Coal samples

The uptake, expressed as a volume v, of liquid, of nitrogen and of butane by a number of coal samples, at a pressure slightly below saturation on the Type I isotherms ... 

A variety of instmmental techniques may be used to determine mineral content. Typically the coal sample is prepared by low temperature ashing to remove the organic material. Then one or more of the techniques of x-ray diffraction, infrared spectroscopy, differential thermal analysis, electron microscopy, and petrographic analysis may be employed (7). 

Physical Properties. Most of the physical properties discussed herein depend on the direction of measurement as compared to the bedding plane of the coal. Additionally, these properties vary according to the history of the piece of coal. Properties also vary between pieces because of coal s britde nature and the crack and pore stmcture. One example concerns electrical conductivity. Absolute values of coal sample specific conductivity are not easy to determine. A more characteristic value is the energy gap for transfer of electrons between molecules, which is deterrnined by a series of measurements over a range of temperatures and is unaffected by the presence of cracks. The velocity of sound is also dependent on continuity in the coal. 

The specific electrical conductivity of dry coals is very low, specific resistance 10 ° - ohm-cm, although it increases with rank. Coal has semiconducting properties. The conductivity tends to increase exponentially with increasing temperatures (4,6). As coals are heated to above ca 600°C the conductivity rises especially rapidly owing to rearrangements in the carbon stmcture, although thermal decomposition contributes somewhat below this temperature. Moisture increases conductivity of coal samples through the water film. 

Table 8. Empirical Composition of Argonne Premium Coal Samples ...

Other coal sample banks are also in existence. The Penn State Sample Bank at Peimsylvania State University has the most diverse collection of samples (86). The Illinois Basin Coal Sample Program at the Illinois State Geological Survey specializes in samples from the Illinois Basin (89). The European Center for Coal Specimens has a significant collection of samples from the entire world and is located in Eygelshoven in The Netherlands (88). Each makes samples available in kilogram quantities. 

Analysis. The proximate analysis is based on determinations of volatile matter, moisture, and ash for a coal sample. Fixed carbon is then calculated by difference. Volatile matter is determined empirically by measuring the weight loss when coal is heated in a covered cmcible at either 950°C (ASTM D3175 or D5142) or 900°C (BS). 

Eor the free swelling index which is also known as the cmcible swelling number (ASTM D720), a coal sample is rapidly heated to 820°C in a covered cmcible. Then the profile of the resulting char is compared to a series of standard numbered profiles (18). Eor the Roga index weighed amounts of coal and standard anthracite are mixed and carbonized, and the product coke is tested in a Roga dmm for its resistance to abrasion (89). 

The Penn State Coal Sample Bank and Data Base, Energy and Euels Research Center, Peimsylvania State University, University Park, Pa., Apr. 1988. 

Coal sample Raw coal Yield product Ash content Yield product Ash content... 

For the determination of Pb, Zn and Mn in coal samples with solid sampling GF-AAS, calibration curves were prepared either from three appropriate NIST coal SRMs or solution standards. Identical results were obtained for Pb and Zn, while only solid SRMs gave correct results for Mn (Ah et al. 1989). 

There are certainly lithotypes that can be handpicked from European and American coals that are relatively rich in fusinite and semifusinite. However, it is perhaps significant that the mean content of total fusinite + semifusinite in 697 coal samples in the Penn State/DOE Data Base is 8.9%. On the other hand, the content of inertinite macerals in the Permian coals of Gondwana-land is notoriously high and much of this inertinite material consists of semifusinite (5,26,33,34), the concentration of which can be as high as 50% in the whole seam. 

About one half of the coal samples used in the above study (61) have been investigated by workers in Gulf Research and Development Company, using a continuous flow reactor (63). The throughput was about 1 kg./h of coal/solvent slurry, the solvent was a partly hydrogenated anthracene oil, temperatures of 440 and 455°C were used, and the system was pressurized with hydrogen to 20.69 MPa. 

Further reference to Fig. 6 shows that the latter tar yield now plots with the bituminous coals with reference to the effect of the atomic H/C ratio. Similarly a second brown coal sample (Loy Yang) which, as recovered from the seam, has a very low ash yield (0.4% dry ash-free basis), and most of the carboxyl groups in the acid form, plots with the bituminous coals in Fig. 6 however, when the sodium-salt is produced from this coal before flash pyrolysis the tar yield is almost complete supressed. 

The analytical data for coal samples used by other researchers and their experimental results are shown in Tables 6 and 7. A rough comparison of the liquefaction conditions used in this study to explore the parameter representing coal characteristics is shown in Table 8. 

Results showing the effectiveness of the A1- and A2-dialins in coal liquefaction relative to control solvents, naphthalene, Decalin, and fetralin, are presented in Tables 3.1 and 3.2. In both these tables, each row provides the conversion of the coal sample to each of hexane-, benzene-, and pyridine-solubles (plus gases) by the indicated solvent. Table 3.1 contains data derived at a temperature of 400 C and a reaction time of 0.5 hr. Among the control solvents, it can be seen that the naphthalene... 

Our coal sample was obtained from Inland Steel Company Research Laboratories, Chicago, Illinois through the courtesy... 

Illicit substances, testing for, 12 96-98 Illinois Basin Coal Sample program,... 

With the coal sample it is important to recognize that the coal held in a train car may not be homogeneous, and a sampling scheme that takes this into account must be implemented, so that a proper sample preparation scheme can be planned. 

A wide variety of carbon materials has been used in this study, including multi-wall carbon nanotubes (sample MWNT) chemically activated multi-wall carbon nanotubes (sample A-MWNT)16, commercially available vapor grown carbon nanofibers (sample NF) sample NF after chemical activation with K.OH (sample A-NF) commercially pitch-based carbon fiber from Kureha Company (sample CF) commercially available activated carbons AX-21 from Anderson Carbon Co., Maxsorb from Kansai Coke and Chemicals and commercial activated carbon fibers from Osaka Gas Co. (A20) a series of activated carbons prepared from a Spanish anthracite (samples named K.UA) and Subituminous coal (Samples H) by chemical activation with KOH as described by D. Lozano-Castello et al.17 18 activated carbon monoliths (ACM) prepared from different starting powder activated carbons by using a proprietry polymeric binder from Waterlink Sutcliffe Carbons, following the experimental process described in the previous paper13. 

Therefore, the challenge in sampling solids for environmental analysis is to collect a relatively small portion of the sample that accurately represents the composition of the whole. This requires that sample increments be collected such that no piece, regardless of position (or size) relative to the sampling position and implement, is selectively collected or rejected. Optimization of solids sampling is a function of the many variable constituents of coal and is reflected in the methods by which an unbiased sample can be obtained, as is required by coal sampling (ASTM D197). 

Table 1.8 Chemieal properties of typieal coal samples...

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