Inorganic constituents characteristics

The most significant Tertiary coals are represented by the vast brown coal deposits in Victoria, particularly in the Latrobe Valley. These brown coals with 68-70% carbon, occur in very thick seams (up to 200 meters) under shallow cover (<30 meters). These coals differ from the Tertiary brown coals of North America in that they have a much lower ash yield and significant amounts of the ash-forming inorganic constituents are present as cations on the carboxylic acid groups which are a characteristic of low rank coals ... 

XRF is a physical process involving the emission of characteristic radiation from the atoms of a material that has been stimulated by incident radiation (Figure 7). By analyzing this response, the inorganic constituents of any object may be identified (4). 

In summary, traditional methods for prediction of ash deposit characteristics are heavily based upon ash chemistry. These conventional analyses do not provide definitive information concerning the mineral forms present in the coals and the distribution of inorganic species within the coal matrix. Such information can be extremely important in extrapolating previous experience, since the nature in which the inorganic constituents are contained in the coal can be the determining factor in their behavior during the ash deposition process. 

Niles, W.D., and Sanders, H.R., 1962, Reactions of magnesium with inorganic constituents of heavy fuel oil and characteristics of compounds formed. Trans. ASME J. Engng. Power, 178. 

X-ray Fluorescence and Energy-Dispersive X-ray Analyses In x-ray fluorescence methods the elements in the samples are excited by absorption of the primary beam, and they emit their own characteristic fluorescence x-rays. These methods are widely used for the qualitative and quantitative determination of elements with atomic numbers greater than that of oxygen. In carbon surface science, XRF and EDX are used mainly to determine the inorganic constituents of carbons which either exist there as a result of activation method (e.g., phosphorus in phosphoric acid activated carbon), are present in the precursor [268] (Figure 2.13), or are deposited on the surface as a product of surface reactions [99], Quantitative determination of the content of elements in carbon using XRF is a difficult task, and a solid matrix requires special calibration procedure and special filters [269]. 

The dimensions of the added nanoelements also contribute to the characteristic properties of PNCs. Thus, when the dimensions of the particles approach the fundamental length scale of a physical property, they exhibit unique mechanical, optical and electrical properties, not observed for the macroscopic counterpart. Bulk materials comprising dispersions of these nanoelements thus display properties related to solid-state physics of the nanoscale. A list of potential nanoparticulate components includes metal, layered graphite, layered chalcogenides, metal oxide, nitride, carbide, carbon nanotubes and nanofibers. The performance of PNCs thus depends on three major attributes nanoscopically confined matrix polymer, nanosize inorganic constituents, and nanoscale arrangement of these constituents. The current research is focused on developing tools that would enable optimum combination of these unique characteristics for best performance of PNCs. 

Fuel characteristics of inqKntance include fuel density, proximate and ultimate analysis, chemical structure and reactivity, and inorganic constituents and chemistry [24]. These charactmstics are somewhat similar to—yet quite distinct from—the con )ositional aspects of woody biomass materials described previously in Ou t 4. 

For a radionuclide to be an effective oceanic tracer, various criteria that link the tracer to a specihc process or element must be met. Foremost, the environmental behavior of the tracer must closely match that of the target constituent. Particle affinity, or the scavenging capability of a radionuclide to an organic or inorganic surface site i.e. distribution coefficient, Kf, is one such vital characteristic. The half-life of a tracer is another characteristic that must also coincide well with the timescale of interest. This section provides a brief review of the role of various surface sites in relation to chemical scavenging and tracer applications. 

The management or disposal of metals and ash, other by-products of the combustion process, also causes concern. Ash is an inert solid material composed primarily of carbon, salts, and metals. During combustion, most ash collects at the bottom of the combustion chamber (bottom ash). When this ash is removed from the combustion chamber, it may be considered hazardous waste via the derived-from rule or because it exhibits a characteristic. Small particles of ash (particulate matter that may also have metals attached), however, may be carried up the stack with the gases (fly ash). These particles and associated metals are also regulated by the combustion regulations, as they may carry hazardous constituents out of the unit and into the atmosphere. Since combustion will not destroy inorganic compounds present in hazardous waste, such as metals, it is possible that such... 

The subsurface liquid phase generally is an open system and its composition is a result of dynamic transformation of dissolved constituents in various chemical species over a range of reaction time scales. At any particular time the liquid phase is an electrolyte solution, potentially containing a broad spectrum of inorganic and organic ions and nonionized molecules. The presently accepted description of the energy characteristics of the liquid phase is based on the concept of matrix and osmotic potentials. The matrix potential is due to the attraction of water to the solid matrix, while the osmotic potential is due to the presence of solute in the subsurface water. 

Table 4 shows the typical ranges of black liquor constituents and characteristics of Kraft evaporator condensates. The composition of liquors may vary significantly, depending upon the type of raw material used. Inorganic constiments in black liquor are sodium hydroxide, sodium sulfate, sodium thiosulfate, sodium sulfide, sodium carbonate, and sodium chloride [11]. 

ToF-SIMS has been utilized to obtain characteristic mass spectra and images from different smokeless gunpowders and black powder samples.17 In the mass spectra obtained, peaks indicative of both the organic and inorganic additive constituents in the gunpowder samples were observed. 

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