Abstract
TGA/DSC ANALYSIS AS A TOOL FOR EVALUATING THE LOW TEMPERATURE OXIDATION OF COALS
Aviv Hassid, Steffen Krzack and Haim Cohen*
ABSTRACT
Coal represents the predominant energy resource globally for electricity generation and the steel industry, a role it is expected to maintain in the foreseeable future. The two primary types of coal that were utilized are Lignite Hambach (HA), also known as brown coal, and Bituminous Bailey (BA), also known as Steam Coal. Lignites necessitate immediate utilization post-mining due to their chemical reactivity, whereas Bituminous coals can be stored and transported prior to use. During storage, Bituminous coals are susceptible to self-heating, leading to the emission of toxic and fire-hazardous gases. In extreme cases, this self-heating can escalate to spontaneous combustion fires, primarily driven by Low Temperature Oxidation (LTO) processes occurring between room temperature and approximately 150°C. This study employs thermal analysis (specifically combined TGA/DSC) and Gas Chromatography to evaluate the LTO process. This study also found a stronger interaction between the moisture in the BA coal and the coal macromolecule surface. Additionally, this study found an exothermic process occurring during the endothermic evaporation of moisture and is related to molecular hydrogen accompanying the LTO process via formaldehyde oxidation to yield dioxirane which decomposes to produce molecular hydrogen and carbon dioxide.
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