Reporting Coal Analyses

Once the data are available, certification of sampling systems as unbiased, without qualification, is insufficient, and certification should also be accompanied by a statement of (1) the mean levels of each variable constituent that prevailed during conduct of the test, (2) the nominal sizing of the coal, and (3) some indication of the preparation (washing) to which the coal has been subjected, since these influence the sampling constants and may affect the magnitude of bias observed. 

Analyses reported on a dry basis are calculated on the basis that there is no moisture associated with the sample. The moisture value (ASTM D-3173 ISO 331 ISO 589 ISO 1015 ISO 1018 ISO 11722) is used for converting as determined data to the dry basis. Analytical data that are reported on a dry, ash-free basis are calculated on the assumption that there is no moisture or mineral matter associated with the sample. The values obtained for moisture determination (ASTM D-3173 ISO 589) and ash determination (ASTM D-3174) are used for the conversion. Finally, data calculated on an equilibrium moisture basis are calculated to the moisture level determined (ASTM D-1412) as the equilibrium (capacity) moisture. 

Hydrogen and oxygen reported on the moist basis may or may not contain the hydrogen and oxygen of the associated moisture, and the analytical report should stipulate which is the case because of the variation in conversion factors (Table 1.3). These factors apply to calorific values as well as to proximate analysis (Table 1.4) and to ultimate analysis (Table 1.5). 

TABLE 1.3 Conversion Factors of Components Other Than Hydrogen and Oxygen  

TABLE 1.4 Data Derived from Proximate Analysis 

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Patrick, J. W., and Wilkinson, H. C. 191%.In Analytical Methods for Coal and Coal Products, Vol. 2, C. K. Karr, Jr. (Editor). Academic Press, San Diego, CA, Chap. 29. Rees, O. W. 1966. Chemistry, Uses, and Limitations of Coal Analysis. Report of Investigations 220. Illinois State Geological Survey, Urbana, IL. 

Rees, O. W. 1966. Chemistry, Uses, and Limitations of Coal Analysis. Report of Investigations 220. Illinois State Geological Survey, Urbana, IL. 

Dry, ash-free (daf) basis a coal analysis basis calculated as if moisture and ash were removed. See also Reporting. 

Our intention in this report is to demonstrate the utility of diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform (DRIFT) spectroscopy for coal analysis, particularly in relation to monitoring the in situ oxidation of coal, and to compare its relative merits to those of the KBr pellet and PA sampling techniques. 

The release of trace elements, associated with the combustion of coal, to the environment and disposal of coal ash, which often contains a wide range of trace elements, has become a matter of concern. The determination of these elements in coal (and coke) ash is a very important aspect of coal analysis and involves the use of atomic absorption (ASTM, 2011x). The methods cover the determination of beryllium, chromium, copper, manganese, nickel, lead, vanadium, and zinc. The use of x-ray fluorescence (Prather et al 1979), the electron probe microanalyzer (Raymond and Gooley, 1979), for determination of trace elements in coal has also been reported. 

Pyatenko, A.T., Bukhman, S.V., Lebedinskii, V.S., Nasarov, V.M., and Tolmachev, I.Ya. 1992. Fuel, 71 701. Rees, O.W. 1966. Chemistry, uses, and limitations of coal analysis. Report of Investigations No. 220. Illinois State Geological Survey, Urbana, IL. 

Coal Analysis. Customary practice in reporting the components of a coal is to use proximate and ultimate analyses (see Glossary). 

Several requirements must be met in developing a stmcture. Not only must elementary analysis and other physical measurements be consistent, but limitations of stmctural organic chemistry and stereochemistry must also be satisfied. Mathematical expressions have been developed to test the consistency of any given set of parameters used to describe the molecular stmcture of coal and analyses of this type have been reported (4,6,19,20,29,30). 

Elemental analysis was performed on various coals, pitches, and blends. Table 7 reports the elemental composition of products from WVGS 13407. Compared to the raw coal, the NMP-soluble extract (EXT) contams essentially the same amount of carbon, though there is slightly more hydrogen as mdicated by a... 

Fault Tree Analysis Report for CoaF Coal Gasitication Failure rales (per year basts) for over 400 events Coal-gasification Process Development unit 50. 

Fault Tree Analysis Report for Coal-Gasification Process-Development... 

In this study detailed fault trees with probability and failure rate calculations were generated for the events (1) Fatality due to Explosion, Fire, Toxic Release or Asphyxiation at the Process Development Unit (PDU) Coal Gasification Process and (2) Loss of Availability of the PDU. The fault trees for the PDU were synthesized by Design Sciences, Inc., and then subjected to multiple reviews by Combustion Engineering. The steps involved in hazard identification and evaluation, fault tree generation, probability assessment, and design alteration are presented in the main body of this report. The fault trees, cut sets, failure rate data and unavailability calculations are included as attachments to this report. Although both safety and reliability trees have been constructed for the PDU, the verification and analysis of these trees were not completed as a result of the curtailment of the demonstration plant project. Certain items not completed for the PDU risk and reliability assessment are listed. 

This report presents a set of failure rate and time-to-restore data for typical components of a coal gasification combined cycle power generation unit. The data was used to examine the reliability and availability of a generic power generation unit using risk analysis models. 

Each of these is reported in the proximate analysis. Coal analyses can be reported on several bases as-received, moisture-free (or dry), and mineral-matter-free (or ash-free). 

Gruson, J. F., Gachadouat, S., Maisonnier, G. and Saniere, A. (2005). Prospective Analysis of the Potential Non-conventional World Oil Supply Tar Sands, Oil Shales and Non-conventional Liquid Fuels from Coal and Gas. Technical Report EUR 22168. European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Institute for Prospective Technological Studies (IPTS) and Institut Frangais du Petrole (IFP). 

Yamashita, K. and Barreto, L. (2003). Integrated Energy Systems for the 21st Century Coal Gasification for Co-producing Hydrogen, Electricity and Liquid Fuels. Interim Report IR-03-039. Laxenburg, Austria International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA). 

The key word in any case is representative. A laboratory analysis sample must be representative of the whole so that the final result of the chemical analysis represents the entire system that it is intended to represent. If there are variations in composition, such as with the coal example above, or at least suspected variations, small samples must be taken from all suspect locations. If results for the entire system are to be reported, these small samples are then mixed and made homogeneous to give the final sample to be tested. Such a sample is called a composite sample. In some cases, analysis on the individual samples may be more appropriate. Such samples are called selective samples. 

LC-MS has been used to study various aromatic fractions from coal derived liquids, and there are also a number of reports on its use in the analysis of porphyrin mixtures [601,602]. The early work by Dark et al. [601] using LC-MS for coal-derived liquids was mainly concerned with the separation and identification of polycyclic aromatic components. However, it is interesting to note that... 

The concentration of anthracene in coal tar and the maximum concentration reported in groundwater at a mid-Atlantic coal tar site were 5,000 and 0.02 mg/L, respectively (Mackay and Cschwend, 2001). Based on laboratory analysis of 7 coal tar samples, anthracene concentrations ranged from 400 to 8,600 ppm (EPRI, 1990). A high-temperature coal tar contained anthracene at an average concentration of 0.75 wt % (McNeil, 1983). Lehmann et al. (1984) reported an anthracene concentration of 34.8 mg/g in a commercial anthracene oil. 

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