calcium hydroxide, a sulfur capturing sorbent, was investigated. Carbonation, which is the reaction of calcium hydroxide with carbon dioxide (in the presence of moisture) to produce a bonding matrix of calcium carbonate, was investigated as a method for improving pellet quality and reducing binder costs. Proper moisture level is critical to allow the reaction to occur. If too much moisture is present in a pellet, the pore spacesmore » are filled and carbon dioxide must diffuse through the water to reach the calcium hydroxide and react. This severely slows or stops the reaction. The ideal situation is when there is just enough moisture to coat the calcium hydroxide allowing for the reaction to proceed. The process has been successfully demonstrated on a pilot-scale as a method of hardening iron ore pellets (Imperato, 1966). Two potential combustion options are being considered for the coal/calcium hydroxide pellets: fluidized bed combustors and industrial stoker boilers.« less

Coal-oil slurry preparation

DOEpatents

Tao, John C.

1983-01-01

A pumpable slurry of pulverized coal in a coal-derived hydrocarbon oil carrier which slurry is useful as a low-ash, low-sulfur clean fuel, is produced from a high sulfur-containing coal. The initial pulverized coal is separated by gravity differentiation into (1) a high density refuse fraction containing the major portion of non-coal mineral products and sulfur, (2) a lowest density fraction of low sulfur content and (3) a middlings fraction of intermediate sulfur and ash content. The refuse fraction (1) is gasified by partial combustion producing a crude gas product from which a hydrogen stream is separated for use in hydrogenative liquefaction of the middlings fraction (3). The lowest density fraction (2) is mixed with the liquefied coal product to provide the desired fuel slurry. Preferably there is also separately recovered from the coal liquefaction LPG and pipeline gas.

Continuous bench-scale slurry catalyst testing direct coal liquefaction rawhide sub-bituminous coal

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bauman, R.F.; Coless, L.A.; Davis, S.M.

In 1992, the Department of Energy (DOE) sponsored research to demonstrate a dispersed catalyst system using a combination of molybdenum and iron precursors for direct coal liquefaction. This dispersed catalyst system was successfully demonstrated using Black Thunder sub-bituminous coal at Wilsonville, Alabama by Southern Electric International, Inc. The DOE sponsored research continues at Exxon Research and Development Laboratories (ERDL). A six month continuous bench-scale program using ERDL`s Recycle Coal Liquefaction Unit (RCLU) is planned, three months in 1994 and three months in 1995. The initial conditions in RCLU reflect experience gained from the Wilsonville facility in their Test Run 263.more » Rawhide sub-bituminous coal which is similar to the Black Thunder coal tested at Wilsonville was used as the feed coal. A slate of five dispersed catalysts for direct coal liquefaction of Rawhide sub-bituminous coal has been tested. Throughout the experiments, the molybdenum addition rate was held constant at 100 wppm while the iron oxide addition rate was varied from 0.25 to 1.0 weight percent (dry coal basis). This report covers the 1994 operations and accomplishments.« less

Coal pump

DOEpatents

Bonin, John H.; Meyer, John W.; Daniel, Jr., Arnold D.

1983-01-01

A device for pressurizing pulverized coal and circulating a carrier gas is disclosed. This device has utility in a coal gasification process and eliminates the need for a separate collection hopper and eliminates the separate compressor.

Boiler Briquette Coal versus Raw Coal: Part I-Stack Gas Emissions.

PubMed

Ge, Su; Bai, Zhipeng; Liu, Weili; Zhu, Tan; Wang, Tongjian; Qing, Sheng; Zhang, Junfeng

2001-04-01

Stack gas emissions were characterized for a steam-generating boiler commonly used in China. The boiler was tested when fired with a newly formulated boiler briquette coal (BB-coal) and when fired with conventional raw coal (R-coal). The stack gas emissions were analyzed to determine emission rates and emission factors and to develop chemical source profiles. A dilution source sampling system was used to collect PM on both Teflon membrane filters and quartz fiber filters. The Teflon filters were analyzed gravimetrically for PM 10 and PM 2.5 mass concentrations and by X-ray fluorescence (XRF) for trace elements. The quartz fiber filters were analyzed for organic carbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC) using a thermal/optical reflectance technique. Sulfur dioxide was measured using the standard wet chemistry method. Carbon monoxide was measured using an Orsat combustion analyzer. The emission rates of the R-coal combustion (in kg/hr), determined using the measured stack gas concentrations and the stack gas emission rates, were 0.74 for PM 10 , 0.38 for PM 25 , 20.7 for SO 2 , and 6.8 for CO, while those of the BB-coal combustion were 0.95 for PM 10 , 0.30 for PM 2 5 , 7.5 for SO 2 , and 5.3 for CO. The fuel-mass-based emission factors (in g/kg) of the R-coal, determined using the emission rates and the fuel burn rates, were 1.68 for PM 10 , 0.87 for PM 25 , 46.7 for SO 2 , and 15 for CO, while those of the BB-coal were 2.51 for PM 10 , 0.79 for PM 2.5 , 19.9 for SO 2 , and 14 for CO. The task-based emission factors (in g/ton steam generated) of the R-coal, determined using the fuel-mass-based emission factors and the coal/ steam conversion factors, were 0.23 for PM 10 , 0.12 for PM 2.5 , 6.4 for SO 2 , and 2.0 for CO, while those of the BB-coal were 0.30 for PM 10 , 0.094 for PM 2.5 , 2.4 for SO 2 , and 1.7 for CO. PM 10 and PM 2.5 elemental compositions are also presented for both types of coal tested in the study.

Boiler briquette coal versus raw coal: Part I--Stack gas emissions.

PubMed

Ge, S; Bai, Z; Liu, W; Zhu, T; Wang, T; Qing, S; Zhang, J

2001-04-01

Stack gas emissions were characterized for a steam-generating boiler commonly used in China. The boiler was tested when fired with a newly formulated boiler briquette coal (BB-coal) and when fired with conventional raw coal (R-coal). The stack gas emissions were analyzed to determine emission rates and emission factors and to develop chemical source profiles. A dilution source sampling system was used to collect PM on both Teflon membrane filters and quartz fiber filters. The Teflon filters were analyzed gravimetrically for PM10 and PM2.5 mass concentrations and by X-ray fluorescence (XRF) for trace elements. The quartz fiber filters were analyzed for organic carbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC) using a thermal/optical reflectance technique. Sulfur dioxide was measured using the standard wet chemistry method. Carbon monoxide was measured using an Orsat combustion analyzer. The emission rates of the R-coal combustion (in kg/hr), determined using the measured stack gas concentrations and the stack gas emission rates, were 0.74 for PM10, 0.38 for PM2.5, 20.7 for SO2, and 6.8 for CO, while those of the BB-coal combustion were 0.95 for PM10, 0.30 for PM2.5, 7.5 for SO2, and 5.3 for CO. The fuel-mass-based emission factors (in g/kg) of the R-coal, determined using the emission rates and the fuel burn rates, were 1.68 for PM10, 0.87 for PM2.5, 46.7 for SO2, and 15 for CO, while those of the BB-coal were 2.51 for PM10, 0.79 for PM2.5, 19.9 for SO2, and 14 for CO. The task-based emission factors (in g/ton steam generated) of the R-coal, determined using the fuel-mass-based emission factors and the coal/steam conversion factors, were 0.23 for PM10, 0.12 for PM2.5, 6.4 for SO2, and 2.0 for CO, while those of the BB-coal were 0.30 for PM10, 0.094 for PM2.5, 2.4 for SO2, and 1.7 for CO. PM10 and PM2.5 elemental compositions are also presented for both types of coal tested in the study.

Coal Formation and Geochemistry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Orem, W. H.; Finkelman, R. B.

2003-12-01

Coal is one of the most complex and challenging natural materials to analyze and to understand. Unlike most rocks, which consist predominantly of crystalline mineral grains, coal is largely an assemblage of amorphous, degraded plant remains metamorphosed to various degrees and intermixed with a generous sprinkling of minute syngenetic, diagenetic, epigenetic, and detrital mineral grains, and containing within its structure various amounts of water, oils, and gases. Each coal is unique, having been derived from different plant sources over geologic time, having experienty -45ced different thermal histories, and having been exposed to varying geologic processes. This diversity presents a challenge to constructing a coherent picture of coal geochemistry and the processes that influence the chemical composition of coal.Despite the challenge coal presents to geochemists, a thorough understanding of the chemistry and geology of this complex natural substance is essential because of its importance to our society. Coal is, and will remain for sometime, a crucial source of energy for the US and for many other countries (Figure 1). In the USA, more than half of the electricity is generated by coal-fired power plants, and almost 90% of the coal mined in the USA is sold for electricity generation (Pierce et al., 1996). It is also an important source of coke for steel production, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and even perfumes ( Schobert, 1987). It may also, in some cases, be an economic source of various mineral commodities. The utilization of coal through mining, transport, storage, combustion, and the disposal of the combustion by-products, also presents a challenge to geochemists because of the wide range of environmental and human health problems arising from these activities. The sound and effective use of coal as a natural resource requires a better understanding of the geochemistry of coal, i.e., the chemical and mineralogical characteristics of the coal that control its

Coal Combustion Science quarterly progress report, April--June 1992. Task 1, Coal devolatilization: Task 2, Coal char combustion; Task 3, Fate of mineral matter

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hardesty, D.R.; Hurt, R.H.; Baxter, L.L.

1992-09-01

The objective of this work is to support the Office of Fossil Energy in executing research on coal combustion science. This project consists of basic research on coal combustion that supports both the Pittsburgh Energy Technology Center (PETC) Direct Utilization Advanced Research and Technology Development Program, and the International Energy Agency (IEA) Coal Combustion Science Project. Specific tasks include: The characterization of the physical and chemical processes that constitute the early devolatilization phase of coal combustion: Characterization of the combustion behavior of selected coals under conditions relevant to industria pulverized coal-fired furnaces; and to establish a quantitative understanding of themore » mechanisms and rates of transformation, fragmentation, and deposition of mineral matter in coal combustion environments as a function of coal type, particle size and temperature, the initial forms and distributions of mineral species in the unreacted coal, and the local gas temperature and composition.« less

Hydrogen from coal

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1975-01-01

Hydrogen production from coal by hydrogasification is described. The process involves the solubilization of coal to form coal liquids, which are hydrogasified to produce synthetic pipeline gas; steam reforming this synthetic gas by a nuclear heat source produces hydrogen. A description is given of the hydrogen plant, its performance, and its effect on the environment.

Microbial conversion of coal

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bean, R.M.

1989-10-01

The objectives of this project were to describe in detail the degradation of coals by fungi and microbes, to expand the range of applicability of the process to include new microbes and other coal types, to identify the means by which biosolubilization of coal is accomplished, and to explore means to enhance the rates and extent of coal bioconversion. The project was initiated in a response to the discovery by Dr. Martin Cohen at the University of Hartford, of a fungal strain of Coriolus versicolor that would render a solid coal substance, leonardite, into a liquid product. The project hasmore » identified the principal agent of leonardite solubilization as a powerful metal chelator, most likely a fungal-produced siderophore. Another nonlaccase enzyme has also been identified as a unique biosolubilizing agent produced by C. versicolor. Assays were developed for the quantitative determination of biological coal conversion, and for the determination of potency of biosolubilizing agent. Screening studies uncovered several microbial organisms capable of coal biodegradation, and led to the discovery that prolonged heating in air at the moderate temperature of 150{degree}C allowed the biodegradation of Illinois {number sign}6 coal to material soluble in dilute base. Chemical studies showed that leonardite biosolubilization was accompanied by relatively small change in composition, while solubilization of Illinois {number sign}6 coal involves considerable oxidation of the coal. 24 refs., 32 figs., 27 tabs.« less

Underground Coal Thermal Treatment: Task 6 Topical Report, Utah Clean Coal Program

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Smith, P.J.; Deo, M.; Edding, E.G.

The long-term objective of this task is to develop a transformational energy production technology by in- situ thermal treatment of a coal seam for the production of substitute natural gas and/or liquid transportation fuels while leaving much of the coal’s carbon in the ground. This process converts coal to a high-efficiency, low-greenhouse gas (GHG) emitting fuel. It holds the potential of providing environmentally acceptable access to previously unusable coal resources. This task focused on three areas: Experimental. The Underground Coal Thermal Treatment (UCTT) team focused on experiments at two scales, bench-top and slightly larger, to develop data to understand themore » feasibility of a UCTT process as well as to develop validation/uncertainty quantification (V/UQ) data for the simulation team. Simulation. The investigators completed development of High Performance Computing (HPC) simulations of UCTT. This built on our simulation developments over the course of the task and included the application of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)- based tools to perform HPC simulations of a realistically sized domain representative of an actual coal field located in Utah. CO 2 storage. In order to help determine the amount of CO 2 that can be sequestered in a coal formation that has undergone UCTT, adsorption isotherms were performed on coals treated to 325, 450, and 600°C with slow heating rates. Raw material was sourced from the Sufco (Utah), Carlinville (Illinois), and North Antelope (Wyoming) mines. The study indicated that adsorptive capacity for the coals increased with treatment temperature and that coals treated to 325°C showed less or similar capacity to the untreated coals.« less

Coal and Open-pit surface mining impacts on American Lands (COAL)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brown, T. A.; McGibbney, L. J.

2017-12-01

Mining is known to cause environmental degradation, but software tools to identify its impacts are lacking. However, remote sensing, spectral reflectance, and geographic data are readily available, and high-performance cloud computing resources exist for scientific research. Coal and Open-pit surface mining impacts on American Lands (COAL) provides a suite of algorithms and documentation to leverage these data and resources to identify evidence of mining and correlate it with environmental impacts over time.COAL was originally developed as a 2016 - 2017 senior capstone collaboration between scientists at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and computer science students at Oregon State University (OSU). The COAL team implemented a free and open-source software library called "pycoal" in the Python programming language which facilitated a case study of the effects of coal mining on water resources. Evidence of acid mine drainage associated with an open-pit coal mine in New Mexico was derived by correlating imaging spectrometer data from the JPL Airborne Visible/InfraRed Imaging Spectrometer - Next Generation (AVIRIS-NG), spectral reflectance data published by the USGS Spectroscopy Laboratory in the USGS Digital Spectral Library 06, and GIS hydrography data published by the USGS National Geospatial Program in The National Map. This case study indicated that the spectral and geospatial algorithms developed by COAL can be used successfully to analyze the environmental impacts of mining activities.Continued development of COAL has been promoted by a Startup allocation award of high-performance computing resources from the Extreme Science and Engineering Discovery Environment (XSEDE). These resources allow the team to undertake further benchmarking, evaluation, and experimentation using multiple XSEDE resources. The opportunity to use computational infrastructure of this caliber will further enable the development of a science gateway to continue foundational COAL

National Coal Quality Inventory (NACQI)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Robert Finkelman

2005-09-30

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) conducted the National Coal Quality Inventory (NaCQI) between 1999 and 2005 to address a need for quality information on coals that will be mined during the next 20-30 years. Collaboration between the USGS, State geological surveys, universities, coal burning utilities, and the coal mining industry plus funding support from the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) permitted collection and submittal of coal samples for analysis. The chemical data (proximate and ultimate analyses; major, minor and trace element concentrations) for 729 samples of raw or prepared coal, coal associated shale,more » and coal combustion products (fly ash, hopper ash, bottom ash and gypsum) from nine coal producing States are included. In addition, the project identified a new coal reference analytical standard, to be designated CWE-1 (West Elk Mine, Gunnison County, Colorado) that is a high-volatile-B or high-volatile-A bituminous coal with low contents of ash yield and sulfur, and very low, but detectable contents of chlorine, mercury and other trace elements.« less

Influence of Geological Structure on Coal and Gas Outburst Occurrences in Turkish Underground Coal Mines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Esen, Olgun; Özer, Samet Can; Fişne, Abdullah

2015-04-01

Coal and gas outbursts are sudden and violent releases of gas and in company with coal that result from a complex function of geology, stress regime with gas pressure and gas content of the coal seam. The phenomena is referred to as instantaneous outbursts and have occurred in virtually all the major coal producing countries and have been the cause of major disasters in the world mining industry. All structures from faults to joints and cleats may supply gas or lead to it draining away. Most geological structures influence the way in which gas can drain within coal seams. From among all the geological factors two groups can be distinguished: parameters characterising directly the occurrence and geometry of the coal seams; parameters characterising the tectonic disturbances of the coal seams and neighbouring rocks. Also dykes may act as gas barriers. When the production of the coal seam is advanced in mine working areas, these barriers are failed mostly in the weak and mylonitized zones. Geology also plays a very important role in the outburst process. Coal seams of complex geological structure including faults, folds, and fractured rocks are liable to outbursts if coal seams and neighbouring rocks have high gas content level. The purpose of the study is to enlighten the coal industry in Turkey to improving mine safety in underground coal production and decrease of coal and gas outburst events due to increasing depth of mining process. In Turkey; the years between 1969 and 2013, the number of 90 coal and gas outbursts took place in Zonguldak Hard Coal Basin in both Kozlu and Karadon Collieries. In this study the liability to coal and gas outburst of the coal seams are investigated by measuring the strength of coal and the rock pressure. The correlation between these measurements and the event locations shows that the geological structures resulted in 52 events out of 90 events; 19 events close to the fault zones, 25 events thorough the fault zones and 8 events in

Sorption of chlorophenols from aqueous solution by granular activated carbon, filter coal, pine and hardwood.

PubMed

Hossain, G S M; McLaughlan, R G

2012-09-01

Wood and coal, as low-cost sorbents, have been evaluated as an alternative to commercial granular activated carbon (GAC) for chlorophenol removal. Kinetic experiments indicated that filter coal had a significantly lower rate of uptake (approximately 10% of final uptake was achieved after three hours) than the other sorbents, owing to intra-particle diffusion limitations. The data fitted a pseudo-second-order model. Sorption capacity data showed that GAC had a high sorption capacity (294-467 mg g(-1)) compared with other sorbents (3.2-7.5 mg(g-1)). However, wood and coal had a greater sorption capacity per unit surface area than GAC. Sorption equilibrium data was best predicted using a Freundlich adsorption model. The sorption capacity for all sorbents was 2-chlorophenol < 4-chlorophenol < 2, 4-dichlorophenol, which correlates well with solute hydrophobicity, although the relative differences were much less for coal than the other sorbents. The results showed that pine, hardwood and filter coal can be used as sorbent materials for the removal of chlorophenol from water; however, kinetic considerations may limit the application of filter coal.

Production of High Energy Aviation Fuels from Advanced Coal Liquids. Phase 1.

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-04-01

AD-A192 333 PRODUCTION OF HIGH ENERGY AVIATION FUELS FROM RDYANCED 1/1 COAL LIQUIDS PHASE 1(U) STRAT CO SALT LAKE CITY UT J DOWNEN APR 9? AFWRL-TR-87...OF HIGH ENERGY AVIATION FUELS FROM ADVANCED COAL LIQUIDS * JOHN DOWNEN STRAT CO. 4597 JUPITER DRIVE SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH 84124 APRIL 1987 FINAL REPORT...OAU TION NME or dokew AFo Prpulsin LCbrator NOA"TO INACCE1SPONONO II-TTEX Xuc*cait* 65502F 1 3005 I 20 r 63 Production of High Energy Aviation Fuels

Comparison of Mortality Disparities in Central Appalachian Coal- and Non-Coal-Mining Counties.

PubMed

Woolley, Shannon M; Meacham, Susan L; Balmert, Lauren C; Talbott, Evelyn O; Buchanich, Jeanine M

2015-06-01

Determine whether select cause of death mortality disparities in four Appalachian regions is associated with coal mining or other factors. We calculated direct age-adjusted mortality rates and associated 95% confidence intervals by sex and study group for each cause of death over 5-year time periods from 1960 to 2009 and compared mean demographic and socioeconomic values between study groups via two-sample t tests. Compared with non-coal-mining areas, we found higher rates of poverty in West Virginia and Virginia (VA) coal counties. All-cause mortality rates for males and females were higher in coal counties across all time periods. Virginia coal counties had statistically significant excesses for many causes of death. We found elevated mortality and poverty rates in coal-mining compared with non-coal-mining areas of West Virginia and VA. Future research should examine these findings in more detail at the individual level.

Symbiotic Nuclear—Coal Systems for Production of Liquid Fuels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taczanowski, S.

The notion of safety is not confined to the technological or non-proliferation aspects. It covers also the elements of energy policy: irrational reactions of societies, emotions, egoistic interests of more or less powerful pressure of economical and external political factors. One should be conscious that the country's privilege of being equipped by the Nature with rich resources of oil or gas is not solely economical, but even more a political one. Simultaneously, the gradual depletion of world hydrocarbons that draws behind irrevocable price increase has to be expected within the time scale of exploitation of power plants (now amounted to ~60 years). Therefore consequences of energy policy last much longer than the perspectives the political or economical decision makers are planning and acting within and the public is expecting successes and finally evaluating them. The world oil and gas resources are geopolitically very non-uniformly distributed, in contrast to coal and uranium. Since the level of energy self-sufficiency of the EU is highest for coal, the old idea of synfuels production from coal is recalled. Yet, in view of limits to the CO2 emissions in the EU another method has to be used here than the conventional coal liquefaction just applied in China. Simultaneously, an interesting evolution of energy prices was be observed, namely an increase in that of motor fuels in contrast to that of electricity remaining well stable. This fact suggests that the use of electricity (mainly the off-peak load), generated without emissions of CO2 for production of liquid fuels can prove reasonable. Thus, the essence of the presented idea of coal-nuclear symbiosis lies in the supply of energy in the form of H2, necessary for this process, from a nuclear reactor. Particularly, in the present option H2 is obtained by electrolytic water splitting supplying also O2 as a precious by-product in well mature and commercially available already since decades, Light Water Reactors

Coal: the new black

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tullo, A.H.; Tremblay, J.-F.

2008-03-15

Long eclipsed by oil and natural gas as a raw material for high-volume chemicals, coal is making a comeback, with oil priced at more than $100 per barrel. It is relatively cheap feedstock for chemicals such as methanol and China is building plants to convert coal to polyolefins on a large scale and interest is spreading worldwide. Over the years several companies in the US and China have made fertilizers via the gasification of coal. Eastman in Tennessee gasifies coal to make methanol which is then converted to acetic acid, acetic anhydride and acetate fiber. The future vision is tomore » convert methanol to olefins. UOP and Lurgi are the major vendors of this technology. These companies are the respective chemical engineering arms of Honeywell and Air Liquide. The article reports developments in China, USA and India on coal-to-chemicals via coal gasification or coal liquefaction. 2 figs., 2 photo.« less

Geology, coal quality, and resources of the Antaramut-Kurtan-Dzoragukh coal field, north-central Armenia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pierce, B.S.; Martirosyan, A.; Malkhasian, G.; Harutunian, S.; Harutunian, G.

2001-01-01

The Antaramut-Kurta-Dzoragukh (AKD) coal deposit is a previously unrecognized coal field in north-central Armenia. Coal has been known to exist in the general vicinity since the turn of the century, but coal was thought to be restricted to a small (1 km2) area only near the village of Antaramut. However, through detailed field work and exploratory drilling, this coal deposit has been expanded to at least 20 km2, and thus renamed the Antaramut-Kurtan-Dzoragukh coal field, for the three villages that the coal field encompasses. The entire coal-bearing horizon, a series of tuffaceous sandstones, siltstones, and claystones, is approximately 50 m thick. The AKD coal field contains two coal beds, each greater than 1 m thick, and numerous small rider beds, with a total resource of approximately 31,000,000 metric tonnes. The coals are late Eocene in age, high volatile bituminous in rank, relatively high in ash yield (approximately 40%, as-determined basis) and moderate in sulfur content (approximately 3%, as-determined basis). The two coal beds (No. 1 and No. 2), on a moist, mineral-matter-free basis, have high calorific values of 32.6 MJ/kg (7796 cal/g) and 36.0 MJ/kg (8599 cal/g), respectively. Coal is one of the few indigenous fossil fuel resources occurring in Armenia and thus, the AKD coal field could potentially provide fuel for heating and possibly energy generation in the Armenian energy budget. Published by Elsevier Science B.V.

Coal liquefaction and hydrogenation

DOEpatents

Schindler, Harvey D.; Chen, James M.

1985-01-01

Disclosed is a coal liquefaction process using two stages. The first stage liquefies the coal and maximizes the product while the second stage hydrocracks the remainder of the coal liquid to produce solvent.

Characterization of the chemical variation of feed coal and coal combustion products from a power plant utilizing low sulfur Powder River Basin coal

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Affolter, R.H.; Brownfield, M.E.; Cathcart, J.D.

2000-07-01

The US Geological Survey and the University of Kentucky Center for Applied Energy Research, in collaboration with an Indiana utility, are studying a coal-fired power plant burning Powder River Basin coal. This investigation involves a systematic study of the chemical and mineralogical characteristics of feed coal and coal combustion products (CCPs) from a 1,300-megawatt (MW) power unit. The main goal of this study is to characterize the temporal chemical variability of the feed coal, fly ash, and bottom ash by looking at the major-, minor-, and trace-element compositions and their associations with the feed coal mineralogy. Emphasis is also placedmore » on the abundance and modes of occurrence of elements of potential environmental concern that may affect the utilization of these CCPs and coals.« less

Refining of fossil resin flotation concentrates from Western coal. Final fifth quarterly report, January 1, 1994--March 31, 1994

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jensen, G.F.; Miller, J.D.

1994-05-07

Fossil resins occurring in the Wasatch Plateau coal field are composed mainly of aliphatic components, partially aromatized multi-cyclic terpenoids and a few oxygen functional groups (such as {minus}OH and {minus}COOH). The solvent extracted resins show the presence of a relatively large number of methyl groups when compared to the methylene groups, and this indicates the presence of extensive tertiary carbon and/or highly branching chains. In contrast coal consists primarily of aromatic ring structures, various oxygen functional groups ({minus}OH, >C=O, {minus}C{minus}O) and few aliphatic chains. The color difference observed among the four resin types is explained by the presence of chromophoresmore » (aromatized polyterpenoid) and also by the presence of finely dispersed coal particle inclusions in the resin matrix. The hexane soluble resin fraction has few aromatic compounds when compared to the hexane insoluble but toluene soluble resin fraction.« less

Mapping and prediction of Coal Workers' Pneumoconiosis with bioavailable iron content in the bituminous coals

USGS Publications Warehouse

Huang, X.; Li, W.; Attfield, M.D.; Nadas, A.; Frenkel, K.; Finkelman, R.B.

2005-01-01

Based on the first National Study of Coal Workers' Pneumoconiosis (CWP) and the U.S. Geological Survey database of coal quality, we show that the prevalence of CWP in seven coal mine regions correlates with levels of bioavailable iron (BAI) in the coals from that particular region (correlation coefficient r = 0.94, p < 0.0015). CWP prevalence is also correlated with contents of pyritic sulfur (r = 0.91, p < 0.0048) or total iron (r = 0.85, p < 0.016) but not with coal rank (r = 0.59, p < 0.16) or silica (r = 0.28, p < 0.54). BAI was calculated using our model, taking into account chemical interactions of pyrite, sulfuric acid, calcite, and total iron. That is, iron present in coals can become bioavailable by pyrite oxidation, which produces ferrous sulfate and sulfuric acid. Calcite is the major component in coals that neutralizes the available acid and inhibits iron's bioavailabiity. Therefore, levels of BAI in the coals are determined by the available amounts of acid after neutralization of calcite and the amount of total iron in the coals. Using the linear fit of CWP prevalence and the calculated BAI in the seven coal mine regions, we have derived and mapped the pneumoconiotic potencies of 7,000 coal samples. Our studies indicate that levels of BAI in the coals may be used to predict coal's toxicity, even before large-scalen mining.

Coal thickness guage using RRAS techniques, parts 2 and 3

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

King, J. D.; Rollwitz, W. L.

1980-01-01

Electron magnetic resonance was investigated as a sensing technique for use in measuring the thickness of the layer of coal overlying the rock substrate. The goal is development of a thickness gauge which will be usable for control of mining machinery to maintain the coal thickness within selected bounds. A sensor must be noncontracting, have a measurement range of 6 inches or more, and an accuracy of 1/2 inch or better. The sensor should be insensitive to variations in spacing between the sensor and the surface, the response speed should be adequate to permit use on continuous mining equipment, and the device should be rugged and otherwise suited for operation under conditions of high vibration, moisture, and dust. Finally, the sensor measurement must not be adversely affected by the natural effects occurring in coal such as impurities, voids, cracks, layering, high moisture level, and other conditions that are likely to be encountered.

Analysis of the holistic impact of the Hydrogen Economy on the coal industry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lusk, Shannon Perry

As gas prices soar and energy demand continues to grow amidst increasingly stringent environmental regulations and an assortment of global pressures, implementing alternative energy sources while considering their linked economic, environmental and societal impacts becomes a more pressing matter. The Hydrogen Economy has been proposed as an answer to meeting the increasing energy demand for electric power generation and transportation in an environmentally benign way. Based on current hydrogen technology development, the most practical feedstock to fuel the Hydrogen Economy may prove to be coal via hydrogen production at FutureGen plants. The planned growth of the currently conceived Hydrogen Economy will cause dramatic impacts, some good and some bad, on the economy, the environment, and society, which are interlinked. The goal of this research is to provide tools to inform public policy makers in sorting out policy options related to coal and the Hydrogen Economy. This study examines the impact of a transition to a Hydrogen Economy on the coal industry by creating FutureGen penetration models, forecasting coal MFA's which clearly provide the impact on coal production and associated environmental impacts, and finally formulating a goal programming model that seeks the maximum benefit to society while analyzing the trade-offs between environmental, social, and economical concerns related to coal and the Hydrogen Economy.

Cytotoxicity and genotoxicity induced by coal and coal fly ash particles samples in V79 cells.

PubMed

León-Mejía, Grethel; Silva, Luis F O; Civeira, Matheus S; Oliveira, Marcos L S; Machado, Miriana; Villela, Izabel Vianna; Hartmann, Andreas; Premoli, Suziane; Corrêa, Dione Silva; Da Silva, Juliana; Henriques, João Antônio Pêgas

2016-12-01

Exposure to coal and coal ashes can cause harmful effects in in vitro and in vivo systems, mainly by the induction of oxidative damage. The aim of this work was to assess cytotoxic and genotoxic effects using the V79 cell line treated with coal and coal fly ash particles derived from a coal power plant located in Santa Catarina, Brazil. Two coal samples (COAL11 and COAL16) and two coal fly ash samples (CFA11 and CFA16) were included in this study. COAL16 was co-firing with a mixture of fuel oil and diesel oil. The comet assay data showed that exposure of V79 cells to coal and coal fly ash particles induced primary DNA lesions. Application of lesion-specific endonucleases (FPG and ENDO III) demonstrated increased DNA effects indicating the presence of high amounts of oxidative DNA lesions. The cytokinesis-block micronucleus cytome assay analysis showed that exposure of V79 cells to high concentrations of coal and coal fly ash particles induced cytotoxic effects (apoptosis and necrosis) and chromosomal instability (nucleoplasmic bridges, nuclear buds, and micronucleus (MN) formation). These results may be associated with compounds contained in the surface of the particles as hazardous elements, ultrafine/nanoparticles, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) which were detected in the samples. Graphical abstract ᅟ.

Microbial methane formation in deep aquifers of a coal-bearing sedimentary basin, Germany

PubMed Central

Gründger, Friederike; Jiménez, Núria; Thielemann, Thomas; Straaten, Nontje; Lüders, Tillmann; Richnow, Hans-Hermann; Krüger, Martin

2015-01-01

Coal-bearing sediments are major reservoirs of organic matter potentially available for methanogenic subsurface microbial communities. In this study the specific microbial community inside lignite-bearing sedimentary basin in Germany and its contribution to methanogenic hydrocarbon degradation processes was investigated. The stable isotope signature of methane measured in groundwater and coal-rich sediment samples indicated methanogenic activity. Analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences showed the presence of methanogenic Archaea, predominantly belonging to the orders Methanosarcinales and Methanomicrobiales, capable of acetoclastic or hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis. Furthermore, we identified fermenting, sulfate-, nitrate-, and metal-reducing, or acetogenic Bacteria clustering within the phyla Proteobacteria, complemented by members of the classes Actinobacteria, and Clostridia. The indigenous microbial communities found in the groundwater as well as in the coal-rich sediments are able to degrade coal-derived organic components and to produce methane as the final product. Lignite-bearing sediments may be an important nutrient and energy source influencing larger compartments via groundwater transport. PMID:25852663

Continuous bench-scale slurry catalyst testing direct coal liquefaction of rawhide sub-bituminous coal

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bauman, R.F.; Coless, L.A.; Davis, S.M.

In 1992, the Department of Energy (DOE) sponsored research to demonstrate a dispersed catalyst system using a combination of molybdenum and iron precursors for direct coal liquefaction. This dispersed catalyst system was successfully demonstrated using Black Thunder sub-bituminous coal at Wilsonville, Alabama by Southern Electric International, Inc. The DOE sponsored research continues at Exxon Research and Development Laboratories (ERDL). A six month continuous bench-scale program using ERDL`s Recycle Coal Liquefaction Unit (RCLU) is planned, three months in 1994 and three months in 1995. The initial conditions in RCLU reflect experience gained from the Wilsonville facility in their Test Run 263.more » Rawhide sub-bituminous coal which is similar to the Black Thunder coal tested at Wilsonville was used as the feed coal. A slate of five dispersed catalysts for direct coal liquefaction of Rawhide sub-bituminous coal has been tested. Throughout the experiments, the molybdenum addition rate was held constant at 100 wppm while the iron oxide addition rate was varied from 0.25 to 1.0 weight percent (dry coal basis). This report covers the 1994 operations and accomplishments.« less

Characterization of coal liquids derived from the H-coal process

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Holmes, S.A.; Woodward, P.W.; Sturm, G.P. Jr.

1976-11-01

Compositional data of coal liquid products derived from the H-Coal process were obtained. Two overhead products (one from the fuel oil mode of operation and the other from the syncrude mode of operation) were prepared by Hydrocarbon Research, Inc. from Illinois No. 6 coal. The compositional data of these products are tabulated, and characteristics of the materials are discussed. Separation and characterization methods, with slight modification, as developed by the Bureau of Mines-API Research Project 60 for characterizing heavy ends of petroleum, were successfully used in analyzing coal liquid distillates within the boiling range 200/sup 0/ to 540/sup 0/C. Distillatesmore » boiling below 200/sup 0/C were separated and analyzed using chromatographic and spectral techniques.« less

Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials in Uranium-Rich Coals and Associated Coal Combustion Residues from China.

PubMed

Lauer, Nancy; Vengosh, Avner; Dai, Shifeng

2017-11-21

Most coals in China have uranium concentrations up to 3 ppm, yet several coal deposits are known to be enriched in uranium. Naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM) in these U-rich coals and associated coal combustion residues (CCRs) have not been well characterized. Here we measure NORM (Th, U, 228 Ra, 226 Ra, and 210 Pb) in coals from eight U-rich coal deposits in China and the associated CCRs from one of these deposits. We compared NORM in these U-rich coals and associated CCRs to CCRs collected from the Beijing area and natural loess sediments from northeastern China. We found elevated U concentrations (up to 476 ppm) that correspond to low 232 Th/ 238 U and 228 Ra/ 226 Ra activity ratios (≪1) in the coal samples. 226 Ra and 228 Ra activities correlate with 238 U and 232 Th activities, respectively, and 226 Ra activities correlate well with 210 Pb activities across all coal samples. We used measured NORM activities and ash yields in coals to model the activities of CCRs from all U-rich coals analyzed in this study. The activities of measured and modeled CCRs derived from U-rich coals exceed the standards for radiation in building materials, particularly for CCRs originating from coals with U > 10 ppm. Since beneficial use of high-U Chinese CCRs in building materials is not a suitable option, careful consideration needs to be taken to limit potential air and water contamination upon disposal of U- and Ra-rich CCRs.

The characterization of PM2.5 composition in flue gasses discharged into the air from selected coal-fueled power plants in Jilin Province, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Ye; Li, Zhi; Wang, Jian; Zhang, Dan; Gao, Yang; Zhang, He

2018-02-01

According to the installed capacity, coal type and the kinds of environmental protection facilities of coal-fired power plants in Jilin Province in China, five typical coal-fired units were chosen. PM2.5 from final stack outlet of five typical units was gain by Dekati PM2.5(Finland). The characteristics of PM2.5 composition in flue gases discharged into the air from selected coal-fueled power plants are analyzed in this paper.

Radioactivity of coals and ash and slag wastes at coal-fired thermal power plants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krylov, D. A.; Sidorova, G. P.

2013-04-01

This paper presents an analysis of published data on the content of radioactive nuclides in coals originating from various coal deposits, and in ash and slag wastes produced at coal-fired thermal power plants, as well as in fly ash emitted from thermal power plants into the atmosphere. Problems related to the use of coals with an elevated content of natural radionuclides (NRNs) and methods of their solution implemented at the Urtuyskoe coalfield are dealt with. Data on the analysis of Transbaikal coals for the NRN content, as well as weighted mean content of uranium and thorium in coals from the Siberian Region, are given. In order to reduce irradiation of plant personnel and the population of the areas where coal producers and coal-fired thermal power plants are located, it is necessary to organize very careful control of the NRN content in both coals and products of their combustion that are released into the environment. To solve the problem related to the control of radioactivity, the centralized approach and creation of a proper normative base are needed. Experience gained in developing the Urtuyskoe coalfield shows that it is possible to create an efficient system of coal quality control with respect to the radiation hygiene factor and provide protection of the environment and health of the population.

Atmospheric emission of mercury due to combustion of steam coal and domestic coal in China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Shaobin; Luo, Kunli

2017-08-01

To study the mercury emission due to the combustion of steam coal and domestic coal in China, we analyzed the mercury contents of coal, fly ash, bottom ash and sluicing water in thermal power plants, steam boilers as well as domestic coal-stoves, in Shaanxi, Shanxi, Shandong and Yunnan Provinces. This study conduct an estimate of the Hg emission rates from steam coal and domestic coal combustion based on the method of mass distribution ratio of fly ash and bottom ash. The results show that the Hg emission rate of coal combustion in thermal power plants is about 50.21% (electrostatic precipitators + wet flue gas desulfurization), and that in heating boilers is about 67.23%, and 92.28% in industrial boilers without flue gas desulphurisation equipment. Furthermore, Hg emission rate is 83.61% due to domestic coal combustion in coal-stoves. The Hg emission amount into the atmosphere from power and heat generation, industrial boilers, domestic coal-stoves and spontaneous combustion of coal gangue is roughly estimated to be 133 ± 4, 100 ± 17, 11 ± 0.1 and 47 ± 26 tons in China in 2014, respectively, and the total Hg emission amount from this paper is estimated at 292 tons. The trends of Hg emission in China from 1991 to 2014 show an accelerating growth after 2002. The proportion of mercury emission due to thermal power, heating generation and industrial energy utilization continuously increased. The atmospheric emission of mercury due to combustion of steam coal, domestic coal and coal gangue accounts nearly 50% in total anthropogenic Hg emissions in China, indicating one of the largest sources of Hg emission in China which should draw more public and scientific attention in the future.

Mercury in coal and the impact of coal quality on mercury emissions from combustion systems

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kolker, A.; Senior, C.L.; Quick, J.C.

2006-01-01

The proportion of Hg in coal feedstock that is emitted by stack gases of utility power stations is a complex function of coal chemistry and properties, combustion conditions, and the positioning and type of air pollution control devices employed. Mercury in bituminous coal is found primarily within Fe-sulfides, whereas lower rank coal tends to have a greater proportion of organic-bound Hg. Preparation of bituminous coal to reduce S generally reduces input Hg relative to in-ground concentrations, but the amount of this reduction varies according to the fraction of Hg in sulfides and the efficiency of sulfide removal. The mode of occurrence of Hg in coal does not directly affect the speciation of Hg in the combustion flue gas. However, other constituents in the coal, notably Cl and S, and the combustion characteristics of the coal, influence the species of Hg that are formed in the flue gas and enter air pollution control devices. The formation of gaseous oxidized Hg or particulate-bound Hg occurs post-combustion; these forms of Hg can be in part captured in the air pollution control devices that exist on coal-fired boilers, without modification. For a given coal type, the capture efficiency of Hg by pollution control systems varies according to type of device and the conditions of its deployment. For bituminous coal, on average, more than 60% of Hg in flue gas is captured by fabric filter (FF) and flue-gas desulfurization (FGD) systems. Key variables affecting performance for Hg control include Cl and S content of the coal, the positioning (hot side vs. cold side) of the system, and the amount of unburned C in coal ash. Knowledge of coal quality parameters and their effect on the performance of air pollution control devices allows optimization of Hg capture co-benefit. ?? 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Changing patterns of Pennsylvanian coal-swamp vegetation and implications of climatic control on coal occurrence

USGS Publications Warehouse

Phillips, T.L.; Peppers, R.A.

1984-01-01

Improved regional and interregional stratigraphic correlations of Pennsylvanian strata permit comparisons of vegetational changes in Euramerican coal swamps. The coal-swamp vegetation is known directly from in situ coal-ball peat deposits from more than 65 coals in the United States and Europe. Interpretations of coal-swamp floras on the basis of coal-ball peat studies are extended to broader regional and stratigraphic patterns by use of coal palynology. Objectives of the quantitative analyses of the vegetation in relation to coal are to determine the botanical constituents at the peat stage and their environmental implications for plant growth and peat accumulation. Morphological and paleoecological analyses provide a basis for deducing freshwater regimes of coal swamps. Changes in composition of Pennsylvanian coal-swamp vegetation are quire similar from one paralic coal region to another and show synchrony that is attributable to climate. Paleobotany and paleogeography of the Euramerican province indicate a moist tropical paleoclimate. Rainfall, runoff and evapotranspiration were the variable climatic controls in the distribution of coal-swamp vegetation, peat accumulation and coal resources. In relative terms of climatic wetness the Pennsylvanian Period is divisible into five intervals, which include two relatively drier intervals that developed during the Lower-Middle and Middle-Upper Pennsylvanian transitions. The climate during Early Pennsylvanian time was moderately wet and the median in moisture availability. Early Middle Pennsylvanian was drier, probably seasonally dry-wet; late Middle Pennsylvanian was the wettest in the Midcontinent; early Late Pennsylvanian was the driest; and late Late Pennsylvanian was probably the wettest in the Dunkard Basin. The five climatic intervals represent a general means of dividing coal resources within each region into groups with similar botanical constituents and environments of peat accumulation. Regional differences in

Mapping and Prediction of Coal Workers’ Pneumoconiosis with Bioavailable Iron Content in the Bituminous Coals

PubMed Central

Huang, Xi; Li, Weihong; Attfield, Michael D.; Nádas, Arthur; Frenkel, Krystyna; Finkelman, Robert B.

2005-01-01

Based on the first National Study of Coal Workers’ Pneumoconiosis (CWP) and the U.S. Geological Survey database of coal quality, we show that the prevalence of CWP in seven coal mine regions correlates with levels of bioavailable iron (BAI) in the coals from that particular region (correlation coefficient r = 0.94, p < 0.0015). CWP prevalence is also correlated with contents of pyritic sulfur (r = 0.91, p < 0.0048) or total iron (r = 0.85, p < 0.016) but not with coal rank (r = 0.59, p < 0.16) or silica (r = 0.28, p < 0.54). BAI was calculated using our model, taking into account chemical interactions of pyrite, sulfuric acid, calcite, and total iron. That is, iron present in coals can become bioavailable by pyrite oxidation, which produces ferrous sulfate and sulfuric acid. Calcite is the major component in coals that neutralizes the available acid and inhibits iron’s bioavailability. Therefore, levels of BAI in the coals are determined by the available amounts of acid after neutralization of calcite and the amount of total iron in the coals. Using the linear fit of CWP prevalence and the calculated BAI in the seven coal mine regions, we have derived and mapped the pneumoconiotic potencies of 7,000 coal samples. Our studies indicate that levels of BAI in the coals may be used to predict coal’s toxicity, even before large-scale mining. PMID:16079064

Coal-Sizing Auger

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lewis, E. V.

1985-01-01

Aft end of auger, like forward, face-piercing end, equipped with hard cutting bits such as diamonds. As auger breaks face, pulls broken coal lumps into jaws and forces them into hardened throat section. There, cutting bits chew up lumps: Clearance between throat and auger shaft sets maximum size for coal particles that pass through. Auger motion pushes coal particles into mixing chamber, where paddles combine them with water.

Formulation of low solids coal water slurry from advanced coal cleaning waste fines

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Battista, J.J.; Morrison, J.L.; Lambert, A.

1997-07-01

GPU Genco, the New York State Electric and Gas Corporation (NYSEG), Penn State University and the Homer City Coal Processing Corporation are conducting characterization and formulation tests to determine the suitability of using minus 325 mesh coal waste fines as a low solids coal water slurry (CWS) co-firing fuel. The fine coal is contained in a centrifuge effluent stream at the recently modified Homer City Coal Preparation Plant. Recovering, thickening and then co-firing this material with pulverized coal is one means of alleviating a disposal problem and increasing the Btu recovery for the adjacent power plant. The project team ismore » currently proceeding with the design of a pilot scale system to formulate the effluent into a satisfactory co-firing fuel on a continuous basis for combustion testing at Seward Station. The ultimate goal is to burn the fuel at the pulverized coal units at the Homer City Generating Station. This paper presents the success to date of the slurry characterization and pilot scale design work. In addition, the paper will update GPU Genco`s current status for the low solids coal water slurry co-firing technology and will outline the company`s future plans for the technology.« less

Considerations on coal gasification

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Franzen, J. E.

1978-01-01

Commercial processes for the gasification of coal with oxygen are discussed. The Koppers-Totzek process for the gasification of coal dust entrained in a stream of gasifying agents is described in particular detail. The outlook for future applications of coal gasification is presented.

Moist caustic leaching of coal

DOEpatents

Nowak, Michael A.

1994-01-01

A process for reducing the sulfur and ash content of coal. Particulate coal is introduced into a closed heated reaction chamber having an inert atmosphere to which is added 50 mole percent NaOH and 50 mole percent KOH moist caustic having a water content in the range of from about 15% by weight to about 35% by weight and in a caustic to coal weight ratio of about 5 to 1. The coal and moist caustic are kept at a temperature of about 300.degree. C. Then, water is added to the coal and caustic mixture to form an aqueous slurry, which is washed with water to remove caustic from the coal and to produce an aqueous caustic solution. Water is evaporated from the aqueous caustic solution until the water is in the range of from about 15% by weight to about 35% by weight and is reintroduced to the closed reaction chamber. Sufficient acid is added to the washed coal slurry to neutralize any remaining caustic present on the coal, which is thereafter dried to produce desulfurized coal having not less than about 90% by weight of the sulfur present in the coal feed removed and having an ash content of less than about 2% by weight.

Quality of Selected Hungarian Coals

USGS Publications Warehouse

Landis, E.R.; Rohrbacher, T.J.; Gluskoter, H.J.; Fodor, B.; Gombar, G.

2007-01-01

As part of a program conducted jointly by the U.S. Geological Survey and the Hungarian Geological Survey under the auspices of the United States-Hungarian Science and Technology Fund, a total of 39 samples from five coal mines in Hungary were selected for analysis. The mine areas sampled represent most of the coal mined recently in Hungary. Almost all the coal is used to generate electricity. Coals from the five mines (four underground, one surface) reflect differences in age, depositional setting, organic and inorganic components of the original sediments, and deformational history. Classified according to the ranking system of the American Society for Testing and Materials, the coals range in rank from lignite B (Pliocene[?] coals) to high volatile A bituminous (Jurassic coals). With respect to grade classification, based on seam-weighted averages of moisture, ash, and sulfur contents: (1) all contain high moisture (more than 10 percent), (2) all except the Eocene coals are high (more than 15 percent) in ash yield, and (3) two (Jurassic and Eocene coals) are high in sulfur (more than 3 percent) and three (Cretaceous, Miocene, and Pliocene coals) have medium sulfur contents (1 to 3 percent). Average heat values range from 4,000 to 8,650 British thermal units per pound.

Method for fluorinating coal

DOEpatents

Huston, John L.; Scott, Robert G.; Studier, Martin H.

1978-01-01

Coal is fluorinated by contact with fluorine gas at low pressure. After pial fluorination, when the reaction rate has slowed, the pressure is slowly increased until fluorination is complete, forming a solid fluorinated coal of approximate composition CF.sub.1.55 H.sub.0.15. The fluorinated coal and a solid distillate resulting from vacuum pyrolysis of the fluorinated coal are useful as an internal standard for mass spectrometric unit mass assignments from about 100 to over 1500.

Coal cleaning: An underutilized solution?

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Godfrey, R.L.

1995-12-31

Custom Coals Corporation is based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It is involved in the construction and operation of advanced coal cleaning facilities. The company has initially chosen to focus on Pennsylvania`s vast reserves of coal, because these coal provide a superior feedstock for the Technology. In a $76 million project co-sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, Custom Coals is constructing its first coal cleaning facility. The DOE chose to participate with the company in the project pursuant to a competition it sponsored under Round IV of Its Clean Cod Technology program. Thirty-one companies submitted 33 projects seeking approximately $2.3 billionmore » of funding against the $600 million available. The company`s project was one of nine proposals accepted and was the only pre-combustion cleaning technology awarded. The project includes both the construction of a 500 ton per hour coal cleaning facility utilizing the company`s proprietary technologies and a series of power plant test bums on a variety of U.S. coals during a 12-month demonstration program. Three U.S. coal seams - Sewickley, Lower Freeport and Illinois No. 5 - will supply the initial feedstock for the demonstration project. These seams represent a broad range of raw cod qualifies. The processed coals will then be distributed to a number of generating stations for combustion. The 300 megawatt Martins Creek Plant of Pennsylvania Power & Light Co., near Allentown, Pennsylvania, will burn Carefree Coal, the 60 megawatt Whitewater Valley Power Station of Richmond Power and Light (in Indiana) and the Ashtabula, Ohio unit of Centerior Energy will burn Self-Scrubbing Coal. Following these demonstrations, the plant will begin full-scale commercial operation, providing two million tons of Pennsylvania compliance coals to electric power utilities.« less

Characterization of feed coal and coal combustion products from power plants in Indiana and Kentucky

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Brownfield, M.E.; Affolter, R.H.; Cathcart, J.D.

1999-07-01

The US Geological Survey, Kentucky Geological Survey, and the University of Kentucky Center for Applied Energy Research are collaborating with Indiana and Kentucky utilities to determine the physical and chemical properties of feed coal and coal combustion products (CCP) from three coal-fired power plants. These three plants are designated as Units K1, K2, and I1 and burn high-, moderate-, and low-sulfur coals, respectively. Over 200 samples of feed coal and CCP were analyzed by various chemical and mineralogical methods to determine mode of occurrence and distribution of trace elements in the CCP. Generally, feed coals from all 3 Units containmore » mostly well-crystallized kaolinite and quartz. Comparatively, Unit K1 feed coals have higher amounts of carbonates, pyrite and sphalerite. Unit K2 feed coals contain higher kaolinite and illite/muscovite when compared to Unit K1 coals. Unit I1 feed coals contain beta-form quartz and alumino-phosphates with minor amounts of calcite, micas, anatase, and zircon when compared to K1 and K2 feed coals. Mineralogy of feed coals indicate that the coal sources for Units K1 and K2 are highly variable, with Unit K1 displaying the greatest mineralogic variability; Unit I1 feed coal however, displayed little mineralogic variation supporting a single source. Similarly, element contents of Units K1 and K2 feed coals show more variability than those of Unit I1. Fly ash samples from Units K1 and K2 consist mostly of glass, mullite, quartz, and spines group minerals. Minor amounts of illite/muscovite, sulfates, hematite, and corundum are also present. Spinel group minerals identified include magnetite, franklinite, magnesioferrite, trevorite, jacobisite, and zincochromite. Scanning Electron Microscope analysis reveals that most of the spinel minerals are dendritic intergrowths within aluminum silicate glass. Unit I1 fly ash samples contain glass, quartz, perovskite, lime, gehlenite, and apatite with minor amounts of periclase

Dry cleaning of Turkish coal

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cicek, T.

2008-07-01

This study dealt with the upgrading of two different type of Turkish coal by a dry cleaning method using a modified air table. The industrial size air table used in this study is a device for removing stones from agricultural products. This study investigates the technical and economical feasibility of the dry cleaning method which has never been applied before on coals in Turkey. The application of a dry cleaning method on Turkish coals designated for power generation without generating environmental pollution and ensuring a stable coal quality are the main objectives of this study. The size fractions of 5-8,more » 3-5, and 1-3 mm of the investigated coals were used in the upgrading experiments. Satisfactory results were achieved with coal from the Soma region, whereas the upgrading results of Hsamlar coal were objectionable for the coarser size fractions. However, acceptable results were obtained for the size fraction 1-3 mm of Hsamlar coal.« less

Hydrotreating of coal liquids, Phase Two. Final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wilson, D.B.; Bogdanor, J.M.

1982-06-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the kinetic parameters for the pseudo first-order denitrogenation and desulfurization of an SASOL coal naphtha. Only the fraction boiling over 95/sup 0/C (at 25.8 mmHg) was hydrotreated due to the high volatility of the whole naphtha. Dodecane was used as a diluent to further reduce the volatility of the hydrotreated naphtha bottoms. A commercial Ni-Mo catalyst (HDS9A) was employed. Based on chromatographic results, nitrogen and sulfur were successfully removed from the naphtha bottoms. The mathematical model developed to describe the pseudo first-order denitrogenation and desulfurization of the naphtha bottoms in the semi-batch,more » slurry reactor was adequate to explain the experimental results. The Arrhenius plot of the rate constants, determined by fitting the data to the model equation, for the desulfurization of the naphtha bottoms, yielded a straight line for the three temperatures used, 221, 235, and 251/sup 0/C at a pressure of 800 psig. This indicates that the assumption of a pseudo first-order reaction for the desulfurization of the naphtha bottoms is valid. The estimate of the activation energy, 8558 cal/g mole, for the desulfurization is consistent with the literature. The desulfurizationwas much faster than the denitrogenation reaction. This observation is also consistent with the literature. The estimate of the activation energy, 4560 cal/g mole, for the denitrogenation of the naphtha bottoms, was lower than expected for the reaction occurring in the kinetic regime. Two possible explanations for this are discussed.« less

LIBS Analysis for Coal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

E. Romero, Carlos; De Saro, Robert

Coal is a non-uniform material with large inherent variability in composition, and other important properties, such as calorific value and ash fusion temperature. This quality variability is very important when coal is used as fuel in steam generators, since it affects boiler operation and control, maintenance and availability, and the extent and treatment of environmental pollution associated with coal combustion. On-line/in situ monitoring of coal before is fed into a boiler is a necessity. A very few analytical techniques like X-ray fluorescence and prompt gamma neutron activation analysis are available commercially with enough speed and sophistication of data collection for continuous coal monitoring. However, there is still a need for a better on-line/in situ technique that has higher selectivity, sensitivity, accuracy and precision, and that is safer and has a lower installation and operating costs than the other options. Laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) is ideal for coal monitoring in boiler applications as it need no sample preparation, it is accurate and precise it is fast, and it can detect all of the elements of concern to the coal-fired boiler industry. LIBS data can also be adapted with advanced data processing techniques to provide real-time information required by boiler operators nowadays. This chapter summarizes development of LIBS for on-line/in situ coal applications in utility boilers.

Using ground and intact coal Samples to evaluate hydrocarbon fate during supercritical CO2 injection into coal beds: effects of particle size and coal moisture

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kolak, Jon; Hackley, Paul C.; Ruppert, Leslie F.; Warwick, Peter D.; Burruss, Robert

2015-01-01

To investigate the potential for mobilizing organic compounds from coal beds during geologic carbon dioxide (CO2) storage (sequestration), a series of solvent extractions using dichloromethane (DCM) and using supercritical CO2 (40 °C and 10 MPa) were conducted on a set of coal samples collected from Louisiana and Ohio. The coal samples studied range in rank from lignite A to high volatile A bituminous, and were characterized using proximate, ultimate, organic petrography, and sorption isotherm analyses. Sorption isotherm analyses of gaseous CO2 and methane show a general increase in gas storage capacity with coal rank, consistent with findings from previous studies. In the solvent extractions, both dry, ground coal samples and moist, intact core plug samples were used to evaluate effects of variations in particle size and moisture content. Samples were spiked with perdeuterated surrogate compounds prior to extraction, and extracts were analyzed via gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. The DCM extracts generally contained the highest concentrations of organic compounds, indicating the existence of additional hydrocarbons within the coal matrix that were not mobilized during supercritical CO2 extractions. Concentrations of aliphatic and aromatic compounds measured in supercritical CO2 extracts of core plug samples generally are lower than concentrations in corresponding extracts of dry, ground coal samples, due to differences in particle size and moisture content. Changes in the amount of extracted compounds and in surrogate recovery measured during consecutive supercritical CO2extractions of core plug samples appear to reflect the transition from a water-wet to a CO2-wet system. Changes in coal core plug mass during supercritical CO2 extraction range from 3.4% to 14%, indicating that a substantial portion of coal moisture is retained in the low-rank coal samples. Moisture retention within core plug samples, especially in low-rank coals, appears to inhibit

Development of sensitized pick coal interface detector system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burchill, R. F.

1982-01-01

One approach for detection of the coal interface is measurement of pick cutting loads and shock through the use of pick strain gage load cells and accelerometers. The cutting drum of a long wall mining machine contains a number of cutting picks. In order to measure pick loads and shocks, one pick was instrumented and telemetry used to transmit the signals from the drum to an instrument-type tape recorder. A data system using FM telemetry was designed to transfer cutting bit load and shock information from the drum of a longwall shearer coal mining machine to a chassis mounted data recorder. The design of components in the test data system were finalized, the required instruments were assembled, the instrument system was evaluated in an above-ground simulation test, and an underground test series to obtain tape recorded sensor data was conducted.

Coal Extraction - Environmental Prediction

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cecil, C. Blaine; Tewalt, Susan J.

2002-01-01

Coal from the Appalachian region has supplied energy to the Nation for more than 200 years. Appalachian coal fueled America through a civil war and helped win two world wars. Appalachian coal has also provided fuel for keeping America warm in the winter and cool in the summer and has served as the basis for the steel, automobile, organic chemicals, chlorine, and aluminum industries. These benefits have not come without environmental costs, however. Coal extraction and utilization have had significant environmental impacts.

Coal desulfurization by aqueous chlorination

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kalvinskas, J. J.; Vasilakos, N.; Corcoran, W. H.; Grohmann, K.; Rohatgi, N. K. (Inventor)

1982-01-01

A method of desulfurizing coal is described in which chlorine gas is bubbled through an aqueous slurry of coal at low temperature below 130 degrees C., and at ambient pressure. Chlorinolysis converts both inorganic and organic sulfur components of coal into water soluble compounds which enter the aqueous suspending media. The media is separated after chlorinolysis and the coal dechlorinated at a temperature of from 300 C to 500 C to form a non-caking, low-sulfur coal product.

Classification of Structural Coal-Controlling Styles and Analysis on Structural Coal-Controlling Actions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhan, Wen-feng

2017-11-01

Tectonism was the primary geologic factors for controlling the formation, deformation, and occurrence of coal measures. As the core of a new round of prediction and evaluation on the coalfield resource potential, the effect of coal-controlling structure was further strengthened and deepened in related researches. By systematically combing the tectonic coal-controlling effect and structure, this study determined the geodynamical classification basis for coal-controlling structures. According to the systematic analysis and summary on the related research results, the coal-controlling structure was categorized into extensional structure, compressive structure, shearing and rotational structure, inverted structure, as well as the sliding structure, syndepositional structure with coalfield structure characteristics. In accordance with the structure combination and distribution characteristics, the six major classes were further classified into 32 subclasses. Moreover, corresponding mode maps were drawn to discuss the basic characteristics and effect of the coal-controlling structures.

Evaluation of an enhanced gravity-based fine-coal circuit for high-sulfur coal

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mohanty, M.K.; Samal, A.R.; Palit, A.

One of the main objectives of this study was to evaluate a fine-coal cleaning circuit using an enhanced gravity separator specifically for a high sulfur coal application. The evaluation not only included testing of individual unit operations used for fine-coal classification, cleaning and dewatering, but also included testing of the complete circuit simultaneously. At a scale of nearly 2 t/h, two alternative circuits were evaluated to clean a minus 0.6-mm coal stream utilizing a 150-mm-diameter classifying cyclone, a linear screen having a projected surface area of 0.5 m{sup 2}, an enhanced gravity separator having a bowl diameter of 250 mmmore » and a screen-bowl centrifuge having a bowl diameter of 500 mm. The cleaning and dewatering components of both circuits were the same; however, one circuit used a classifying cyclone whereas the other used a linear screen as the classification device. An industrial size coal spiral was used to clean the 2- x 0.6-mm coal size fraction for each circuit to estimate the performance of a complete fine-coal circuit cleaning a minus 2-mm particle size coal stream. The 'linear screen + enhanced gravity separator + screen-bowl circuit' provided superior sulfur and ash-cleaning performance to the alternative circuit that used a classifying cyclone in place of the linear screen. Based on these test data, it was estimated that the use of the recommended circuit to treat 50 t/h of minus 2-mm size coal having feed ash and sulfur contents of 33.9% and 3.28%, respectively, may produce nearly 28.3 t/h of clean coal with product ash and sulfur contents of 9.15% and 1.61 %, respectively.« less

Mechanical Coal-Face Fracturer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Collins, E. R., Jr.

1984-01-01

Radial points on proposed drill bit take advantage of natural fracture planes of coal. Radial fracture points retracted during drilling and impacted by piston to fracture coal once drilling halts. Group of bits attached to array of pneumatic drivers to fracture large areas of coal face.

Coal Activities for Secondary Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

American Coal Foundation, Washington, DC.

This collection of lesson plans designed for teachers of 4th- through 12th-grade students utilizes an assortment of teaching strategies for topics related to coal and the coal industry. Activities cover the following topics: coal formation; coal identification; "the geologist's dilemma" (a supply and demand activity); geologic time and…

Application of automated image analysis to coal petrography

USGS Publications Warehouse

Chao, E.C.T.; Minkin, J.A.; Thompson, C.L.

1982-01-01

content M. The volume percentage of each component present is indicated by a subscript. For example, a lithologic unit was determined megascopically to have the composition (V)13(I)1(S)1(X1)83(X2)2. After microscopic analysis of the mixed phases, this composition was expressed as (V)13(I)1(S)1(V63E19I14M4)83(V67E11I13M9)2. Finally, these data were combined in a description of the bulk composition as V67E16I13M3S1. An AIAS can also analyze textural characteristics and can be used for quick and reliable determination of rank (reflectance). Our AIAS is completely software based and incorporates a television (TV) camera that has optimum response characteristics in the range of reflectance less than 5%, making it particularly suitable for coal studies. Analysis of the digitized signal from the TV camera is controlled by a microprocessor having a resolution of 64 gray levels between full illumination and dark current. The processed image is reconverted for display on a TV monitor screen, on which selection of phases or features to be analyzed is readily controlled and edited by the operator through use of a lightpen. We expect that automated image analysis, because it can rapidly provide a large amount of pertinent information, will play a major role in the advancement of coal petrography. ?? 1982.

30 CFR 75.1709 - Accumulations of methane and coal dust on surface coal-handling facilities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Accumulations of methane and coal dust on surface coal-handling facilities. 75.1709 Section 75.1709 Mineral Resources MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR COAL MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH MANDATORY SAFETY STANDARDS-UNDERGROUND COAL MINES...

30 CFR 75.1709 - Accumulations of methane and coal dust on surface coal-handling facilities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Accumulations of methane and coal dust on surface coal-handling facilities. 75.1709 Section 75.1709 Mineral Resources MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR COAL MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH MANDATORY SAFETY STANDARDS-UNDERGROUND COAL MINES...

30 CFR 75.1709 - Accumulations of methane and coal dust on surface coal-handling facilities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Accumulations of methane and coal dust on surface coal-handling facilities. 75.1709 Section 75.1709 Mineral Resources MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR COAL MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH MANDATORY SAFETY STANDARDS-UNDERGROUND COAL MINES...

30 CFR 75.1709 - Accumulations of methane and coal dust on surface coal-handling facilities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Accumulations of methane and coal dust on surface coal-handling facilities. 75.1709 Section 75.1709 Mineral Resources MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR COAL MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH MANDATORY SAFETY STANDARDS-UNDERGROUND COAL MINES...

Improved coal-slurry pipeline

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dowler, W. L.

1979-01-01

High strength steel pipeline carries hot mixture of powdered coal and coal derived oil to electric-power-generating station. Slurry is processed along way to remove sulfur, ash, and nitrogen and to recycle part of oil. System eliminates hazards and limitations associated with anticipated coal/water-slurry pipelines.

Coal supply for California

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yancik, J. J.

1978-01-01

The potential sources and qualities of coals available for major utility and industrial consumers in California are examined and analyzed with respect to those factors that would affect the reliability of supplies. Other considerations, such as the requirements and assurances needed by the coal producers to enter into long-term contracts and dedicate large reserves of coal to these contracts are also discussed. Present and potential future mining contraints on coal mine operators are identified and analyzed with respect to their effect on availability of supply.

Surfactant-Assisted Coal Liquefaction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hickey, Gregory S.; Sharma, Pramod K.

1993-01-01

Obtaining liquid fuels from coal which are economically competitive with those obtained from petroleum based sources is a significant challenge for the researcher as well as the chemical industry. Presently, the economics of coal liquefaction are not favorable because of relatively intense processing conditions (temperatures of 430 degrees C and pressures of 2200 psig), use of a costly catalyst, and a low quality product slate of relatively high boiling fractions. The economics could be made more favorable by achieving adequate coal conversions at less intense processing conditions and improving the product slate. A study has been carried out to examine the effect of a surfactant in reducing particle agglomeration and improving hydrodynamics in the coal liquefaction reactor to increase coal conversions...

Sulfur compounds in coal

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Attar, A.; Corcoran, W. H.

1977-01-01

The literature on the chemical structure of the organic sulfur compounds (or functional groups) in coal is reviewed. Four methods were applied in the literature to study the sulfur compounds in coal: direct spectrometric and chemical analysis, depolymerization in drastic conditions, depolymerization in mild conditions, and studies on simulated coal. The data suggest that most of the organic sulfur in coal is in the form of thiophenic structures and aromatic and aliphatic sulfides. The relative abundance of the sulfur groups in bituminous coal is estimated as 50:30:20%, respectively. The ratio changes during processing and during the chemical analysis. The main effects are the transformation during processing of sulfides to the more stable thiophenic compounds and the elimination of hydrogen sulfide.

Study on dynamic multi-objective approach considering coal and water conflict in large scale coal group

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feng, Qing; Lu, Li

2018-01-01

In the process of coal mining, destruction and pollution of groundwater in has reached an imminent time, and groundwater is not only related to the ecological environment, but also affect the health of human life. Similarly, coal and water conflict is still one of the world's problems in large scale coal mining regions. Based on this, this paper presents a dynamic multi-objective optimization model to deal with the conflict of the coal and water in the coal group with multiple subordinate collieries and arrive at a comprehensive arrangement to achieve environmentally friendly coal mining strategy. Through calculation, this paper draws the output of each subordinate coal mine. And on this basis, we continue to adjust the environmental protection parameters to compare the coal production at different collieries at different stages under different attitude of the government. At last, the paper conclude that, in either case, it is the first arrangement to give priority to the production of low-drainage, high-yield coal mines.

Coal from the equator

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Darling, P.

1995-10-01

In the mid-1970s PT Rio Tinto Indonesia, a wholly owned subsidiary of CRA of Australia, entered into an agreement with BP of the United Kingdom to explore jointly for coal in Indonesia on a 50:50 basis. In 1978, the government of Indonesia invited tenders from foreign companies for the exploration and development of coal resources in eastern and southern Kalimantan (Borneo). The CRA-BP joint venture was successful in bidding for an area of 7,900 km{sup 2} in two blocks extending 300 km along the coast of eastern Kalimantan. In April 1982, PT Kaltim Prima Coal (KPC) entered into an agreementmore » with the Indonesian State Coal Company whereby it could explore, produce, and market coal from the agreed blocks for a period of 30 years. From 1982 to 1986, detailed exploration led to the delineation of several propsects of which the most promising was near the small town of Sangatta, 200 km north of Balikpapan and less than one degree north of the equator. After this exploration period KPC relinquished all but 1,962 km{sup 2} of the original agreement area. In its simplest form, the mining operation can be described as: a series of open pits, coal preparation facilities, 13.7 km of overland conveyor to the coast, and a marine terminal capable of handling bulk carriers of up to 200K dwt. The remote location necessities a fully supportive infrastructure, including a power station, housing, schools, hospitals, water supply, and recreational facilities. In 1994 the mine produced 10M mt coal of which 70% was Prima coal, one of the highest quality internationally traded thermal coals.« less

Drivers for the renaissance of coal

PubMed Central

Steckel, Jan Christoph; Edenhofer, Ottmar; Jakob, Michael

2015-01-01

Coal was central to the industrial revolution, but in the 20th century it increasingly was superseded by oil and gas. However, in recent years coal again has become the predominant source of global carbon emissions. We show that this trend of rapidly increasing coal-based emissions is not restricted to a few individual countries such as China. Rather, we are witnessing a global renaissance of coal majorly driven by poor, fast-growing countries that increasingly rely on coal to satisfy their growing energy demand. The low price of coal relative to gas and oil has played an important role in accelerating coal consumption since the end of the 1990s. In this article, we show that in the increasingly integrated global coal market the availability of a domestic coal resource does not have a statistically significant impact on the use of coal and related emissions. These findings have important implications for climate change mitigation: If future economic growth of poor countries is fueled mainly by coal, ambitious mitigation targets very likely will become infeasible. Building new coal power plant capacities will lead to lock-in effects for the next few decades. If that lock-in is to be avoided, international climate policy must find ways to offer viable alternatives to coal for developing countries. PMID:26150491

Control of mercury emissions from coal fired electric uitlity boilers: An update

EPA Science Inventory

Coal-fired power plants in the U.S. are known to be the major anthropogenic source of domestic mercury emissions. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has recently proposed to reduce emissions of mercury from these plants. In March 2005, EPA plans to promulgate final regulat...

Coal combustion system

DOEpatents

Wilkes, Colin; Mongia, Hukam C.; Tramm, Peter C.

1988-01-01

In a coal combustion system suitable for a gas turbine engine, pulverized coal is transported to a rich zone combustor and burned at an equivalence ratio exceeding 1 at a temperature above the slagging temperature of the coal so that combustible hot gas and molten slag issue from the rich zone combustor. A coolant screen of water stretches across a throat of a quench stage and cools the combustible gas and molten slag to below the slagging temperature of the coal so that the slag freezes and shatters into small pellets. The pelletized slag is separated from the combustible gas in a first inertia separator. Residual ash is separated from the combustible gas in a second inertia separator. The combustible gas is mixed with secondary air in a lean zone combustor and burned at an equivalence ratio of less than 1 to produce hot gas motive at temperature above the coal slagging temperature. The motive fluid is cooled in a dilution stage to an acceptable turbine inlet temperature before being transported to the turbine.

30 CFR 75.1709 - Accumulations of methane and coal dust on surface coal-handling facilities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Accumulations of methane and coal dust on... Miscellaneous § 75.1709 Accumulations of methane and coal dust on surface coal-handling facilities. [Statutory Provisions] Adequate measures shall be taken to prevent methane and coal dust from accumulating in excessive...

Relationship between Maceral of Coal and Coal-bed Methane adsorption ability in Sihe Coalmine of Qinshui Basin, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, M. S.; Zou, G. G.; Zhu, R. B.

2018-05-01

Maceral components and its content of coal were divided based on the microscopic characteristics of coal. The Langmuir volume and the Langmuir pressure were tested, and the Langmuir volume represents the adsorption capacity of coal. The formation of coal bed methane is affected by the partition of the maceral components in coal. Therefore, the relationship between maceral composition and coal bed methane adsorption capacity of coal was analyzed. The results show that the maceral components of coal are dominated by vitrinite and inertinite in the study area, and the content of inertinite is below 32%. The vitrinite group has a negative linear correlation with the Langmuir volume, and the inertia composition has a positive linear correlation with it. The cellular structures in the inertinite are the main site of coal bed methane enrichment. The microstructure of coal affects the coalbed methane content and the stage of hydrocarbon generation in coal. This indicates that the microstructure of coal is one of the important factors influencing the adsorption capacity of coal seam.

Coal worker's pneumoconiosis

MedlinePlus

... this page: //medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000130.htm Coal worker's pneumoconiosis To use the sharing features on this page, please enable JavaScript. Coal worker's pneumoconiosis (CWP) is a lung disease that ...

Fluidized coal combustion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moynihan, P. I.; Young, D. L.

1979-01-01

Fluidized-bed coal combustion process, in which pulverized coal and limestone are burned in presence of forced air, may lead to efficient, reliable boilers with low sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide emissions.

Indonesian coal mining

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

2008-11-15

The article examines the opportunities and challenges facing the Indonesian coal mining industry and how the coal producers, government and wider Indonesian society are working to overcome them. 2 figs., 1 tab.

Coal ash by-product reutilization

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Muncy, J.; Miller, B.

1997-09-01

Potomac Electric Power Company (PEPCO) has as part of its vision and value statement that, ``We are responsible stewards of environmental and corporate resources.`` With this moral imperative in mind, a project team was charged with initiating the Coal Pile Liner Project--installing a membrane liner under the existing coal storage pile at the Morgantown Generating Station. The existing coal yard facilities were constructed prior to the current environmental regulations, and it became necessary to upgrade the storage facilities to be environmentally friendly. The project team had two objectives in this project: (1) prevent coal pile leachate from entering the groundwatermore » system; (2) test the viability of using coal ash by-products as an aggregate substitute for concrete applications. Both objectives were met, and two additional benefits were achieved as well: (1) the use of coal ash by-products as a coal liner produced significant cost savings to the project directly; (2) the use of coal ash by-products reduced plant operation and maintenance expenses.« less

New catalysts for coal liquefaction and new nanocrystalline catalysts synthesis methods

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Linehan, J.C.; Matson, D.W.; Darab, J.G.

1994-09-01

The use of coal as a source of transportation fuel is currently economically unfavorable due to an abundant world petroleum supply and the relatively high cost of coal liquefaction. Consequently, a reduction in the cost of coal liquefaction, for example by using less and/or less costly catalysts or lower liquefaction temperatures, must be accomplished if coal is to play an significant role as a source of liquid feedstock for the petrochemical industry. The authors and others have investigated the applicability of using inexpensive iron-based catalysts in place of more costly and environmentally hazardous metal catalysts for direct coal liquefaction. Iron-basedmore » catalysts can be effective in liquefying coal and in promoting carbon-carbon bond cleavage in model compounds. The authors have been involved in an ongoing effort to develop and optimize iron-based powders for use in coal liquefaction and related petrochemical applications. Research efforts in this area have been directed at three general areas. The authors have explored ways to optimize the effectiveness of catalyst precursor species through use of nanocrystalline materials and/or finely divided powders. In this effort, the authors have developed two new nanophase material production techniques, Modified Reverse Micelle (MRM) and the Rapid Thermal Decomposition of precursors in Solution (RTDS). A second effort has been aimed at optimizing the effectiveness of catalysts by variations in other factors. To this, the authors have investigated the effect that the crystalline phase has on the capacity of iron-based oxide and oxyhydroxide powders to be effectively converted to an active catalyst phase under liquefaction conditions. And finally, the authors have developed methods to produce active catalyst precursor powders in quantities sufficient for pilot-scale testing. Major results in these three areas are summarized.« less

Applicability of the mixture of bituminous coal and anthracite to conventional pulverized coal firing boiler

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Takano, Shin-Ichi; Kiga, Takashi; Miyamae, Shigehiro

1994-12-31

In some future, it is expected for Japanese power stations to be hard to get a high-grade coal like a bituminous coal. We conducted therefore pilot scale tests of pulverized blends of bituminous coal and anthracite using a 1.2MWt tunnel furnace in order to evaluate the applicability of the blends of bituminous coal and anthracite to conventional pulverized coal firing boilers. One kind of bituminous coal and two kinds of anthracite, one was of low ash content and another was of high ash content, were prepared for the test. Previously to pilot scale tests, coal properties and ash properties ofmore » the blends of bituminous coal and anthracite were analyzed to estimate the characteristics of combustion, ash deposition, and so on. In the test, we investigated the combustion efficiency, NOx emission, characteristics of ignition stability and grindability changing the blend rate of anthracite. Results of our study indicated that the critical restrictions on the blending rate of anthracite were unburnt carbon in fly ash and NOx emission as for coals tested. The acceptable limitation on blending rate of anthracite was 10 and 20%, respectively for two kinds of conventional pulverized coal fired boiler. Concerning to the grindability, it became worse with increasing the blending rate of anthracite from grindability test using a roller mill, while it became better estimating from HGI.« less

Cleaning and dewatering fine coal

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yoon, Roe-Hoan; Eraydin, Mert K.; Freeland, Chad

Fine coal is cleaned of its mineral matter impurities and dewatered by mixing the aqueous slurry containing both with a hydrophobic liquid, subjecting the mixture to a phase separation. The resulting hydrophobic liquid phase contains coal particles free of surface moisture and droplets of water stabilized by coal particles, while the aqueous phase contains the mineral matter. By separating the entrained water droplets from the coal particles mechanically, a clean coal product of substantially reduced mineral matter and moisture contents is obtained. The spent hydrophobic liquid is separated from the clean coal product and recycled. The process can also bemore » used to separate one type of hydrophilic particles from another by selectively hydrophobizing one.« less

Chem I Supplement: The Geochemistry of Coal: I. The Classification and Origin of Coal.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schobert, Harold H.

1989-01-01

Discusses the composition and properties of various types of coal. Follows the origin of coal and amounts available in the ground. Explores the anaerobic decay needed to produce coal. Touches upon the greenhouse effect. (MVL)

Regulation of Coal Polymer Degradation by Fungi

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1998-09-01

During this reporting period we have further studied the oxidation of soluble coal macromolecules by lignin peroxidase from Phanerochaete chrysosporium . Previous studies by others have suggested that a soluble fraction (coal macromolecule B-111) from a nitric acid solubilized North Dakota Lignite is depolymerized by this enzyme. Our investigations indicate that fraction B-111 is a substrate for lignin peroxidase as this material is decolorized in the presence of lignin peroxidase H8 and hydrogen peroxide. Of interest, however, is the observation that little, if any, depolymerization of this material occurs. Instead, it appears that lignin peroxidase and coal macromolecule B-111 formmore » a precipitate. These results are similar to those observed in our investigations of lignin peroxidase mediated oxidation of oxalate solubilize coal macromolecule. Previous studies in our laboratory using a spectrophotometric assay suggested that, in addition to oxalate, several other fungal metabolites are able to solubilize leonardite. We have reinvestigated this phenomenon using a more reliable gravimetric procedure for assessing solubilization. Our results confirm our earlier findings that malate, oxaloacetate and citrate are effective solubilizing agents whereas succinate, fumarate and x-ketoglutarate solubilize relatively small amounts of leonardite. Finally, we have studied the composition of the insoluble material remaining following extensive solubilization by sodium oxalate. The ratio of hydrogen to carbon is increased in the insoluble material relative to the parent leonardite. However, the ratio of oxygen to carbon is also increased in the insoluble material. Thus, the insoluble material does not appear to be more highly reduced that the parent leonardite and is not likely to be a better fuel that the parent material.« less

Characteristics of coking coal burnout

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nakamura, M.; Bailey, J.G.

An attempt was made to clarify the characteristics of coking coal burnout by the morphological analysis of char and fly ash samples. Laboratory-scale combustion testing, simulating an ignition process, was carried out for three kinds of coal (two coking coals and one non-coking coal for reference), and sampled chars were analyzed for size, shape and type by image analysis. The full combustion process was examined in industrial-scale combustion testing for the same kinds of coal. Char sampled at the burner outlet and fly ash at the furnace exit were also analyzed. The difference between the char type, swelling properties, agglomeration,more » anisotropy and carbon burnout were compared at laboratory scale and at industrial scale. As a result, it was found that coking coals produced chars with relatively thicker walls, which mainly impeded char burnout, especially for low volatile coals.« less

40. BOILER HOUSE, BEGINNING OF COAL CONVEYOR FROM COAL TOWER ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

40. BOILER HOUSE, BEGINNING OF COAL CONVEYOR FROM COAL TOWER No. 1 (FIFTH FLOOR OR CABLE ROAD FLOOR SHOWN IN DRAWING No. 6 OF 13) - Delaware County Electric Company, Chester Station, Delaware River at South end of Ward Street, Chester, Delaware County, PA

Geochemistry of vanadium (V) in Chinese coals.

PubMed

Liu, Yuan; Liu, Guijian; Qu, Qinyuan; Qi, Cuicui; Sun, Ruoyu; Liu, Houqi

2017-10-01

Vanadium in coals may have potential environmental and economic impacts. However, comprehensive knowledge of the geochemistry of V in coals is lacking. In this study, abundances, distribution and modes of occurrence of V are reviewed by compiling >2900 reported Chinese coal samples. With coal reserves in individual provinces as the weighting factors, V in Chinese coals is estimated to have an average abundance of 35.81 μg/g. Large variation of V concentration is observed in Chinese coals of different regions, coal-forming periods, and maturation ranks. According to the concentration coefficient of V in coals from individual provinces, three regions are divided across Chinese coal deposits. Vanadium in Chinese coals is probably influenced by sediment source and sedimentary environment, supplemented by late-stage hydrothermal fluids. Specifically, hydrothermal fluids have relatively more significant effect on the enrichment of V in local coal seams. Vanadium in coals is commonly associated with aluminosilicate minerals and organic matter, and the modes of V occurrence in coal depend on coal-forming environment and coal rank. The Chinese V emission inventory during coal combustion is estimated to be 4906 mt in 2014, accounting for 50.55 % of global emission. Vanadium emissions by electric power plants are the largest contributor.

Formation and retention of methane in coal

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hucka, V.J.; Bodily, D.M.; Huang, H.

1992-05-15

The formation and retention of methane in coalbeds was studied for ten Utah coal samples, one Colorado coal sample and eight coal samples from the Argonne Premium Coal Sample Bank.Methane gas content of the Utah and Colorado coals varied from zero to 9 cm{sup 3}/g. The Utah coals were all high volatile bituminous coals. The Colorado coal was a gassy medium volatile bituminous coal. The Argonne coals cover a range or rank from lignite to low volatile bituminous coal and were used to determine the effect of rank in laboratory studies. The methane content of six selected Utah coal seamsmore » and the Colorado coal seam was measured in situ using a special sample collection device and a bubble desorbometer. Coal samples were collected at each measurement site for laboratory analysis. The cleat and joint system was evaluated for the coal and surrounding rocks and geological conditions were noted. Permeability measurements were performed on selected samples and all samples were analyzed for proximate and ultimate analysis, petrographic analysis, {sup 13}C NMR dipolar-dephasing spectroscopy, and density analysis. The observed methane adsorption behavior was correlated with the chemical structure and physical properties of the coals.« less

Process for improving soluble coal yield in a coal deashing process

DOEpatents

Rhodes, Donald E.

1980-01-01

Coal liquefaction products are contacted with a deashing solvent and introduced into a first separation zone. The first separation zone is maintained at an elevated temperature and pressure, determined to maximize the recovery of soluble coal products, to cause said coal liquefaction products to separate into a first light phase and a first heavy phase. Under these conditions the heavy phase while still fluid-like in character is substantially non-flowable. Flowability is returned to the fluid-like heavy phase by the introduction of an additional quantity of deashing solvent into the first separation zone at a location below the interface between the first light and heavy phases or into the heavy phase withdrawal conduit during withdrawal of the first heavy phase and prior to any substantial pressure reduction. The first heavy phase then is withdrawn from the first separation zone for additional downstream processing without plugging either the withdrawal conduit or the downstream apparatus. The first light phase comprising the soluble coal products is withdrawn and recovered in an increased yield to provide a more economical coal deashing process.

A big picture look at big coal: Teaching students to link societal and environmental issues

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sojka, S. L.

2014-12-01

The environmental impact of coal mining and burning of coal is evident and generally easy to understand. However, students often struggle to understand the social impacts of coal mining. A jigsaw activity culminating in a mock town hall meeting helps students link social, economic and environmental impacts of coal mining. Students are divided into four groups and assigned the task of researching the environmental, social, economic or health impacts of coal mining in West Virginia. When students have completed the research, they are assigned a role for the town hall. Roles include local community members, direct employees of the coal industry, business owners from industries related to coal mining, and environmentalists. One student from each research area is assigned to each role, forcing students to consider environmental, social, health and economic aspects of coal mining in choosing an appropriate position for their role. Students have 30 minutes to prepare their positions and then present for 2-5 minutes in the simulated town hall. We then have open class discussion and review the positions. Finally, students are required to write a letter to the editor of the local paper. The specific topic for the town hall and letters can be varied based on current events and could include new regulations on power plants, mine safety, government funding of alternative energy supplies or a range of other topics. This approach forces students to consider all aspects of the issue. In addition, because students have to assume a role, they are more aware of the direct impact that coal mining has on individuals' lives.

Preliminary report on coal resources of the Wyodak-Anderson coal zone, Powder River Basin, Wyoming and Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ellis, Margaret S.; Gunther, Gregory L.; Flores, Romeo M.; Ochs, Allen M.; Stricker, Gary D.; Roberts, Steven B.; Taber, Thomas T.; Bader, Lisa R.; Schuenemeyer, John H.

1998-01-01

The National Coal Resource Assessment (NCRA) project by the U.S. Geological Survey is designed to assess US coal with the greatest potential for development in the next 20 to 30 years. Coal in the Wyodak-Anderson (WA) coal zone in the Powder River Basin of Wyoming and Montana is plentiful, clean, and compliant with EPA emissions standards. This coal is considered to be very desirable for development for use in electric power generation. The purpose of this NCRA study was to compile all available data relating to the Wyodak- Anderson coal, correlate the beds that make up the WA coal zone, create digital files pertaining to the study area and the WA coal, and produce a variety of reports on various aspects of the assessed coal unit. This report contains preliminary calculations of coal resources for the WA coal zone and is one of many products of the NCRA study. Coal resource calculations in this report were produced using both public and confidential data from many sources. The data was manipulated using a variety of commercially available software programs and several custom programs. A general description of the steps involved in producing the resource calculations is described in this report.

Advanced Systems for Preprocessing and Characterizing Coal-Biomass Mixtures as Next-Generation Fuels and Feedstocks

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Karmis, Michael; Luttrell, Gerald; Ripepi, Nino

The research activities presented in this report are intended to address the most critical technical challenges pertaining to coal-biomass briquette feedstocks. Several detailed investigations were conducted using a variety of coal and biomass feedstocks on the topics of (1) coal-biomass briquette production and characterization, (2) gasification of coal-biomass mixtures and briquettes, (3) combustion of coal-biomass mixtures and briquettes, and (4) conceptual engineering design and economic feasibility of briquette production. The briquette production studies indicate that strong and durable co-firing feedstocks can be produced by co-briquetting coal and biomass resources commonly available in the United States. It is demonstrated that binderlessmore » coal-biomass briquettes produced at optimized conditions exhibit very high strength and durability, which indicates that such briquettes would remain competent in the presence of forces encountered in handling, storage and transportation. The gasification studies conducted demonstrate that coal-biomass mixtures and briquettes are exceptional gasification feedstocks, particularly with regard to the synergistic effects realized during devolatilization of the blended materials. The mixture combustion studies indicate that coal-biomass mixtures are exceptional combustion feedstocks, while the briquette combustion study indicates that the use of blended briquettes reduces NO x, CO 2, and CO emissions, and requires the least amount of changes in the operating conditions of an existing coal-fired power plant. Similar results were obtained for the physical durability of the pilot-scale briquettes compared to the bench-scale tests. Finally, the conceptual engineering and feasibility analysis study for a commercial-scale briquetting production facility provides preliminary flowsheet and cost simulations to evaluate the various feedstocks, equipment selection and operating parameters.« less

Annual Coal Report

EIA Publications

2016-01-01

Provides information about U.S. coal production, number of mines, prices, productivity, employment, productive capacity, and recoverable reserves to a wide audience, including Congress, federal and state agencies, the coal industry, and the general public.

Coal bed sequestration of carbon dioxide

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stanton, Robert; Flores, Romeo M.; Warwick, Peter D.; Gluskoter, Harold J.; Stricker, Gary D.

2001-01-01

Geologic sequestration of CO2 generated from fossil fuel combustion may be an environmentally attractive method to reduce the amount of greenhouse gas emissions. Of the geologic options, sequestering CO2 in coal beds has several advantages. For example, CO2 injection can enhance methane production from coal beds; coal can trap CO2 for long periods of time; and potential major coal basins that contain ideal beds for sequestration are near many emitting sources of CO2.One mission of the Energy Resources Program of the U.S. Geological Survey is to maintain assessment information of the Nation’s resources of coal, oil, and gas. The National Coal Resources Assessment Project is currently completing a periodic assessment of 5 major coal-producing regions of the US. These regions include the Powder River and Williston and other Northern Rocky Mountain basins (Fort Union Coal Assessment Team, 1999), Colorado Plateau area (Kirschbaum and others, 2000), Gulf Coast Region, Appalachian Basin, and Illinois Basin. The major objective of this assessment is to estimate available coal resources and quality for the major producing coal beds of the next 25 years and produce digital databases and maps. Although the focus of this work has been on coal beds with the greatest potential for mining, it serves as a basis for future assessments of the coal beds for other uses such as coal bed methane resources, in situ gasification, and sites for sequestration of CO2. Coal bed methane production combined with CO2 injection and storage expands the use of a coal resource and can provide multiple benefits including increased methane recovery, methane drainage of a resource area, and the long-term storage of CO2.

Impregnating Coal With Calcium Carbonate

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sharma, Pramod K.; Voecks, Gerald E.; Gavalas, George R.

1991-01-01

Relatively inexpensive process proposed for impregnating coal with calcium carbonate to increase rates of gasification and combustion of coal and to reduce emission of sulfur by trapping sulfur in calcium sulfide. Process involves aqueous-phase reactions between carbon dioxide (contained within pore network of coal) and calcium acetate. Coal impregnated with CO2 by exposing it to CO2 at high pressure.

Coal ball formation and a soil extinction near the P-Tr boundary

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Breecker, D.; Royer, D. L.

2017-12-01

Coal balls are calcium carbonate accumulations that commonly permineralize paleotropical PermoCarboniferous coal deposits and preserve exceptional specimens of the coal swamp flora. A widely applicable model for the origin of coal balls is lacking despite the study of these deposits for over a century. Two characteristics of coal balls have been particularly challenging to explain: 1) their temporal range is restricted to the PermoCarboniferous and 2) their typical oxygen isotope and elemental compositions paradoxically indicate freshwater and marine origins, respectively. We propose a new model for coal ball formation. The first step in our model is the episodic delivery of seawater and marine carbonate sediment to coastal mires. Next, these waters are diluted by freshwater and the carbonates dissolve at the elevated pCO2 of the mire subsurface. Finally, as waters flow laterally through stands of arborescent lycopsids, aqueous CO2 in the pore spaces of the peat escapes by diffusion through the air-filled lycopsid rootlets into the overlying water column, where some rootlets are thought to have extended. The CO2 escape drives calcite precipitation in the soil zone. This model explains the narrow temporal occurrence of coal balls, which coincides with the peak diversity of arborescent lycopsids. It also resolves the geochemical conundrum; dilution by freshwater can result in relatively low pore water δ18O values without preventing high-Mg calcite formation. Furthermore, we show mathematically that for published densities of arborescent lycopsid root mats and for reasonable rates of lateral water flow and vertical peat accumulation, CO2 could escape rapidly enough through the rootlets to fill >35% of the porosity with calcite before substantial burial (top several decimeters of peat), explaining the exceptional preservation of coal swamp flora. Therefore, we suggest that coal balls are pedogenic in origin and that their disappearance from the rock record represents

Desulfurizing Coal By Chlorinolysis and Hydrogenation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kalvinskas, J. J.; Rohatgi, N. K.

1983-01-01

85 percent of organic and pyritic sulfur in coal removed by combination of chlorinolysis and hydrogeneration. Coal is fed to hydrogenator after chlorination. Coal flows against hydrogen current increasing mixing and reducing hydrogen consumption. Excess hydrogen is recovered from gaseous reaction products. Product coal contained 62.5 percent less total sulfur than same coal after chlorination.

Domestic coal resource evaluations: Changes in the coal availability and recoverability studies

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Carter, M.D.; Rohrbacher, T.J.

1996-12-31

Coal availability and recoverability studies conducted during the past six years show that, in some regions of the US, economically minable coal resources are not as abundant as have been reported in the past. The US Geological Survey (USGS), US Bureau of Mines (USBM), and State geological agencies have completed detailed resource analysis in the first 15 7.5-minute quadrangle areas in the Central and Northern Appalachian regions and the Illinois Basin. Findings indicate that, in these study areas, 50% of the original coal resource is available for mining, one-half of the remaining resource (or approximately 25% of the original resource)more » is recoverable utilizing current mining technology, and a mere 8% of the total resource can be extracted and marketed profitably. Three major events during 1995 and 1996 have added flexibility, versatility, continuity, and useability to the studies: (1) establishment of the USGS`s National Coal Resource Assessment program in 1995, (2) inclusion of the USBM`s Coal Recoverability Studies into the USGS`s Coal Availability Studies (after the abolishment of the USBM in 1996), and, perhaps most significantly, (3) the new ability to study multiple quadrangle areas in single models (thus allowing a more regional approach) in a similar time frame. Together, these events will allow coal resource information--location, quantity, quality, social and environmental considerations, minability, and economics--to be accessed in databases through one entity.« less

Tribological properties of coal slurries

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fusaro, Robert L.; Schrubens, Dale L.

1987-01-01

A pin-on-disk tribometer was used to study the tribological properties of methyl alcohol-coal slurries. Friction coefficients, steel pin wear rates and wear surface morphological studies were conducted on AISI 440C HT and M-50 bearing steels which were slid dry and in solutions of methyl alcohol, methyl alcohol-fine coal particles, and methyl alcohol-fine coal particles-flocking additive. The latter was an oil derived from coal and originally intended to be added to the coal slurry to improve the sedimentation and rheology properties. The results of this study indicated that the addition of the flocking additive to the coal slurry markedly improved the tribological properties, especially wear. In addition, the type of steel was found to be very important in determining the type of wear that took place. Cracks and pits were found on the M-50 steel pin wear surfaces that slid in the coal slurries while 440C HT steel pins showed none.

Low severity coal liquefaction promoted by cyclic olefins. Quarterly report, January--March 1994

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Curtis, C.W.

Previous research has suggested that using a more effective hydrogen donor solvent in the low severity coal liquefaction reaction improves coal conversion. In order to understand the results of these methods, both independently and combined, a factorial experiment was designed. Pretreating coal with hydrochloric and sulfurous acid solutions in both water and methanol is compared with pretreating coal using only methanol and with no pretreatment. The effects of these pretreatments on coal liquefaction behavior are contrasted with the ammonium acetate pretreatment. Within each of these, individual reactions are performed with the hydroaromatic 1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalene (tetralin, TET) and the cyclic olefin 1,4,5,8-tetrahydronaphthalenemore » (isotetralin, ISO). The final aspect of the factorial experiment is the comparison of Wyodak subbituminous coal (WY) from the Argonne Premium Sample Bank and Black Thunder subbituminous coal (BT) provided by Amoco. Half of the reactions in the matrix have now been completed. In all but one case, Black Thunder-HCl/H{sub 2}O, the ISO proved to be more reactive than TET. After the other four reactions using this combination are complete, the average conversion may be greater with the cyclic olefin. The second part of this paper describes the current and future work with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The objective of this work is to determine the kinetics of reaction of isotetralin at high temperatures and pressures. This quarter combinations of three products typically produced from isotetralin were used in spectral subtraction.« less

Assessment of negotiation options for coal-lease sales

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rothkopf, M.H.; McGuire, C.B.

The Commission on Fair Market Value Policy for Federal Coal Leasing recommended that the government have authority to negotiate a fair price for coal leases when competitive bids cannot be obtained. This report analyzes the choices the government faces in designing a coal lease sale mechanism. It considers the impact of the alternatives on economic efficiency, government revenue, administrative workability, fairness and the appearance of fairness. The report concludes that there are advantageous ways for the government to negotiate coal leases when there is only one serious potential bidder for a lease. First, the report notes the advantages of negotiatingmore » exchanges that leave the government with economically logical potentially minable tracts. It also notes the advantages of negotiating shares for the ''cooperative leasing'' by auction of such tracts. For other one bidder tracts, the report concludes that there are potential advantages to ease negotiation provided that: (1) all negotiations are tentative subject to ''validation'' of their one bidder nature in a post-negotiation formal sale process, (2) the government negotiate on more leases than it will conclude, using whenever possible, a ''round-robin'' negotiation procedure, (3) government employees and not independent agents negotiate for the government, and (4) negotiations are narrowly confined to the amount of bonus. The report also suggests that the government may wish to consider use of final-offer arbitration on those leases, such as bypasses, on which both the government and the private party have high interest in reaching an agreement.« less

Coal liquefaction quenching process

DOEpatents

Thorogood, Robert M.; Yeh, Chung-Liang; Donath, Ernest E.

1983-01-01

There is described an improved coal liquefaction quenching process which prevents the formation of coke with a minimum reduction of thermal efficiency of the coal liquefaction process. In the process, the rapid cooling of the liquid/solid products of the coal liquefaction reaction is performed without the cooling of the associated vapor stream to thereby prevent formation of coke and the occurrence of retrograde reactions. The rapid cooling is achieved by recycling a subcooled portion of the liquid/solid mixture to the lower section of a phase separator that separates the vapor from the liquid/solid products leaving the coal reactor.

Fluidized bed coal desulfurization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ravindram, M.

1983-01-01

Laboratory scale experiments were conducted on two high volatile bituminous coals in a bench scale batch fluidized bed reactor. Chemical pretreatment and posttreatment of coals were tried as a means of enhancing desulfurization. Sequential chlorination and dechlorination cum hydrodesulfurization under modest conditions relative to the water slurry process were found to result in substantial sulfur reductions of about 80%. Sulfur forms as well as proximate and ultimate analyses of the processed coals are included. These studies indicate that a fluidized bed reactor process has considerable potential for being developed into a simple and economic process for coal desulfurization.

An intermodal network model of coal distribution in the United States and its economic implications for the inland waterway system Kentucky : final report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2016-01-22

This paper describes a GIS-based intermodal network model for the shipment of coal in the United States. The purpose : of this research was to investigate the role played by railways, waterways, and highways in the movement of coal from : its source ...

Petrography and microanalysis of Pennsylvanian coal-ball concretions (Herrin Coal, Illinois Basin, USA): Bearing on fossil plant preservation and coal-ball origins

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Siewers, Fredrick D.; Phillips, Tom L.

2015-11-01

Petrographic analyses of 25 coal balls from well-studied paleobotanical profiles in the Middle Pennsylvanian Herrin Coal (Westphalian D, Illinois Basin) and five select coal balls from university collections, indicate that Herrin Coal-ball peats were permineralized by fibrous and non-fibrous carbonates. Fibrous carbonates occur in fan-like to spherulitic arrays in many intracellular (within tissue) pores, and are best developed in relatively open extracellular (between plant) pore spaces. Acid etched fibrous carbonates appear white under reflected light and possess a microcrystalline texture attributable to abundant microdolomite. Scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and electron microprobe analysis demonstrate that individual fibers have a distinct trigonal prism morphology and are notable for their magnesium content (≈ 9-15 mol% MgCO3). Non-fibrous carbonates fill intercrystalline spaces among fibers and pores within the peat as primary precipitates and neomorphic replacements. In the immediate vicinity of plant cell walls, non-fibrous carbonates cut across fibrous carbonates as a secondary, neomorphic phase attributed to coalification of plant cell walls. Dolomite occurs as diagenetic microdolomite associated with the fibrous carbonate phase, as sparite replacements, and as void-filling cement. Maximum dolomite (50-59 wt.%) is in the top-of-seam coal-ball zone at the Sahara Mine, which is overlain by the marine Anna Shale. Coal-ball formation in the Herrin Coal began with the precipitation of fibrous high magnesium calcite. The trigonal prism morphology of the carbonate fibers suggests rapid precipitation from super-saturated, meteoric pore waters. Carbonate precipitation from marine waters is discounted on the basis of stratigraphic, paleobotanical, and stable isotopic evidence. Most non-fibrous carbonate is attributable to later diagenetic events, including void-fill replacements, recrystallization, and post-depositional fracture fills. Evidence

Hydrotreating of coal-derived liquids

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lott, S.E.; Stohl, F.V.; Diegert, K.V.

1995-12-31

To develop a database relating hydrotreating parameters to feed and product quality by experimentally evaluating options for hydrotreating whole coal liquids, distillate cuts of coal liquids, petroleum, and blends of coal liquids with petroleum.

Laboratory Scale Coal And Biomass To Drop-In Fuels (CBDF) Production And Assessment

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lux, Kenneth; Imam, Tahmina; Chevanan, Nehru

This Final Technical Report describes the work and accomplishments of the project entitled, “Laboratory Scale Coal and Biomass to Drop-In Fuels (CBDF) Production and Assessment.” The main objective of the project was to fabricate and test a lab-scale liquid-fuel production system using coal containing different percentages of biomass such as corn stover and switchgrass at a rate of 2 liters per day. The system utilizes the patented Altex fuel-production technology, which incorporates advanced catalysts developed by Pennsylvania State University. The system was designed, fabricated, tested, and assessed for economic and environmental feasibility relative to competing technologies.

Iron catalyzed coal liquefaction process

DOEpatents

Garg, Diwakar; Givens, Edwin N.

1983-01-01

A process is described for the solvent refining of coal into a gas product, a liquid product and a normally solid dissolved product. Particulate coal and a unique co-catalyst system are suspended in a coal solvent and processed in a coal liquefaction reactor, preferably an ebullated bed reactor. The co-catalyst system comprises a combination of a stoichiometric excess of iron oxide and pyrite which reduce predominantly to active iron sulfide catalysts in the reaction zone. This catalyst system results in increased catalytic activity with attendant improved coal conversion and enhanced oil product distribution as well as reduced sulfide effluent. Iron oxide is used in a stoichiometric excess of that required to react with sulfur indigenous to the feed coal and that produced during reduction of the pyrite catalyst to iron sulfide.

Coal assessments and coal research in the Appalachian basin: Chapter D.4 in Coal and petroleum resources in the Appalachian basin: distribution, geologic framework, and geochemical character

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tewalt, Susan J.; Ruppert, Leslie F.; Ruppert, Leslie F.; Ryder, Robert T.

2014-01-01

State geological surveys are concentrating on mapping and correlating coal beds and coal zones and studying CBM potential and production. Both State surveys and the USGS are researching the potential for carbon dioxide sequestration in unmined coal beds and other geologic reservoirs. In addition, the State geological surveys continue their long-term collaboration with the USGS and provide coal stratigraphic data to the National Coal Resources Data System (NCRDS).

An Industrial-Based Consortium to Develop Premium Carbon Products from Coal Final Report - Part 5

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Miller, Bruce; Shea, Winton

2010-12-31

Since 1998, The Pennsylvania State University successfully managed the Consortium for Premium Carbon Products from Coal (CPCPC), which was a vehicle for industry-driven research on the promotion, development, and transfer of innovative technologies on premium carbon products from coal to the U.S. industry. The CPCPC was an initiative led by Penn State, its cocharter member West Virginia University (WVU), and the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), who also provided the base funding for the program, with Penn State responsible for consortium management. CPCPC began in 1998 under DOE Cooperative Agreement No. DE-FC26-98FT40350. This agreement ended November 2004 but the CPCPC activity continued under cooperative agreement No. DE-FC26-03NT41874, which started October 1, 2003 and ended December 31, 2010. The objective of the second agreement was to continue the successful operation of the CPCPC. The CPCPC enjoyed tremendous success with its organizational structure, which included Penn State and WVU as charter members, numerous industrial affiliate members, and strategic university affiliate members together with NETL, forming a vibrant and creative team for innovative research in the area of transforming coal to carbon products. The key aspect of CPCPC was its industry-led council that selected proposals submitted by CPCPC members to ensure CPCPC target areas had strong industrial support. CPCPC had 58 member companies and universities engaged over the 7-year period of this contract. Members were from 17 states and five countries outside of the U.S. During this period, the CPCPC Executive Council selected 46 projects for funding. DOE/CPCPC providedmore » $3.9 million in funding or an average of $564,000 per year. The total project costs were $5.45 million with $$1.5 million, or {approx}28% of the total, provided by the members as cost share. Total average project size was $$118,000 with $85,900 provided by DOE/CPCPC. In

An Industrial-Based Consortium to Develop Premium Carbon Products from Coal Final Report - Part 4

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Miller, Bruce; Shea, Winton

Since 1998, The Pennsylvania State University successfully managed the Consortium for Premium Carbon Products from Coal (CPCPC), which was a vehicle for industry-driven research on the promotion, development, and transfer of innovative technologies on premium carbon products from coal to the U.S. industry. The CPCPC was an initiative led by Penn State, its cocharter member West Virginia University (WVU), and the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), who also provided the base funding for the program, with Penn State responsible for consortium management. CPCPC began in 1998 under DOE Cooperative Agreement No. DE-FC26-98FT40350. This agreement ended November 2004 but the CPCPC activity continued under cooperative agreement No. DE-FC26-03NT41874, which started October 1, 2003 and ended December 31, 2010. The objective of the second agreement was to continue the successful operation of the CPCPC. The CPCPC enjoyed tremendous success with its organizational structure, which included Penn State and WVU as charter members, numerous industrial affiliate members, and strategic university affiliate members together with NETL, forming a vibrant and creative team for innovative research in the area of transforming coal to carbon products. The key aspect of CPCPC was its industry-led council that selected proposals submitted by CPCPC members to ensure CPCPC target areas had strong industrial support. CPCPC had 58 member companies and universities engaged over the 7-year period of this contract. Members were from 17 states and five countries outside of the U.S. During this period, the CPCPC Executive Council selected 46 projects for funding. DOE/CPCPC providedmore » $3.9 million in funding or an average of $564,000 per year. The total project costs were $5.45 million with $$1.5 million, or {approx}28% of the total, provided by the members as cost share. Total average project size was $$118,000 with $85,900 provided by DOE/CPCPC. In

An Industrial-Based Consortium to Develop Premium Carbon Products from Coal Final Report - Part 1

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Miller, Bruce; Winton, Shea

2010-12-31

Since 1998, The Pennsylvania State University successfully managed the Consortium for Premium Carbon Products from Coal (CPCPC), which was a vehicle for industry-driven research on the promotion, development, and transfer of innovative technologies on premium carbon products from coal to the U.S. industry. The CPCPC was an initiative led by Penn State, its cocharter member West Virginia University (WVU), and the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), who also provided the base funding for the program, with Penn State responsible for consortium management. CPCPC began in 1998 under DOE Cooperative Agreement No. DE-FC26-98FT40350. This agreement endedmore » November 2004 but the CPCPC activity continued under cooperative agreement No. DE-FC26-03NT41874, which started October 1, 2003 and ended December 31, 2010. The objective of the second agreement was to continue the successful operation of the CPCPC. The CPCPC enjoyed tremendous success with its organizational structure, which included Penn State and WVU as charter members, numerous industrial affiliate members, and strategic university affiliate members together with NETL, forming a vibrant and creative team for innovative research in the area of transforming coal to carbon products. The key aspect of CPCPC was its industry-led council that selected proposals submitted by CPCPC members to ensure CPCPC target areas had strong industrial support. CPCPC had 58 member companies and universities engaged over the 7-year period of this contract. Members were from 17 states and five countries outside of the U.S. During this period, the CPCPC Executive Council selected 46 projects for funding. DOE/CPCPC provided $3.9 million in funding or an average of $564,000 per year. The total project costs were $5.45 million with $1.5 million, or ~28% of the total, provided by the members as cost share. Total average project size was $118,000 with $85,900 provided by DOE/CPCPC. In addition to

An Industrial-Based Consortium to Develop Premium Carbon Products from Coal Final Report - Part 3

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Miller, Bruce; Shea, Winton

2010-12-31

Since 1998, The Pennsylvania State University successfully managed the Consortium for Premium Carbon Products from Coal (CPCPC), which was a vehicle for industry-driven research on the promotion, development, and transfer of innovative technologies on premium carbon products from coal to the U.S. industry. The CPCPC was an initiative led by Penn State, its cocharter member West Virginia University (WVU), and the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), who also provided the base funding for the program, with Penn State responsible for consortium management. CPCPC began in 1998 under DOE Cooperative Agreement No. DE-FC26-98FT40350. This agreement endedmore » November 2004 but the CPCPC activity continued under cooperative agreement No. DE-FC26-03NT41874, which started October 1, 2003 and ended December 31, 2010. The objective of the second agreement was to continue the successful operation of the CPCPC. The CPCPC enjoyed tremendous success with its organizational structure, which included Penn State and WVU as charter members, numerous industrial affiliate members, and strategic university affiliate members together with NETL, forming a vibrant and creative team for innovative research in the area of transforming coal to carbon products. The key aspect of CPCPC was its industry-led council that selected proposals submitted by CPCPC members to ensure CPCPC target areas had strong industrial support. CPCPC had 58 member companies and universities engaged over the 7-year period of this contract. Members were from 17 states and five countries outside of the U.S. During this period, the CPCPC Executive Council selected 46 projects for funding. DOE/CPCPC provided $3.9 million in funding or an average of $564,000 per year. The total project costs were $5.45 million with $1.5 million, or ~28% of the total, provided by the members as cost share. Total average project size was $118,000 with $85,900 provided by DOE/CPCPC. In addition to

An Industrial-Based Consortium to Develop Premium Carbon Products from Coal Final Report - Part 2

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Miller, Bruce; Winton, Shea

2010-12-31

Since 1998, The Pennsylvania State University successfully managed the Consortium for Premium Carbon Products from Coal (CPCPC), which was a vehicle for industry-driven research on the promotion, development, and transfer of innovative technologies on premium carbon products from coal to the U.S. industry. The CPCPC was an initiative led by Penn State, its cocharter member West Virginia University (WVU), and the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), who also provided the base funding for the program, with Penn State responsible for consortium management. CPCPC began in 1998 under DOE Cooperative Agreement No. DE-FC26-98FT40350. This agreement endedmore » November 2004 but the CPCPC activity continued under cooperative agreement No. DE-FC26-03NT41874, which started October 1, 2003 and ended December 31, 2010. The objective of the second agreement was to continue the successful operation of the CPCPC. The CPCPC enjoyed tremendous success with its organizational structure, which included Penn State and WVU as charter members, numerous industrial affiliate members, and strategic university affiliate members together with NETL, forming a vibrant and creative team for innovative research in the area of transforming coal to carbon products. The key aspect of CPCPC was its industry-led council that selected proposals submitted by CPCPC members to ensure CPCPC target areas had strong industrial support. CPCPC had 58 member companies and universities engaged over the 7-year period of this contract. Members were from 17 states and five countries outside of the U.S. During this period, the CPCPC Executive Council selected 46 projects for funding. DOE/CPCPC provided $3.9 million in funding or an average of $564,000 per year. The total project costs were $5.45 million with $1.5 million, or ~28% of the total, provided by the members as cost share. Total average project size was $118,000 with $85,900 provided by DOE/CPCPC. In addition to

Flash hydrogenation of coal

DOEpatents

Manowitz, Bernard; Steinberg, Meyer; Sheehan, Thomas V.; Winsche, Warren E.; Raseman, Chad J.

1976-01-01

A process for the hydrogenation of coal comprising the contacting of powdered coal with hydrogen in a rotating fluidized bed reactor. A rotating fluidized bed reactor suitable for use in this process is also disclosed. The coal residence time in the reactor is limited to less than 5 seconds while the hydrogen contact time is not in excess of 0.2 seconds.

ArcView Coal Evaluation User's Guide

USGS Publications Warehouse

Watson, William

2007-01-01

Purpose: The objective of the ArcView Coal Evaluation (ACE) is to estimate the amount and location of coal available to be mined by various coal mining technologies, based on the geologic coverages developed in the National Coal Resource Assessment (NCRA) which are the starting coverages used in the Geographic Information Systems (GIS) evaluation of coal resources. The ACE Users Guide provides many examples of how to apply technical limits based upon mining technology. The methods, which are iterative for any given mining technology, should transfer directly by mining technology to other coal beds.

Study of boron behaviour in two Spanish coal combustion power plants.

PubMed

Ochoa-González, Raquel; Cuesta, Aida Fuente; Córdoba, Patricia; Díaz-Somoano, Mercedes; Font, Oriol; López-Antón, M Antonia; Querol, Xavier; Martínez-Tarazona, M Rosa; Giménez, Antonio

2011-10-01

A full-scale field study was carried out at two Spanish coal-fired power plants equipped with electrostatic precipitator (ESP) and wet flue gas desulfurisation (FGD) systems to investigate the distribution of boron in coals, solid by-products, wastewater streams and flue gases. The results were obtained from the simultaneous sampling of solid, liquid and gaseous streams and their subsequent analysis in two different laboratories for purposes of comparison. Although the final aim of this study was to evaluate the partitioning of boron in a (co-)combustion power plant, special attention was paid to the analytical procedure for boron determination. A sample preparation procedure was optimised for coal and combustion by-products to overcome some specific shortcomings of the currently used acid digestion methods. In addition boron mass balances and removal efficiencies in ESP and FGD devices were calculated. Mass balance closures between 83 and 149% were obtained. During coal combustion, 95% of the incoming boron was collected in the fly ashes. The use of petroleum coke as co-combustible produced a decrease in the removal efficiency of the ESP (87%). Nevertheless, more than 90% of the remaining gaseous boron was eliminated via the FGD in the wastewater discharged from the scrubber, thereby causing environmental problems. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Variations in pore characteristics in high volatile bituminous coals: Implications for coal bed gas content

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mastalerz, Maria; Drobniak, A.; Strapoc, D.; Solano-Acosta, W.; Rupp, J.

2008-01-01

The Seelyville Coal Member of the Linton Formation (Pennsylvanian) in Indiana was studied to: 1) understand variations in pore characteristics within a coal seam at a single location and compare these variations with changes occurring between the same coal at different locations, 2) elaborate on the influence of mineral-matter and maceral composition on mesopore and micropore characteristics, and 3) discuss implications of these variations for coal bed gas content. The coal is high volatile bituminous rank with R0 ranging from 0.57% to 0.60%. BET specific surface areas (determined by nitrogen adsorption) of the coals samples studied range from 1.8 to 22.9??m2/g, BJH adsorption mesopore volumes from 0.0041 to 0.0339??cm3/g, and micropore volumes (determined by carbon dioxide adsorption) from 0.0315 to 0.0540??cm3/g. The coals that had the largest specific surface areas and largest mesopore volumes occur at the shallowest depths, whereas the smallest values for these two parameters occur in the deepest coals. Micropore volumes, in contrast, are not depth-dependent. In the coal samples examined for this study, mineral-matter content influenced both specific surface area as well as mesopore and micropore volumes. It is especially clear in the case of micropores, where an increase in mineral-matter content parallels the decrease of micropore volume of the coal. No obvious relationships were observed between the total vitrinite content and pore characteristics but, after splitting vitrinite into individual macerals, we see that collotelinite influences both meso- and micropore volume positively, whereas collodetrinite contributes to the reduction of mesopore and micropore volumes. There are large variations in gas content within a single coal at a single location. Because of this variability, the entire thickness of the coal must be desorbed in order to determine gas content reliably and to accurately calculate the level of gas saturation. ?? 2008 Elsevier B.V. All

Macromolecular structure of coals. 6. Mass spectroscopic analysis of coal-derived liquids

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hooker, D.T.; Lucht, L.M.; Peppas, N.A.

1986-02-01

The macromolecular structure of coal networks was analyzed by depolymerizing coal samples using the Sternberg reductive alkylation and the Miyake alkylation techniques. Electron impact mass spectra showed peaks of greater abundance of 125-132, 252-260, 383-391, and 511-520 m/z ratios. Based on analysis of the patterns of the spectra, the cluster size of the cross-linked structure of bituminous coals was determined as 126-130. Various chemical species were identified.

Study of Natural Radioactivity in Coal Samples of Baganuur Coal Mine, Mongolia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Altangerel, M.; Norov, N.; Altangerel, D.

2009-03-01

Coal and soil samples from Baganuur Coal Mine (BCM) of Mongolia have been investigated. The activities of 226Ra, 232Th and 40K have been measured by gamma-ray spectrometry using shielded HPGe detector. Contents of natural radionuclide elements (U, Th and K) have been determined. Also the activities and contents of radionuclide of ashes were determined which generated in Thermal Power Plant ♯3 of Ulaanbaatar from coal supplied from BCM.

Dry coal feeder development program at Ingersoll-Rand Research, Incorporated. [for coal gasification systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mistry, D. K.; Chen, T. N.

1977-01-01

A dry coal screw feeder for feeding coal into coal gasification reactors operating at pressures up to 1500 psig is described. Results on the feeder under several different modes of operation are presented. In addition, three piston feeder concepts and their technical and economical merits are discussed.

Coal-bed methane potential in Montana

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Campen, E.

1991-06-01

Montana's coal resources are the second largest of the US, with coal underlying approximately 35% of the state. These resources are estimated at 478 billion tons. Associated coal-bed methane resources are estimated to be 14 tcf. The coals of Montana range from Jurassic to early Tertiary in age and from lignite to low-volatile bituminous in rank. Thickness, rank, maceral composition, and proximate and ultimate analyses all vary vertically and laterally. The state contains eight major coal resource areas. A large percentage of Montana's coal consists of the Paleocene Fort Union lignites of eastern Montana, generally considered of too low amore » rank to contain significant methane resources. Most of the state's other coal deposits are higher in rank and contain many recorded methane shows. During Cretaceous and Tertiary times, regressive-transgressive cycles resulted in numerous coal-bearing sequences. Major marine regressions allowed the formation of large peat swamps followed by transgressions which covered the swamps with impervious marine shales, preventing the already forming methane from escaping. About 75% of Montana's coal is less than 1,000 ft below the ground's surface, making it ideal for methane production. Associated water appears to be fresh, eliminating environmental problems. Pipelines are near to most of the major coal deposits. Exploration for coal-bed methane in Montana is still in its infancy but at this time shows commercial promise.« less

Palynomorphs of Permian Gondwana coal from borehole GDH-38, Barapukuria Coal Basin, Bangladesh

USGS Publications Warehouse

Akhtar, A.; Kosanke, R.M.

2000-01-01

Thirty-two core samples of Permian Gondwana coal from three coal beds of borehole GDH-38, Barapukuria Coal Basin, Dinajpur, the north-northwestern part of Bangladesh, have been collected for palynological analysis. All samples except one yielded palynomorphs and some samples contain well-preserved and abundant palynomorphs of the gymnospermal and cryptogamic groups that are considered to be useful for future correlation studies. The lower coal bed (331.6-372.5 m) can easily be differentiated from the upper two coal beds by the presence of Alisporites, Cordaitina, Corisaccites, Hamiapollenites, Leuckisporites, Nuskoisporites, Tumoripollenites, Vestgisporites and Vittatina. It is difficult to palynologically differentiate the middle (198.1-208 m) and upper (162.3-172.9 m) coal beds as they contain a very limited number of specimens by which they can be identified. The middle bed is distinguished by the presence of Microbaculispora and Weylandites and the upper bed by the presence of a single taxon Acanthotriletes. Some of the vesiculate or saccate taxa extracted from these coal beds are typical of those occurring in Permian strata of Gondwana in India, South Africa, South America, Russia, Australia and Antarctica. They are thought to be derived from Glossopteris flora, which is characterised by an abundance of Pteridospermic plants of the gymnosperm group. ?? 2000 Elsevier Science Limited. All rights reserved.

Revised users manual, Pulverized Coal Gasification or Combustion: 2-dimensional (87-PCGC-2): Final report, Volume 2. [87-PCGC-2

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Smith, P.J.; Smoot, L.D.; Brewster, B.S.

1987-12-01

A two-dimensional, steady-state model for describing a variety of reactive and non-reactive flows, including pulverized coal combustion and gasification, is presented. Recent code revisions and additions are described. The model, referred to as 87-PCGC-2, is applicable to cylindrical axi-symmetric systems. Turbulence is accounted for in both the fluid mechanics equations and the combustion scheme. Radiation from gases, walls, and particles is taken into account using either a flux method or discrete ordinates method. The particle phase is modeled in a Lagrangian framework, such that mean paths of particle groups are followed. Several multi-step coal devolatilization schemes are included along withmore » a heterogeneous reaction scheme that allows for both diffusion and chemical reaction. Major gas-phase reactions are modeled assuming local instantaneous equilibrium, and thus the reaction rates are limited by the turbulent rate mixing. A NO/sub x/ finite rate chemistry submodel is included which integrates chemical kinetics and the statistics of the turbulence. The gas phase is described by elliptic partial differential equations that are solved by an iterative line-by-line technique. Under-relaxation is used to achieve numerical stability. The generalized nature of the model allows for calculation of isothermal fluid mechanicsgaseous combustion, droplet combustion, particulate combustion and various mixtures of the above, including combustion of coal-water and coal-oil slurries. Both combustion and gasification environments are permissible. User information and theory are presented, along with sample problems. 106 refs.« less

From in-situ coal to fly ash: A study of coal mines and power plants from Indiana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mastalerz, Maria; Hower, J.C.; Drobniak, A.; Mardon, S.M.; Lis, G.

2004-01-01

This paper presents data on the properties of coal and fly ash from two coal mines and two power plants that burn single-source coal from two mines in Indiana. One mine is in the low-sulfur (5%) Springfield Coal Member of the Petersburg Formation (Pennsylvanian). Both seams have comparable ash contents (???11%). Coals sampled at the mines (both raw and washed fractions) were analyzed for proximate/ultimate/sulfur forms/heating value, major oxides, trace elements and petrographic composition. The properties of fly ash from these coals reflect the properties of the feed coal, as well as local combustion and post-combustion conditions. Sulfur and spinel content, and As, Pb and Zn concentrations of the fly ash are the parameters that most closely reflect the properties of the source coal. ?? 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Kinetics of coal conversion to soluble products. Final technical report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Larsen, J.W.

1994-04-12

The objectives of this work are (1) to measure the kinetics of the conversion of coals to soluble products under model liquefaction conditions using GPS techniques to count the number of bonds broken; (2) to analyze these data using kinetic schemes based on the behavior of crosslinked macromolecular networks. The product was Soxhlet extracted with pyridine until the pyridine solution was clear. A gel permeation chromatogram of the pyridine soluble is shown in Figure 2A. The improved mass sensitive detector system requires only about 500 ng to acquire a chromatogram having fairly good S/N ratio. Apparently, no disturbance is causedmore » by the remaining tetralin and naphthalene formed by dehydrogenation of tetralin. These seriously affect the lower molecular weight region when IR or UV detectors are used. It is a notable advantage of the mass sensitive detector that suitable adjustment of the nebulizer and of the evaporator completely suppressed the contribution of solvent to the chromatogram. The molecular weight distribution of liquefaction product appears to be almost unimodal if the small shoulder at the lower elution volume side is neglected.« less

Exporting coal through technology and countertrade

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Borissoff, E.

1985-08-01

Straightforward coal exporting on a simple price-and-delivery basis is becoming increasingly difficult for US suppliers. Technology and countertrade are two tools which could help coal suppliers' exports and, at the same time, satisfy the needs of their overseas customers. Neither would complicate the established process of coal exporting, but both would offer the prospect of increased sales and higher profits. Technical selling involves demonstrating to a customer that US steam coal is more competitive when burned in boiler designed specifically to burn that coal efficiently. To do this, the exporter must know the chemical characteristic of his coal and establishmore » a working relationship with his customers' purchasing agents and boiler chiefs. Technical selling to new users offers even more opportunities. Countertrade occurs when the customer pays for coal or a coal/boiler package with something other than US dollars.« less

Phase I Final Scientific Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lu, Xijia; Fetvedt, Jeremy; Dimmig, Walker

This Final Scientific Report addresses the accomplishments achieved during Phase I of DE- FE0023985, Coal Syngas Combustor Development for Supercritical CO 2 Power Cycles. The primary objective of the project was to develop a coal syngas-fueled combustor design for use with high-pressure, high-temperature, oxy-fuel, supercritical CO 2 power cycles, with particular focus given to the conditions required by the Allam Cycle. The primary goals, from the Statement of Project Objectives, were to develop: (1) a conceptual design of a syngas-fueled combustor-turbine block for a 300MWe high-pressure, oxy-fuel, sCO2 power plant; (2) the preliminary design of a 5MWt test combustor; andmore » (3) the definition of a combustor test program. Accomplishments for each of these goals are discussed in this report.« less

Coal extrusion in the plastic state

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

England, C.; Ryason, P. R.

1977-01-01

Continuous feeding of coal in a compressing screw extruder is described as a method of introducing coal into pressurized systems. The method utilizes the property of many bituminous coals of softening at temperatures from 350 to 425 C. Coal is then fed, much in the manner of common thermoplastics, using screw extruders. Data on the viscosity and extruder parameters for extrusion of Illinois No. 6 coal are presented.

Pretreatment of coal during transport

DOEpatents

Johnson, Glenn E.; Neilson, Harry B.; Forney, Albert J.; Haynes, William P.

1977-04-19

Many available coals are "caking coals" which possess the undesirable characteristic of fusing into a solid mass when heated through their plastic temperature range (about 400.degree. C.) which temperature range is involved in many common treatment processes such as gasification, hydrogenation, carbonization and the like. Unless the caking properties are first destroyed, the coal cannot be satisfactorily used in such processes. A process is disclosed herein for decaking finely divided coal during its transport to the treating zone by propelling the coal entrained in an oyxgen-containing gas through a heated transport pipe whereby the separate transport and decaking steps of the prior art are combined into a single step.

Low-rank coal oil agglomeration

DOEpatents

Knudson, Curtis L.; Timpe, Ronald C.

1991-01-01

A low-rank coal oil agglomeration process. High mineral content, a high ash content subbituminous coals are effectively agglomerated with a bridging oil which is partially water soluble and capable of entering the pore structure, and usually coal derived.

Microbial desulfurization of coal

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dastoor, M. N.; Kalvinskas, J. J.

1978-01-01

Experiments indicate that several sulfur-oxidizing bacteria strains have been very efficient in desulfurizing coal. Process occurs at room temperature and does not require large capital investments of high energy inputs. Process may expand use of abundant reserves of high-sulfur bituminous coal, which is currently restricted due to environmental pollution. On practical scale, process may be integrated with modern coal-slurry transportation lines.

Economical and Environmentally Benign Extraction of Rare Earth Elements (REES) from Coal & Coal Byproducts

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Carlson, Gary

This final report provides a complete summary of the activities, results, analytical discussion, and overall evaluation of the project titled “Economical and Environmentally Benign Extraction of Rare Earth Elements (REES) from Coal & Coal Byproducts” under DOE Award Number DE-FE-0027155 that started in March 2016 and ended December 2017. Fly ash was selected as the coal-byproduct source material due to fact that it is readily available with no need for extensive methods to obtain the material, it is produced in large quantities (>50 million tons per year) and had REE concentrations similar to other coal-byproducts. The selected fly ash usedmore » throughout this project was from the Mill Creek power generating facility operated by Louisville Gas and Electric located in Louisville, KY and was subjected to a variety of physical and chemical characterization tests. Results from fusion extractions showed that the selected fly-ash had a TREE+Y concentration of 480 ppm with critical REEs concentration of 200 ppm. The fly ash had an outlook ratio of 1.25 and an estimated value of $16-$18 worth of salable REEs per 1-tonne of fly ash. Additional characterizations by optical evaluation, QEMSCAN, XRD, size fractionation, and SEM analysis showed the fly ash consisted of small glassy spherules with a size range between 1 to 110 µm (ave. diam. of 13 um), was heterogeneous in chemical composition (main crystalline phases: aluminum oxides and iron oxides) and was primarily an amorphous material (75 to 80%). A simple stepped approach was completed to estimate the total REE resource quantity. The approach included REE characterization of the representative samples, evaluation of fly-ash availability, and final determination estimated resource availability with regards to REE grade on a regional and national scale. This data represents the best available information and is based upon the assumptions that the power generating facility where the fly-ash was obtained will use the

77 FR 64097 - Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement to the 2011 Final EIS for the Leasing and Underground...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-10-18

... Final EIS for the Leasing and Underground Mining of the Greens Hollow Federal Coal Lease Tract (UTU... Mining of the Greens Hollow Federal Coal Lease Tract UTU-84102. Supplemental analyses are required to... mining methods, with foreseeable access from existing adjacent leases. The Forest Service and BLM have...

Microbial strain improvement for organosulfur removal from coal. Final technical report, 1 September, 1992--31 August, 1993

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kilbane, J.J. II

1993-12-31

IGT has developed a microbial culture of Rhodococcus rhodochrous, designated as IGTS8, that is capable of specifically cleaving carbon-sulfur bonds in a range of organosulfur model compounds and is capable of removing organic sulfur from coal and petroleum without significantly sacrificing the calorific value of the fuel. Although IGTS8 possesses the ability to specifically remove organic sulfur from coal, a major research need is to develop improved strains of microorganisms that possess higher levels of desulfurization activity and therefore will permit more favorable biodesulfurization process conditions: faster rates, more complete removal, and smaller reactor size. Strain improvement is the singlemore » most important aspect to the development of a practical coal biodesulfurization process and accordingly is the focus of research in this project. During the past year, significant progress was made toward improving the biodesulfurization capabilities of Rhodococcus Rhodochrous IGTS8. The main objective was to identify and characterize strong promoters of IGTS8. The DNA sequencing of the promoter region and chloramphenicol resistance gene of pRF2, as well as six mutant promoters, was determined. The 16S structural gene of IGTS8 was isolated and used to identify the putative promoter of this gene. Four promoter probe vectors were constructed and are currently being used to analyze the strength of Rhodococcus promoters: from the IGTS8 genome, mutants of promoters from the chloramphenicol resistance gene of pRF2, the promoter from the 16S RNA gene, and various strong inducible promoters.« less

Channel-fill coal beds along the western margin of the Eastern Kentucky Coal Field

USGS Publications Warehouse

Eble, C.F.; Greb, S.F.

1997-01-01

Four channel-filling coal beds from the lower part of the Breathitt Formation (lower Middle Pennsylvanian, late Westphalian A) were examined palynologically, petrographically and geochemically to determine the paleoenvironmental conditions under which these peats accumulated. These results were then compared with detailed sedimentological analyses of the strata overlying the coal in the channels to see if any genetic relationship between coal composition and the origin of the overburden could be drawn. All four of the coal beds used in this study are located in the western-most part of the Eastern Kentucky Coal Field and occur at, or near, the Early Pennsylvanian unconformity (0-30 m). Lycospora and Densosporites (and related crassicingulate taxa, e.g. Cristatisporites, Cingulizonates and Radiizonates) dominate the studied assemblages, with Granulatisporites (and related trilete, sphaerotriangular genera, e.g. Leiotriletes and Lophotriletes), Laevigatosporites and Schulzospora being common accessory genera. Petrographically, all four coals contain high percentages of vitrinite macerals (avg. 78.6% mineral matter free), moderate amounts of liptinite (or exinite) macerals (avg. 14.9%, mmf) and low percentages of inertinite macerals (avg. 6.5%, mmf). Strata above the coals consist of dark, carbonaceous shales, and heterolithic strata that exhibit varying degrees of bioturbation. Commonly occurring trace fossils include Arenicolites, Monocraterion, Planolites and Skolithos. Although marine-influenced strata, as determined from detailed sedimentology and ichnology (the study of trace fossils), covers all four coal beds, they are not uniformly high in total total sulfur content as might be expected. Rather they are extremely variable, ranging from 1-9% (dry basis) total sulfur. Ash yields are also variable ranging from 6.2-54.3% (dry basis). It is probable that the origin of the very first sediments covering the peat, as well as the amount of brackish water influence

Chemometric Study of Trace Elements in Hard Coals of the Upper Silesian Coal Basin, Poland

PubMed Central

Rompalski, Przemysław; Cybulski, Krzysztof; Chećko, Jarosław

2014-01-01

The objective of the study was the analysis of trace elements contents in coals of the Upper Silesian Coal Basin (USCB), which may pose a potential threat to the environment when emitted from coal processing systems. Productive carbon overburden in central and southern zones of the USCB is composed mostly of insulating tertiary formations of a thickness from a few m to 1,100 m, and is represented by Miocene and Pliocene formations. In the data study the geological conditions of the coal seams of particular zones of the USCB were taken into account and the hierarchical clustering analysis was applied, which enabled the exploration of the dissimilarities between coal samples of various zones of the USCB in terms of basic physical and chemical parameters and trace elements contents. Coals of the northern and eastern zones of the USCB are characterized by high average Hg and low average Ba, Cr, and Ni contents, whereas coals of southern and western zones are unique due to high average concentrations of Ba, Co, Cu, Ni, and V. Coals of the central part of the USCB are characterized by the highest average concentration of Mn and the lowest average concentrations of As, Cd, Pb, V, and Zn. PMID:24967424

COAL USE REPORT

EPA Science Inventory

The world's coal reserves have been estimated to be about one exagram accessible with current extraction technology. The energy content has been valued at 290 zettajourles. Using a value of 15 terawatt as the current global energy consumption, the coal supply could global needs f...

The World Coal Quality Inventory: South America

USGS Publications Warehouse

Karlsen, Alex W.; Tewalt, Susan J.; Bragg, Linda J.; Finkelman, Robert B.

2006-01-01

Executive Summary-Introduction: The concepts of a global environment and economy are strongly and irrevocably linked to global energy issues. Worldwide coal production and international coal trade are projected to increase during the next several decades in an international energy mix that is still strongly dependent on fossil fuels. Therefore, worldwide coal use will play an increasingly visible role in global environmental, economic, and energy forums. Policy makers require information on coal, including coal quality data, to make informed decisions regarding domestic coal resource allocation, import needs and export opportunities, foreign policy objectives, technology transfer policies, foreign investment prospects, environmental and health assessments, and byproduct use and disposal issues. The development of a worldwide, reliable, coal quality database would help ensure the most economically and environmentally efficient global use of coal. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with many agencies and scientists from the world's coal producing countries, originally undertook a project to obtain representative samples of coal from most of the world's producing coal provinces during a limited period of time (roughly 1998-2005), which is called the World Coal Quality Inventory (WoCQI). The multitude of producing coal mines, coal occurrences, or limited accessibility to sites in some countries can preclude collecting more than a single sample from a mine. In some areas, a single sample may represent an entire coal mining region or basin. Despite these limitations in sampling and uneven distribution of sample collection, the analytical results can still provide a general overview of world coal quality. The USGS intends to present the WoCQI data in reports and, when possible, in Geographic Information System (GIS) products that cover important coal bearing and producing regions.

Cohering Behavior of Coal Ash with Pellet Scrap Powder and Relationship Between Coal Ash and Kiln Ringing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Yong-bin; Zhang, Yan; Zhong, Qiang; Jiang, Tao; Li, Qian; Xu, Bin

The occurrence of different ringing behaviors in oxidized pellet kiln for two kinds of coal (A and B) with similar properties, is difficult to explain based on the relationship between kiln ringing and coal properties. In this paper, the interaction of coal ash with pellet scrap powder was considered by studying the cohering behavior of powders consisting of them. The results showed that the cohering briquette strength of pellet scrap powder increased considerably when mixed with a small amount of coal ash; a maximum could be reached when the mass percent ratio of coal ash was 1.5%; the strength of powder mixed with coal B ash was always higher in same firing system. This obviously illustrated that coal B caused a more serious ringing problem. The relevant mechanism was that the stronger reactivity of coal B ash made cohering briquette have a more perfect crystallization and a more compact structure.

Coal liquefaction process

DOEpatents

Wright, C.H.

1986-02-11

A process is described for the liquefaction of coal wherein raw feed coal is dissolved in recycle solvent with a slurry containing recycle coal minerals in the presence of added hydrogen at elevated temperature and pressure. The highest boiling distillable dissolved liquid fraction is obtained from a vacuum distillation zone and is entirely recycled to extinction. Lower boiling distillable dissolved liquid is removed in vapor phase from the dissolver zone and passed without purification and essentially without reduction in pressure to a catalytic hydrogenation zone where it is converted to an essentially colorless liquid product boiling in the transportation fuel range. 1 fig.

Coal liquefaction process

DOEpatents

Wright, Charles H.

1986-01-01

A process for the liquefaction of coal wherein raw feed coal is dissolved in recycle solvent with a slurry containing recycle coal minerals in the presence of added hydrogen at elevated temperature and pressure. The highest boiling distillable dissolved liquid fraction is obtained from a vacuum distillation zone and is entirely recycled to extinction. Lower boiling distillable dissolved liquid is removed in vapor phase from the dissolver zone and passed without purification and essentially without reduction in pressure to a catalytic hydrogenation zone where it is converted to an essentially colorless liquid product boiling in the transportation fuel range.

Water produced with coal-bed methane

USGS Publications Warehouse

,

2000-01-01

Natural gas produced from coal beds (coal-bed methane, CBM) accounts for about 7.5 percent of the total natural gas production in the United States. Along with this gas, water is also brought to the surface. The amount of water produced from most CBM wells is relatively high compared to conventional natural gas wells because coal beds contain many fractures and pores that can contain and transmit large volumes of water. In some areas, coal beds may function as regional or local aquifers and important sources for ground water. The water in coal beds contributes to pressure in the reservoir that keeps methane gas adsorbed to the surface of the coal. This water must be removed by pumping in order to lower the pressure in the reservoir and stimulate desorption of methane from the coal (fi g. 1). Over time, volumes of pumped water typically decrease and the production of gas increases as coal beds near the well bore are dewatered.

Low-rank coal oil agglomeration

DOEpatents

Knudson, C.L.; Timpe, R.C.

1991-07-16

A low-rank coal oil agglomeration process is described. High mineral content, a high ash content subbituminous coals are effectively agglomerated with a bridging oil which is partially water soluble and capable of entering the pore structure, and is usually coal-derived.

The petrology of some Indians coals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Daulay, Bukin; Cook, Alan C.

Samples from coal seams from all of the major Indonesian coalfields, were examined using reflected white light and reflected flourescence mode microscopy techniques. The coals are rich in vitrinite and have variable, commonly high, contents of liptinite. Inertinite is rare to sparse, with the exception of a few (typically Neogene) coals. Overall, no major differences in coal type exist bewteen Paleogene and Neogene coals. Most of the coals are low in rank ( vitrinite reflectanceoverlineRvmax, 0.30% to 0.57% ). The Neogene coals are typically much lower in rank than the Paleogene coals, and this tendency is most clearly seen within the Kalimantan occurences ( PaleogeneoverlineRvmax 0.53% to 0.67%; Neogene 0.30% to 0.57% ). In Sumatera at Bukit Asam, contact alteration from intrusions causes a marked rise in overlineRv max from the range 0.30% to 0.53% overlineRv max to semi-anthracite (2.6%). Near the intrusions, very high lateral and vertical rank gradients are present. At Ombilin in central west Sumatera, regional rank is relatively high ( overlineRvmax 0.55% to 0.77% ), and similar effects from contact alteration ( overlineRvmax up to 4.6% ) can again be detected. The coals are suitable for power generation. Grindability characteristics should be generally favourable, but the rank of the coals is typically sufficiently low for spontaneous combusion to be a significant problem. The rank of the coals is generally too low for use as a single component charge in conventional coke ovens. Significant reverses exist of coals that could be added as a minor component to imported strongly coals to decrease the foreign exchange cost of coke. The rank and type indicate that yield characteristics should be good for most liquefaction and gasification processes. The coals, and to a lesser extent associated dispersed organic matter, form important source rocks for some of the major natural oil accumulations in Indonesians sedimentary basins.

Energy Crunch is Stimulant for Coal Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chemical and Engineering News, 1973

1973-01-01

Presents views of the first International Coal Research Conference, involving problems facing reconversion to a coal-based energy economy, organization and funding of coal research units, development of new techniques for mining and using coal; and transportation of coal products to users. (CC)

Reducing float coal dust

PubMed Central

Patts, J.R.; Colinet, J.F.; Janisko, S.J.; Barone, T.L.; Patts, L.D.

2016-01-01

Controlling float coal dust in underground coal mines before dispersal into the general airstream can reduce the risk of mine explosions while potentially achieving a more effective and efficient use of rock dust. A prototype flooded-bed scrubber was evaluated for float coal dust control in the return of a continuous miner section. The scrubber was installed inline between the face ventilation tubing and an exhausting auxiliary fan. Airborne and deposited dust mass measurements were collected over three days at set distances from the fan exhaust to assess changes in float coal dust levels in the return due to operation of the scrubber. Mass-based measurements were collected on a per-cut basis and normalized on the basis of per ton mined by the continuous miner. The results show that average float coal dust levels measured under baseline conditions were reduced by more than 90 percent when operating the scrubber. PMID:28018004

Integrated coal liquefaction process

DOEpatents

Effron, Edward

1978-01-01

In a process for the liquefaction of coal in which coal liquids containing phenols and other oxygenated compounds are produced during the liquefaction step and later hydrogenated, oxygenated compounds are removed from at least part of the coal liquids in the naphtha and gas oil boiling range prior to the hydrogenation step and employed as a feed stream for the manufacture of a synthesis gas or for other purposes.

Interpreting wireline measurements in coal beds

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Johnston, D.J.

1991-06-01

When logging coal seams with wireline tools, the interpretation method needed to evaluate the coals is different from that used for conventional oil and gas reservoirs. Wireline logs identify coals easily. For an evaluation, the contribution of each coal component on the raw measurements must be considered. This paper will discuss how each log measurement is affected by each component. The components of a coal will be identified as the mineral matter, macerals, moisture content, rank, gas content, and cleat porosity. The measurements illustrated are from the resistivity, litho-density, neutron, sonic, dielectric, and geochemical tools. Once the coal component effectsmore » have been determined, an interpretation of the logs can be made. This paper will illustrate how to use these corrected logs in a coal evaluation.« less

78 FR 71592 - National Coal Council

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-11-29

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY National Coal Council AGENCY: Department of Energy, Office of Fossil Energy..., notice is hereby given that the National Coal Council (NCC) will be renewed for a two-year period. The... matters relating to coal issues. Additionally, the renewal of the National Coal Council has been...

Impacts of Coal Seam Gas (Coal Bed Methane) Extraction on Water Resources in Australia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Post, David

2017-04-01

While extraction of methane from shale gas deposits has been the principal source of the recent expansion of the industry in the United States, in Australia extraction of methane from coal bed methane deposits (termed 'coal seam gas' in Australia) has been the focus to date. The two sources of methane share many of the same characteristics including the potential requirement for hydraulic fracturing. However, as coal seam gas deposits generally occur at shallower depths than shale gas, the potential impacts of extraction on surface and groundwater resources may be of even greater concern. In Australia, an Independent Expert Scientific Committee (IESC) has been established to provide scientific advice to federal and state government regulators on the impact that coal seam gas and large coal mining developments may have on water resources. This advice is provided to enable decisions to be informed by the best available science about the potential water-related impacts associated with these developments. To support this advice, the Australian Government Department of the Environment has implemented a programme of research termed 'bioregional assessments' to investigate these potential impacts. A bioregional assessment is defined as a scientific analysis of the ecology, hydrology, geology and hydrogeology of a bioregion with explicit assessment of the potential direct, indirect and cumulative impacts of coal seam gas and large coal mining development on water resources. These bioregional assessments are currently being carried out across large portions of eastern Australia underlain by coal reserves. Further details of the programme and results to date can be found at http://www.bioregionalassessments.gov.au. The bioregional assessment programme has modelled the impacts of coal seam gas development on surface and groundwater resources in three regions of eastern Australia, namely the Clarence-Moreton, Gloucester, and Namoi regions. This presentation will discuss the

Impacts of Coal Seam Gas (Coal Bed Methane) Extraction on Water Resources in Australia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Post, David

2016-04-01

While extraction of methane from shale gas deposits has been the principal source of the recent expansion of the industry in the United States and Europe, in Australia extraction of methane from coal bed methane deposits (termed 'coal seam gas' in Australia) has been the focus to date. The two sources of methane share many of the same characteristics including the potential requirement for hydraulic fracturing. However, as coal seam gas deposits generally occur at shallower depths than shale gas, the potential impacts of extraction on surface and groundwater resources may be of even greater concern. In Australia, an Independent Expert Scientific Committee (IESC) has been established to provide scientific advice to federal and state government regulators on the impact that coal seam gas and large coal mining developments may have on water resources. This advice is provided to enable decisions to be informed by the best available science about the potential water-related impacts associated with these developments. To support this advice, the Australian Government Department of the Environment has implemented a programme of research termed 'bioregional assessments' to investigate these potential impacts. A bioregional assessment is defined as a scientific analysis of the ecology, hydrology, geology and hydrogeology of a bioregion with explicit assessment of the potential direct, indirect and cumulative impacts of coal seam gas and large coal mining development on water resources. These bioregional assessments are currently being carried out across large portions of eastern Australia underlain by coal reserves. Further details of the programme and results to date can be found at http://www.bioregionalassessments.gov.au. Surface water and groundwater modelling is now complete for two regions where coal seam gas development may proceed, namely the Clarence-Moreton and Gloucester regions in eastern New South Wales. This presentation will discuss how the results of these

Novel electrochemical process for coal conversion

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Farooque, M.

1989-07-01

The feasibility of two distinctly different routes to coal conversion at low severity conditions was investigated. An electrochemical approach utilizing both the electro-oxidation and electro-reduction routes was employed. The electro-oxidation route consists of an electrochemical reaction involving H{sub 2}O and coal, leading to the breakup of coal molecules. The observed reaction rate has been explained as a combination of the coal and pyrite electro-oxidation currents. Organic sulfur has been identified as the contributing factor for the observation of more than 100% H{sub 2} production current efficiency with several coal samples. Also, an attractive coal pre-treatment process has been identified whichmore » results in production of useful products and simultaneous upgrading of the coal. Electrochemical oxidation of coal with H{sub 2}O leads to the production of hydrogen, CO{sub 2}, simultaneous removal of pyritic sulfur, and significant reduction of ash content. There is also indirect evidence that the organic sulfur may be removed in the process. A preliminary economic evaluation of this process has projected a cost advantage of > $8 per ton of Illinois {number sign}2 coal. A lab-scale cell has been successfully employed in this study for generating process data useful for future design calculations. This study also explored the electro-reduction route of coal conversion and has successfully demonstrated production of liquid products from different coal types at low severity conditions. A variety of aliphatic and aromatic compounds have been identified in the products. Coal type appeared to be the most important parameter affecting the product spectrum. 32 refs., 26 figs., 19 tabs.« less

A study of coal production in Nigeria

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Akarakiri, J.B.; Afonja, A.A.; Okejiri, E.C.

The Nigerian coal industry was studied. The focus was on the problems which have caused low production output of coal. More specifically, the study examined the present techniques of coal production, the causes of low production of coal, the coal production policy as it affected this study, and proposed policy measures to address the findings. It was discovered that some of the limiting factors to coal production in Nigeria could be attributed to the lack of the following: (i) clear and specific production-demand targets set for coal in Nigeria; (ii) adequate technological capability to mechanize coal mining operations in Nigeria;more » (iii) venture capital to invest in coal production; (iv) poor infrastructural facilities for coal production such as mining, storage, transportation, etc. It was also discovered that the dissatisfaction of the miners with their conditions of service influenced production capacity negatively. These findings point to the reality that coal is unlikely to play a major role in the country's energy equation in the near future unless serious efforts are made to address the above issues.« less

Apparatus for fixed bed coal gasification

DOEpatents

Sadowski, Richard S.

1992-01-01

An apparatus for fixed-bed coal gasification is described in which coal such as caking coal is continuously pyrolyzed with clump formation inhibited, by combining the coal with a combustible gas and an oxidant, and then continually feeding the pyrolyzed coal under pressure and elevated temperature into the gasification region of a pressure vessel. The materials in the pressure vessel are allowed to react with the gasifying agents in order to allow the carbon contents of the pyrolyzed coal to be completely oxidized. The combustion of gas produced from the combination of coal pyrolysis and gasification involves combining a combustible gas coal and an oxidant in a pyrolysis chamber and heating the components to a temperature of at least 1600.degree. F. The products of coal pyrolysis are dispersed from the pyrolyzer directly into the high temperature gasification region of a pressure vessel. Steam and air needed for gasification are introduced in the pressure vessel and the materials exiting the pyrolyzer flow down through the pressure vessel by gravity with sufficient residence time to allow any carbon to form carbon monoxide. Gas produced from these reactions are then released from the pressure vessel and ash is disposed of.

Desulfurizing Coal With an Alkali Treatment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ravindram, M.; Kalvinskas, J. J.

1987-01-01

Experimental coal-desulfurization process uses alkalies and steam in fluidized-bed reactor. With highly volatile, high-sulfur bituminous coal, process removed 98 percent of pyritic sulfur and 47 percent of organic sulfur. Used in coal liquefaction and in production of clean solid fuels and synthetic liquid fuels. Nitrogen or steam flows through bed of coal in reactor. Alkalies react with sulfur, removing it from coal. Nitrogen flow fluidizes bed while heating or cooling; steam is fluidizing medium during reaction.

Modeling and experiments for the time-dependent diffusion coefficient during methane desorption from coal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng-Wu, Li; Hong-Lai, Xue; Cheng, Guan; Wen-biao, Liu

2018-04-01

Statistical analysis shows that in the coal matrix, the diffusion coefficient for methane is time-varying, and its integral satisfies the formula μt κ /(1 + β κ ). Therefore, a so-called dynamic diffusion coefficient model (DDC model) is developed. To verify the suitability and accuracy of the DDC model, a series of gas diffusion experiments were conducted using coal particles of different sizes. The results show that the experimental data can be accurately described by the DDC and bidisperse models, but the fit to the DDC model is slightly better. For all coal samples, as time increases, the effective diffusion coefficient first shows a sudden drop, followed by a gradual decrease before stabilizing at longer times. The effective diffusion coefficient has a negative relationship with the size of the coal particle. Finally, the relationship between the constants of the DDC model and the effective diffusion coefficient is discussed. The constant α (μ/R 2 ) denotes the effective coefficient at the initial time, and the constants κ and β control the attenuation characteristic of the effective diffusion coefficient.

Characterization of seven United States coal regions. The development of optimal terrace pit coal mining systems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wimer, R.L.; Adams, M.A.; Jurich, D.M.

1981-02-01

This report characterizes seven United State coal regions in the Northern Great Plains, Rocky Mountain, Interior, and Gulf Coast coal provinces. Descriptions include those of the Fort Union, Powder River, Green River, Four Corners, Lower Missouri, Illinois Basin, and Texas Gulf coal resource regions. The resource characterizations describe geologic, geographic, hydrologic, environmental and climatological conditions of each region, coal ranks and qualities, extent of reserves, reclamation requirements, and current mining activities. The report was compiled as a basis for the development of hypothetical coal mining situations for comparison of conventional and terrace pit surface mining methods, under contract to themore » Department of Energy, Contract No. DE-AC01-79ET10023, entitled The Development of Optimal Terrace Pit Coal Mining Systems.« less

Palynology in coal systems analysis-The key to floras, climate, and stratigraphy of coal-forming environments

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nichols, D.J.

2005-01-01

Palynology can be effectively used in coal systems analysis to understand the nature of ancient coal-forming peat mires. Pollen and spores preserved in coal effectively reveal the floristic composition of mires, which differed substantially through geologic time, and contribute to determination of depositional environment and paleo- climate. Such applications are most effective when integrated with paleobotanical and coal-petrographic data. Examples of previous studies of Miocene, Carboniferous, and Paleogene coal beds illustrate the methods and results. Palynological age determinations and correlations of deposits are also important in coal systems analysis to establish stratigraphic setting. Application to studies of coalbed methane generation shows potential because certain kinds of pollen are associated with gas-prone lithotypes. ??2005 Geological Society of America.

Report of health and environmental effects of increased coal utilization by the Committee on Health and Environmental Effects of Increased Coal Utilization.

PubMed

1980-06-01

uncertainty and concern requiring further investigation if the nation is to minimize undesirable consequences of increased coal utilization now, and in the future. Two critical health issues of concern are air pollution health effects and coal mine worker health and safety. Two critical environmental issues are global effects of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and acid fallout. Two additional important issues of concern are trace elements in the environment and reclamation of arid land.Finally, because of the inadequate data and methodology used in the study of these matters, the Committee strongly recommended the establishment of an improved national environmental data collection, modeling and monitoring system.

The Wasatch Plateau coal field, Utah

USGS Publications Warehouse

Spieker, Edmund M.

1931-01-01

The Wasatch Plateau, the northeasternmost of the great group of high plateaus in central and southern Utah, is underlain by a succession of Cretaceous rocks that, contain valuable coal beds, and the eastern part of the plateau, in which the coal is accessible, is generally known as the Wasatch Plateau coal field. This field and its continuation east of Price River the Book Cliffs coal field contain excellent coal of bituminous rank and together form the largest and most productive coal area in Utah. Coal from these fields has long been highly esteemed by users of western fuels and commands an important position in the fuel markets of the West.Mining of the coal began in a small way with the earliest settlements in this part of Utah. As population increased and transcontinental railroads were built, large mines were, opened and commercial development has advanced until at the present time most of the places accessible by existing railroads are the scenes of large mining enterprises, and the volume of coal passing out to the fuel-consuming centers of the West has reached an annual average of about 4,800,000 tons. The area now undergoing exploitation, however, is small compared with the part yet undeveloped, and the present examination of the field has shown clearly that the great bulk of its coal remains, constituting a reserve of many millions of tons.

Recent advances in large-eddy simulation of spray and coal combustion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, L. X.

2013-07-01

Large-eddy simulation (LES) is under its rapid development and is recognized as a possible second generation of CFD methods used in engineering. Spray and coal combustion is widely used in power, transportation, chemical and metallurgical, iron and steel making, aeronautical and astronautical engineering, hence LES of spray and coal two-phase combustion is particularly important for engineering application. LES of two-phase combustion attracts more and more attention; since it can give the detailed instantaneous flow and flame structures and more exact statistical results than those given by the Reynolds averaged modeling (RANS modeling). One of the key problems in LES is to develop sub-grid scale (SGS) models, including SGS stress models and combustion models. Different investigators proposed or adopted various SGS models. In this paper the present author attempts to review the advances in studies on LES of spray and coal combustion, including the studies done by the present author and his colleagues. Different SGS models adopted by different investigators are described, some of their main results are summarized, and finally some research needs are discussed.

INEZ, KENTUCKY COAL SLURRY SPILL

EPA Science Inventory

On October 11th, 2000, a breach of a coal slurry impoundment released approximately 210 million gallons of coal slurry ( a mixture of fine coal particles, silt, clay, sand and water) into the Big Andy Branch, Wolf Creek, and Coldwater Fork. Approximately 75 river miles were affec...

Ferromagnetic and superparamagnetic contamination in pulverized coal

USGS Publications Warehouse

Senftle, F.E.; Thorpe, A.N.; Alexander, C.C.; Finkelman, R.B.

1982-01-01

Although no significant major-element contamination is introduced by grinding coal in a steel pulverizer, abraded steel particles can conceivably affect the magnetic properties of pulverized coal. Magnetic and scanning-electron-microscope analyses of pulverized coal and coal fragments from the Herrin No. 6 seam in Illinois showed ferromagnetic and superparamagnetic contamination from the grinder. Significant changes in the magnetic properties of the coal were noted, indicating a total steel contamination of approximately 0.02 wt%. When coal samples were vibrated in the magnetic field of the vibrating-sample magnetometer, the superparamagnetic steel particles moved through the pulverized coal, and participated in the formation of multidomain clusters that in turn substantially affected the magnetization of the coal. ?? 1982.

30 CFR 750.15 - Coal exploration.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 3 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Coal exploration. 750.15 Section 750.15 Mineral... PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS FOR SURFACE COAL MINING AND RECLAMATION OPERATIONS ON INDIAN LANDS § 750.15 Coal exploration. Coal exploration operations on Indian lands shall be conducted in accordance with 25 CFR part 216...

Low temperature aqueous desulfurization of coal

DOEpatents

Slegeir, W.A.; Healy, F.E.; Sapienza, R.S.

1985-04-18

This invention describes a chemical process for desulfurizing coal, especially adaptable to the treatment of coal-water slurries, at temperatures as low as ambient, comprising treating the coal with aqueous titanous chloride whereby hydrogen sulfide is liberated and the desulfurized coal is separated with the conversion of titanous chloride to titanium oxides.

30 CFR 750.15 - Coal exploration.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 3 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Coal exploration. 750.15 Section 750.15 Mineral... PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS FOR SURFACE COAL MINING AND RECLAMATION OPERATIONS ON INDIAN LANDS § 750.15 Coal exploration. Coal exploration operations on Indian lands shall be conducted in accordance with 25 CFR part 216...

Low temperature aqueous desulfurization of coal

DOEpatents

Slegeir, William A.; Healy, Francis E.; Sapienza, Richard S.

1985-01-01

This invention describes a chemical process for desulfurizing coal, especially adaptable to the treatment of coal-water slurries, at temperatures as low as ambient, comprising treating the coal with aqueous titanous chloride whereby hydrogen sulfide is liberated and the desulfurized coal is separated with the conversion of titanous chloride to titanium oxides.

30 CFR 750.15 - Coal exploration.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Coal exploration. 750.15 Section 750.15 Mineral... PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS FOR SURFACE COAL MINING AND RECLAMATION OPERATIONS ON INDIAN LANDS § 750.15 Coal exploration. Coal exploration operations on Indian lands shall be conducted in accordance with 25 CFR part 216...

30 CFR 750.15 - Coal exploration.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 3 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Coal exploration. 750.15 Section 750.15 Mineral... PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS FOR SURFACE COAL MINING AND RECLAMATION OPERATIONS ON INDIAN LANDS § 750.15 Coal exploration. Coal exploration operations on Indian lands shall be conducted in accordance with 25 CFR part 216...

30 CFR 750.15 - Coal exploration.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 3 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Coal exploration. 750.15 Section 750.15 Mineral... PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS FOR SURFACE COAL MINING AND RECLAMATION OPERATIONS ON INDIAN LANDS § 750.15 Coal exploration. Coal exploration operations on Indian lands shall be conducted in accordance with 25 CFR part 216...

The National Coal Resource Assessment Overview

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pierce, Brenda S.; Dennen, Kristin O.

2009-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has completed the National Coal Resource Assessment (NCRA), a multiyear project by the USGS Energy Resources Program, in partnership with State geological surveys in the coal producing regions of the United States. The NCRA is the first digital national coal-resource assessment. Coal beds and zones were assessed in five regions that account for more than 90 percent of the Nation's coal production - (1) the Appalachian Basin, (2) the Illinois Basin, (3) the Gulf Coastal Plain, (4) the Colorado Plateau, and (5) the Northern Rocky Mountains and Great Plains. The purpose of this Professional Paper, USGS Professional Paper 1625-F, is to present a tabulation and overview of the assessment results, insight into the methods used in the NCRA, and supplemental information on coal quality, economics, and other factors that affect coal production in the United States.

Pulverized coal fuel injector

DOEpatents

Rini, Michael J.; Towle, David P.

1992-01-01

A pulverized coal fuel injector contains an acceleration section to improve the uniformity of a coal-air mixture to be burned. An integral splitter is provided which divides the coal-air mixture into a number separate streams or jets, and a center body directs the streams at a controlled angle into the primary zone of a burner. The injector provides for flame shaping and the control of NO/NO.sub.2 formation.

Supercritical solvent coal extraction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Compton, L. E. (Inventor)

1984-01-01

Yields of soluble organic extract are increased up to about 50% by the supercritical extraction of particulate coal at a temperature below the polymerization temperature for coal extract fragments (450 C.) and a pressure from 500 psig to 5,000 psig by the conjoint use of a solvent mixture containing a low volatility, high critical temperature coal dissolution catalyst such as phenanthrene and a high volatility, low critical temperature solvent such as toluene.

Coal depositional models in some Tertiary and Cretaceous coal fields in the U.S. Western Interior

USGS Publications Warehouse

Flores, R.M.

1979-01-01

Detailed stratigraphic and sedimentological studies of the Tertiary Tongue River Member of the Fort Union Formation in the Powder River Basin, Wyoming, and the Cretaceous Blackhawk Formation and Star Point Sandstone in the Wasatch Plateau, Utah, indicate that the depositional environments of coal played a major role in controlling coal thickness, lateral continuity, potential minability, and type of floor and roof rocks. The potentially minable, thick coal beds of the Tongue River Member were primarily formed in long-lived floodbasin backswamps of upper alluvial plain environment. Avulsion of meandering fluvial channels contributed to the erratic lateral extent of coals in this environment. Laterally extensive coals formed in floodbasin backswamps of a lower alluvial plain environment; however, interruption by overbank and crevasse-splay sedimentation produced highly split and merging coal beds. Lacustrine sedimentation common to the lower alluvial plain, similar to the lake-covered lower alluvial valley of the Atchafalaya River Basin, is related to a high-constructive delta. In contrast to these alluvial coals are the deltaic coal deposits of the Blackhawk Formation. The formation consists of three coal populations: upper delta plain, lower delta plain, and 'back-barrier'. Coals of the lower delta plain are thick and laterally extensive, in contrast to those of the upper delta plain and 'back-barrier', which contain abundant, very thin and laterally discontinuous carbonaceous shale partings. The reworking of the delta-front sediments of the Star Point Sandstone suggests that the Blackhawk-Star Point delta was a high-destructive system. ?? 1979.

Distribution law of temperature changes during methane adsorption and desorption in coal using infrared thermography technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Dong; Chen, Hao; An, Jiangfei; Zhou, Dong; Feng, Zengchao

2018-05-01

Gas adsorption and desorption is a thermodynamic process that takes place within coal as temperature changes and that is related to methane (CH4) storage. As infrared thermographic technology has been applied in this context to measure surface temperature changes, the aim of this research was to further elucidate the distribution law underlying this process as well as the thermal effects induced by heat adsorption and desorption in coal. Specimens of two different coal ranks were used in this study, and the surface temperature changes seen in the latter were detected. A contour line map was then drawn on the basis of initial results enabling a distribution law of temperature changes for samples. The results show that different regions of coal sample surfaces exhibit different heating rates during the adsorption process, but they all depends on gas storage capacity to a certain extent. It proposes a correlation coefficient that expresses the relationship between temperature change and gas adsorption capacity that could also be used to evaluate the feasibility of coalbed CH4 extraction in the field. And finally, this study is deduced a method to reveal the actual adsorption capacity of coal or CH4 reservoirs in in situ coal seams.

Improved Coal-Thickness Measurement

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barr, T. A.

1984-01-01

Summed signals and dielectric-filled antenna improve measurement. Improved FM radar for measuring thickness of coal seam eliminates spectrum splitting and reduces magnitude of echo from front coal surface.

48 CFR 908.7110 - Coal.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 5 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Coal. 908.7110 Section 908... REQUIRED SOURCES OF SUPPLIES AND SERVICES Acquisition of Special Items 908.7110 Coal. DOE offices and authorized contractors may participate in the Defense Fuel Supply Center (DFSC) coal contracting program for...

48 CFR 908.7110 - Coal.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 5 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Coal. 908.7110 Section 908... REQUIRED SOURCES OF SUPPLIES AND SERVICES Acquisition of Special Items 908.7110 Coal. DOE offices and authorized contractors may participate in the Defense Fuel Supply Center (DFSC) coal contracting program for...

48 CFR 908.7110 - Coal.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Coal. 908.7110 Section 908... REQUIRED SOURCES OF SUPPLIES AND SERVICES Acquisition of Special Items 908.7110 Coal. DOE offices and authorized contractors may participate in the Defense Fuel Supply Center (DFSC) coal contracting program for...

48 CFR 908.7110 - Coal.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 5 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Coal. 908.7110 Section 908... REQUIRED SOURCES OF SUPPLIES AND SERVICES Acquisition of Special Items 908.7110 Coal. DOE offices and authorized contractors may participate in the Defense Fuel Supply Center (DFSC) coal contracting program for...

Manifold Coal-Slurry Transport System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liddle, S. G.; Estus, J. M.; Lavin, M. L.

1986-01-01

Feeding several slurry pipes into main pipeline reduces congestion in coal mines. System based on manifold concept: feeder pipelines from each working entry joined to main pipeline that carries coal slurry out of panel and onto surface. Manifold concept makes coal-slurry haulage much simpler than existing slurry systems.

48 CFR 908.7110 - Coal.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 5 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Coal. 908.7110 Section 908... REQUIRED SOURCES OF SUPPLIES AND SERVICES Acquisition of Special Items 908.7110 Coal. DOE offices and authorized contractors may participate in the Defense Fuel Supply Center (DFSC) coal contracting program for...

New cleaning technologies advance coal

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Onursal, B.

1984-05-01

Alternative options are discussed for reducing sulfur dioxide emissions from coal burning utility and industrial sources. Test results indicate that it may be most advantageous to use the AED Process after coal preparation or on coals that do not need much ash removal. However, the developer claims that research efforts after 1981 have led to process improvements for producing clean coals containing 1.5% to 3% ash. This paper describes the test facility where a full-scale test of the AED Process is underway.

Biological solubilization of low-rank coal

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cohen, M.S.

1991-07-01

Low-ranked coals have been solubilized using cell-free extracts derived from liquid cultures of the white-rot fungus Trametes versicolor. The coal solubilizing agent (CSA) has been separated from the broth components and purified by several analytical techniques including rotary evaporation, reverse osmosis, and solvent extraction. The recrystallized CSA retains coal solubilizing activity. Results from polarography, FTIR, and x-ray crystallography confirm that the purified CSA crystals responsible for coal-solubilization are ammonium oxalate monohydrate. The mechanism of solubilization has been deduced to involve removal of divalent cations (particularly iron FE(III)) from low-rank coals. This is followed by dissolution of the macromolecular coal structure.more » 38 figs., 9 tabs.« less

Quality of life of coal dust workers without pneumoconiosis in mainland China.

PubMed

Yu, Hong-Mei; Ren, Xiao-Wei; Chen, Qian; Zhao, Jing-Yi; Zhu, Ting-Juan; Guo, Zhi-Xi

2008-01-01

The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to evaluate the quality of life (QOL) of coal dust workers without pneumoconiosis in mainland China. Three hundred five coal dust workers and 200 non-dust workers without pneumoconiosis from five coal mines in Shanxi province were enrolled in this study. The Chinese World Health Organization Quality of Life-brief version (WHOQOL-BREF) questionnaire was used. Socio-demographic, working, and health factors were also collected. Multiple stepwise regression analysis was used to identify significant factors related to the four domain scores of WHOQOL-BREF. All functional domains of the Chinese WHOQOL-BREF were significantly worse in coal dust workers compared to non-dust workers except for psychological health. For the physical domain of QOL, educational level, working hours, and work danger were the significant factors. In the psychological domain, types of job, welfare satisfaction, work danger, hobbies, smoking, one-child family, and marital status were the predictive factors. Working hours, welfare satisfaction, educational level, and birthplace were the predictive factors for the social domain of QOL. Finally, the predictors for the environmental domain of QOL were types of job, working hours, welfare satisfaction, work danger, self-reported social status, smoking, and drinking. Coal dust workers without pneumoconiosis had worse QOL than non-dust workers but their subjective feelings were positive. There were four distinct models for the various domains of QOL. Corresponding health policies could be developed to improve their QOL.

Microbial solubilization of coal

DOEpatents

Strandberg, Gerald W.; Lewis, Susan N.

1990-01-01

This invention deals with the solubilization of coal using species of Streptomyces. Also disclosed is an extracellular component from a species of Streptomyces, said component being able to solubilize coal.

43 CFR 9239.5-3 - Coal.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 43 Public Lands: Interior 2 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Coal. 9239.5-3 Section 9239.5-3 Public... OF THE INTERIOR TECHNICAL SERVICES (9000) TRESPASS Kinds of Trespass § 9239.5-3 Coal. (a) Determination of payment in coal trespass. For coal trespass in a State where there is no State law governing...

43 CFR 9239.5-3 - Coal.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 43 Public Lands: Interior 2 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Coal. 9239.5-3 Section 9239.5-3 Public... OF THE INTERIOR TECHNICAL SERVICES (9000) TRESPASS Kinds of Trespass § 9239.5-3 Coal. (a) Determination of payment in coal trespass. For coal trespass in a State where there is no State law governing...

43 CFR 9239.5-3 - Coal.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 43 Public Lands: Interior 2 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Coal. 9239.5-3 Section 9239.5-3 Public... OF THE INTERIOR TECHNICAL SERVICES (9000) TRESPASS Kinds of Trespass § 9239.5-3 Coal. (a) Determination of payment in coal trespass. For coal trespass in a State where there is no State law governing...

43 CFR 9239.5-3 - Coal.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 43 Public Lands: Interior 2 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Coal. 9239.5-3 Section 9239.5-3 Public... OF THE INTERIOR TECHNICAL SERVICES (9000) TRESPASS Kinds of Trespass § 9239.5-3 Coal. (a) Determination of payment in coal trespass. For coal trespass in a State where there is no State law governing...

Mice housed on coal dust-contaminated sand: A model to evaluate the impacts of coal mining on health

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Caballero-Gallardo, Karina, E-mail: kcaballerog@unicartagena.edu.co; Olivero-Verbel, Jesus, E-mail: joliverov@unicartagena.edu.co

Coal dust is the most important air pollutant in coal mining in regards to producing deleterious health effects. It permeates the surrounding environment threatening public health. The aim of this study was to evaluate the toxic effects associated with exposure to sand contaminated with coal dust particles below 38 μm in diameter, obtained from a mineral sample collected in the largest coal mine in South America, La Loma, Cesar, Colombia. Sterilized sand was spiked with coal dust to obtain concentrations ranging from zero to 4% coal dust. To model natural exposure, mice were housed for eight weeks in boxes containingmore » this mixture as bedding after which, they were euthanized and blood and tissue samples were collected. Real time PCR analysis revealed an increase in Cyp1A1 mRNA for living on sand with coal dust concentrations greater than 2% compared to mice living on sand without coal dust. Unexpectedly, for mice on coal dust-polluted sand, Sod1, Scd1 and Nqo1 hepatic mRNA were downregulated. The Comet assay in peripheral blood cells and the micronucleus test in blood smears, showed a significant potential genotoxic effect only at the highest coal dust concentration. Histopathological analysis revealed vascular congestion and peribronchial inflammation in the lungs. A dose–response relationship for the presence of hepatic steatosis, vacuolization and nuclei enlargements was observed in the exposed animals. The data suggest living on a soil polluted with coal dust induces molecular, cellular and histopathological changes in mice. Accordingly, the proposed model can be used to identify deleterious effects of exposure to coal dust deposited in soils that may pose health risks for surrounding wildlife populations. - Highlights: • Mice were exposed to coal dust-contaminated sand. • mRNA Markers for PAH exposure, lipid metabolism and oxidative stress increased. • ALT activity in plasma increased at the highest exposure to coal dust. • Liver tissues of

H-Coal Pilot Plant: letdown-valve experience through Coal Run No. 7 in the H-Coal Pilot Plant, E-3. [Runs 1 thru 7

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bond, N.D.

1982-05-01

This report covers the development of the various letdown valves used for the two-stage high pressure and temperature coal slurry letdown system as used at the H-Coal Pilot Plant. The period covered in this report was from the prestart-up oil circulation through Coal Runs No. 1 - No. 7. The valves covered are the Willis, which was used exclusively from Coal Runs No. 1 - No. 5, the Cameron and the Kieley and Mueller. The LV-202B Kieley and Mueller and LV-204B Cameron valves again showed little valve wear during short Coal Run No. 7, which demonstrates that the full potentialmore » of these valve designs has not been achieved yet. The problem with the Kieley and Mueller plug freezing will be looked at further, with addition of grease ports and a possible new designed plug shaft and stem guide being made for the valve. The Willis valves developed the same body leaks around the bonnet areas that occurred during Coal Run No. 6. This will be looked at before Coal Run No. 8, but no further trim development is planned. To summarize the progress of the LV-202 and LV-204 valves, the Willis was developed to last about 100 hours, which is the expected life for this valve design in our coal liquefaction process; whereas, the Cameron and Kieley and Mueller valves have lasted for days with good results. The Cameron and Kieley and Mueller valves still have not reached their full potential in plant operation, and, along with the new Masoneilan Sasol, Masoneilan Prototype, Hammel Dahl and Paul valves, future progress in Coal Run No. 8 for the high pressure and temperature letdown valves is anticipated.« less

Using coal inside California for electric power

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moore, J. B.

1978-01-01

In a detailed analysis performed at Southern California Edison on a wide variety of technologies, the direct combustion of coal and medium BTU gas from coal were ranked just below nuclear power for future nonpetroleum based electric power generation. As a result, engineering studies were performed for demonstration projects for the direct combustion of coal and medium BTU gas from coal. Graphs are presented for power demand, and power cost. Direct coal combustion and coal gasification processes are presented.

Abundances of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in 14 chinese and american coals and their relation to coal rank and weathering

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wang, R.; Liu, Gaisheng; Zhang, Jiahua; Chou, C.-L.; Liu, J.

2010-01-01

The abundances of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) on the priority list of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) have been determined in 14 Chinese and American coals. The ranks of the samples range from lignite, bituminous coal, anthracite, to natural coke. Soxhlet extraction was conducted on each coal for 48 h. The extract was analyzed on a gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer (GC-MS). The results show that the total PAH content ranged from 0.31 to 57.6 ??g/g of coal (on a dry basis). It varied with coal rank and is highest in the maturity range of bituminous coal rank. High-molecular-weight (HMW) PAHs are predominant in low-rank coals, but low-molecular-weight (LMW) PAHs are predominant in high-rank coals. The low-sulfur coals have a higher PAH content than high-sulfur coals. It may be explained by an increasing connection between disulfide bonds and PAHs in high-sulfur coal. In addition, it leads us to conclude that the PAH content of coals may be related to the depositional environment. ?? 2010 American Chemical Society.

Coal-shale interface detector

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reid, H., Jr. (Inventor)

1980-01-01

A coal-shale interface detector for use with coal cutting equipment is described. The detector consists of a reciprocating hammer with an accelerometer to measure the impact of the hammer as it penetrates the ceiling or floor surface of a mine. Additionally, a pair of reflectometers simultaneously view the same surface, and the outputs from the accelerometer and reflectometers are detected and jointly registered to determine when an interface between coal and shale is being cut through.

Mercury concentration in coal - Unraveling the puzzle

USGS Publications Warehouse

Toole-O'Neil, B.; Tewalt, S.J.; Finkelman, R.B.; Akers, D.J.

1999-01-01

Based on data from the US Geological Survey's COALQUAL database, the mean concentration of mercury in coal is approximately 0.2 ??gg-1. Assuming the database reflects in-ground US coal resources, values for conterminous US coal areas range from 0.08 ??gg-1 for coal in the San Juan and Uinta regions to 0.22 ??gg-1 for the Gulf Coast lignites. Recalculating the COALQUAL data to an equal energy basis unadjusted for moisture differences, the Gulf Coast lignites have the highest values (36.4 lb of Hg/1012 Btu) and the Hams Fork region coal has the lowest value (4.8 lb of Hg/1012Btu). Strong indirect geochemical evidence indicates that a substantial proportion of the mercury in coal is associated with pyrite occurrence. This association of mercury and pyrite probably accounts for the removal of mercury with the pyrite by physical coal cleaning procedures. Data from the literature indicate that conventional coal cleaning removes approximately 37% of the mercury on an equal energy basis, with a range of 0% to 78%. When the average mercury reduction value is applied to in-ground mercury values from the COALQUAL database, the resulting 'cleaned' mercury values are very close to mercury in 'as-shipped' coal from the same coal bed in the same county. Applying the reduction fact or for coal cleaning to eastern US bituminous coal, reduces the mercury input load compared to lower-rank non-deaned western US coal. In the absence of analytical data on as-shipped coal, the mercury data in the COALQUAL database, adjusted for deanability where appropriate, may be used as an estimator of mercury contents of as-shipped coal. ?? 1998 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Flow in Coal Seams: An Unconventional Challenge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Armstrong, R. T.; Mostaghimi, P.; Jing, Y.; Gerami, A.

2016-12-01

A significant unconventional resource for energy is the methane gas stored in shallow coal beds, known as coal seam gas. An integrated imaging and modelling framework is developed for analysing petrophysical behaviour of coals. X-ray micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) is applied using a novel contrast agent method for visualising micrometer-sized fractures in coal. The technique allows for the visualisation of coal features not visible with conventional imaging methods. A Late Permian medium volatile bituminous coal from Moura Coal Mine (Queensland, Australia) is imaged and the resulting three-dimensional coal fracture system is extracted for fluid flow simulations. The results demonstrate a direct relationship between coal lithotype and permeability. Scanning electron microscope and energy dispersive spectrometry (SEM-EDS) together with X-ray diffraction (XRD) methods are used for identifying mineral matters at high resolution. SEM high-resolution images are also used to calibrate the micro-CT images and measure the exact aperture size of fractures. This leads to a more accurate estimation of permeability using micro-CT images. To study the significance of geometry and topology of the fracture system, a fracture reconstruction method based on statistical properties of coal is also developed. The network properties including the frequency, aperture size distribution, length, and spacing of the imaged coal fracture system. This allows for a sensitivity analysis on the effects that coal fracture topology and geometry has on coal petrophysical properties. Furthermore, we generate microfluidic chips based on coal fracture observations. The chip is used for flow experiments to visualise multi-fluid processes and measure recovery of gas. A combined numerical and experimental approach is applied to obtain relative permeability curves for different regions of interest. A number of challenges associated with coal samples are discussed and insights are provided for better

Stripping-coal deposits on lower Lignite Creek, Nenana coal field, Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wahrhaftig, Clyde; Birman, Joseph H.

1954-01-01

Stripping-coal reserves in an area of about 9.4 square miles extending from the Nenana River about 6 miles up the valley of Lignite Creek are estimated to amount to about 95, 000, 000 tons. The stripping-coal reserves are located in the lower and middle members of the Tertiary coal-bearing formation. Five continuous beds in the middle member range in thickness from 5 to 30 feet, and a discontinuous bed at the base of the lower member is about 60 feet thick. Analyses of outcrop samples, as received at the laboratory, show a heating content of 7,500--8,200 Btu, an ash content of 6 to 14 percent, and a moisture content of 25 percent. The reserve estimate is based on a maximum thickness of overburden of 200 feet. Coal below the level of Lignite Creek or its major tributaries was not considered as it was assumed that stripping would be by hydraulic methods. Uncertainties regarding the position of the coal outcrops and the extent of burning of the coal beds are the basis for a recommendation that, where possible, the stripping reserves be tested by drilling. Overburden consists largely of weakly consolidated sandstone and includes some coarse gravel and a few boulders 20 feet or more in diameter. Water for hydraulic mining can be obtained from the Nenana River. Lignite Creek does not appear to be a dependable source. Disposal of debris may affect the channel of the Nenana River causing damage to railroads and structures. Landslides are common in the valley of Lignite Creek and will affect mining operations and transportation routes.

Coal liquefaction: A research and development needs assessment: Final report, Volume II

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schindler, H.D.; Burke, F.P.; Chao, K.C.

1989-03-01

Volume II of this report on an assessment of research needs for coal liquefaction contains reviews of the five liquefaction technologies---direct, indirect, pyrolysis, coprocessing, and bioconversion. These reviews are not meant to be encyclopedic; several outstanding reviews of liquefaction have appeared in recent years and the reader is referred to these whenever applicable. Instead, these chapters contain reviews of selected topics that serve to support the panel's recommendations or to illustrate recent accomplishments, work in progress, or areas of major research interest. At the beginning of each of these chapters is a brief introduction and a summary of the mostmore » important research recommendations brought out during the panel discussions and supported by the material presented in the review. A review of liquefaction developments outside the US is included. 594 refs., 100 figs., 60 tabs.« less

Arsenic and lead concentrations in the Pond Creek and Fire Clay coal beds, eastern Kentucky coal field

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hower, J.C.; Robertson, J.D.; Wong, A.S.; Eble, C.F.; Ruppert, L.F.

1997-01-01

The Middle Pennsylvanian Breathitt Formation (Westphalian B) Pond Creek and Fire Clay coal beds are the 2 largest producing coal beds in eastern Kentucky. Single channel samples from 22 localities in the Pond Creek coal bed were obtained from active coal mines in Pike and Martin Countries, Kentucky, and a total of 18 Fire Clay coal bed channel samples were collected from localities in the central portion of the coal field. The overall objective of this study was to investigate the concentration and distribution of potentially hazardous elements in the Fire Clay and Pond Creek coal beds, with particular emphasis on As and Pb, 2 elements that are included in the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments as potential air toxics. The 2 coals are discussed individually as the depositional histories are distinct, the Fire Clay coal bed having more sites where relatively high-S lithologies are encountered. In an effort to characterize these coals, 40 whole channel samples, excluding 1-cm partings, were analyzed for major, minor and trace elements by X-ray fluorescence and proton-induced X-ray emission spectroscopy. Previously analyzed samples were added to provide additional geographic coverage and lithotype samples from one site were analyzed in order to provide detail of vertical elemental trends. The As and Pb levels in the Fire Clay coal bed tend to be higher than in the Pond Creek coal bed. One whole channel sample of the Fire Clay coal bed contains 1156 ppm As (ash basis), with a single lithotype containing 4000 ppm As (ash basis). Most of the As and Pb appears to be associated with pyrite, which potentially can be removed in beneficiation (particularly coarser pyrite). Disseminated finer pyrite may not be completely removable by cleaning. In the examination of pyrite conducted in this study, it does not appear that significant concentration of As or Pb occurs in the finer pyrite forms. The biggest potential problem of As- or Pb-enriched pyrite is, therefore, one of refuse

Testing of advanced liquefaction concepts in HTI Run ALC-1: Coal cleaning and recycle solvent treatment

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Robbins, G.A.; Winschel, R.A.; Burke, F.P.

In 1991, the Department of Energy initiated the Advanced Liquefaction Concepts Program to promote the development of new and emerging technology that has potential to reduce the cost of producing liquid fuels by direct coal liquefaction. Laboratory research performed by researchers at CAER, CONSOL, Sandia, and LDP Associates in Phase I is being developed further and tested at the bench scale at HTI. HTI Run ALC-1, conducted in the spring of 1996, was the first of four planned tests. In Run ALC-1, feed coal ash reduction (coal cleaning) by oil agglomeration, and recycle solvent quality improvement through dewaxing and hydrotreatmentmore » of the recycle distillate were evaluated. HTI`s bench liquefaction Run ALC-1 consisted of 25 days of operation. Major accomplishments were: 1) oil agglomeration reduced the ash content of Black Thunder Mine coal by 40%, from 5.5% to 3.3%; 2) excellent coal conversion of 98% was obtained with oil agglomerated coal, about 3% higher than the raw Black Thunder Mine coal, increasing the potential product yield by 2-3% on an MAF coal basis; 3) agglomerates were liquefied with no handling problems; 4) fresh catalyst make-up rate was decreased by 30%, with no apparent detrimental operating characteristics, both when agglomerates were fed and when raw coal was fed (with solvent dewaxing and hydrotreating); 5) recycle solvent treatment by dewaxing and hydrotreating was demonstrated, but steady-state operation was not achieved; and 6) there was some success in achieving extinction recycle of the heaviest liquid products. Performance data have not been finalized; they will be available for full evaluation in the new future.« less

New Coal Standards.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heritage, John

1979-01-01

Tighter federal air pollution control standards for new coal-burning electric power plants have been issued. Through use of air pollution control devices all types of coal will be useable under the new standards. Even stricter standards may be imposed where visibility may be affected in areas now enjoying very clean air. (RE)

46 CFR 148.240 - Coal.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 46 Shipping 5 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Coal. 148.240 Section 148.240 Shipping COAST GUARD... SPECIAL HANDLING Special Requirements for Certain Materials § 148.240 Coal. (a) The electrical equipment in cargo holds carrying coal must meet the requirements of Subpart 111.105 of this chapter or an...

46 CFR 148.240 - Coal.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 46 Shipping 5 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Coal. 148.240 Section 148.240 Shipping COAST GUARD... SPECIAL HANDLING Special Requirements for Certain Materials § 148.240 Coal. (a) The electrical equipment in cargo holds carrying coal must meet the requirements of Subpart 111.105 of this chapter or an...

46 CFR 148.240 - Coal.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 46 Shipping 5 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Coal. 148.240 Section 148.240 Shipping COAST GUARD... SPECIAL HANDLING Special Requirements for Certain Materials § 148.240 Coal. (a) The electrical equipment in cargo holds carrying coal must meet the requirements of Subpart 111.105 of this chapter or an...

46 CFR 148.240 - Coal.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 46 Shipping 5 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Coal. 148.240 Section 148.240 Shipping COAST GUARD... SPECIAL HANDLING Special Requirements for Certain Materials § 148.240 Coal. (a) The electrical equipment in cargo holds carrying coal must meet the requirements of Subpart 111.105 of this chapter or an...

Impacts of Coal Seam Gas (Coal Bed Methane) Extraction on Water Resources in Australia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Post, David

2015-04-01

While extraction of methane from shale gas deposits has been the principal source of the recent expansion of the industry in the United States and Europe, in Australia extraction of methane from coal bed methane deposits (termed 'coal seam gas' in Australia) has been the focus to date. The two sources of methane share many of the same characteristics including the potential requirement for hydraulic fracturing. However as coal seam gas deposits generally occur at shallower depths than shale gas the potential impacts of extraction and hydraulic fracturing on surface and groundwater resources may be of even greater concern for coal seam gas than for shale gas. In Australia an Independent Expert Scientific Committee (IESC) has been established to provide scientific advice to federal and state government regulators on the impact that coal seam gas and large coal mining developments may have on water resources. This advice is provided to enable decisions to be informed by the best available science about the potential water-related impacts associated with these developments. To support this advice the Australian Government Department of the Environment has implemented a three-year programme of research termed 'bioregional assessments' to investigate these potential impacts. A bioregional assessment is defined as a scientific analysis of the ecology, hydrology, geology and hydrogeology of a bioregion with explicit assessment of the potential direct, indirect and cumulative impacts of coal seam gas and large coal mining development on water resources. These bioregional assessments are currently being carried out across large portions of eastern Australia underlain by coal reserves. Further details of the program and results to date can be found at http://www.bioregionalassessments.gov.au. In this presentation the methodology for undertaking bioregional assessments will be described and the application of this methodology to six priority bioregions in eastern Australia

Chemical and toxicological evaluation of underground coal gasification (UCG) effluents. The coal rank effect.

PubMed

Kapusta, Krzysztof; Stańczyk, Krzysztof

2015-02-01

The effect of coal rank on the composition and toxicity of water effluents resulting from two underground coal gasification experiments with distinct coal samples (lignite and hard coal) was investigated. A broad range of organic and inorganic parameters was determined in the sampled condensates. The physicochemical tests were supplemented by toxicity bioassays based on the luminescent bacteria Vibrio fischeri as the test organism. The principal component analysis and Pearson correlation analysis were adopted to assist in the interpretation of the raw experimental data, and the multiple regression statistical method was subsequently employed to enable predictions of the toxicity based on the values of the selected parameters. Significant differences in the qualitative and quantitative description of the contamination profiles were identified for both types of coal under study. Independent of the coal rank, the most characteristic organic components of the studied condensates were phenols, naphthalene and benzene. In the inorganic array, ammonia, sulphates and selected heavy metals and metalloids were identified as the dominant constituents. Except for benzene with its alkyl homologues (BTEX), selected polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), zinc and selenium, the values of the remaining parameters were considerably greater for the hard coal condensates. The studies revealed that all of the tested UCG condensates were extremely toxic to V. fischeri; however, the average toxicity level for the hard coal condensates was approximately 56% higher than that obtained for the lignite. The statistical analysis provided results supporting that the toxicity of the condensates was most positively correlated with the concentrations of free ammonia, phenols and certain heavy metals. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Integrated coal cleaning, liquefaction, and gasification process

DOEpatents

Chervenak, Michael C.

1980-01-01

Coal is finely ground and cleaned so as to preferentially remove denser ash-containing particles along with some coal. The resulting cleaned coal portion having reduced ash content is then fed to a coal hydrogenation system for the production of desirable hydrocarbon gases and liquid products. The remaining ash-enriched coal portion is gasified to produce a synthesis gas, the ash is removed from the gasifier usually as slag, and the synthesis gas is shift converted with steam and purified to produce the high purity hydrogen needed in the coal hydrogenation system. This overall process increases the utilization of as-mined coal, reduces the problems associated with ash in the liquefaction-hydrogenation system, and permits a desirable simplification of a liquids-solids separation step otherwise required in the coal hydrogenation system.

FINDINGS OF A SYMPOSIUM ON COAL QUALITY.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schweinfurth, Stanley P.; Garbini, Susan

1985-01-01

The U. S. Geological Survey (USGS) has been doing research on coal quality for almost a century. Most of the work of the USGS regarding coal went into efforts to assess the quantity of coal in the United States, not the quality. On April 9-11, 1985, the U. S. Geological Survey, along with cosponsors - the Association of American State Geologists, the U. S. Department of Energy, the Electric Power Research Institute, and the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency - convened a symposium on coal quality at the headquarters of the USGS in Reston, Virginia. The coal-quality symposium provided a forum for the discussion of a wide variety of topics with regard to coal-quality research and related activities. The coal community took advantage of that opportunity to recommend a large agenda of coal-research needs, not only for the USGS but for the entire spectrum of organizations that either actively pursue or fund research on coal quality.