ANALYSIS OF COAL

Analysis of Coal
There are two methods
1. Proximate analysis and
2. Ultimate analysis.

Proximate Analysis:
The objective of proximate analysis indicates the percentage by weight
of the Fixed Carbon, Volatiles, Ash, and Moisture Content in coal. The amounts of
fixed carbon and volatile combustible matter directly contribute to the heating
value of coal. Fixed carbon acts as a main heat generator during burning. High
volatile matter content indicates easy ignition of fuel. The ash content is
important in the design of the furnace grate, combustion volume, pollution
control equipment and ash handling systems of a furnace.
The definition, importance and measure of coal parameters are explained
as follows

Moisture :
Moisture is an important property of coal, as all coals are mined wet.
Groundwater and other extraneous moisture is known as adventitious moisture
and is readily evaporated. Moisture held within the coal itself is known as
inherent moisture.
Typical range of Moisture content is 0.5 to 10%.
Moisture may occur in four forms within coal:
Surface moisture:
Water held on the surface of coal particles or minerals.
Hydroscopic moisture:
Water held by capillary action within the micro fractures of the coal
Decomposition moisture:
Water held within the coals decomposed organic compounds
Mineral moisture:
Water which comprises part of the crystal structure of hydrous silicates
such as clays.
Measurement: Determination of moisture is carried out by placing a
sample of powdered raw coal of size 200-micron size in an
uncovered crucible and it is placed in the oven kept at 108+2 C
along with the lid. Then the sample is cooled to room temperature
and weighed again. The loss in weight represents moisture.

Volatile Matter

Volatile matter in coal refers to the components of coal, except

for moisture, which are liberated at high temperature in the absence of
air. This is usually a mixture of short and long chain hydrocarbons,
aromatic hydrocarbons and some sulfur.
Typical range of volatile matter is 20 to 35%.
Measurement: Fresh sample of crushed coal is weighed, placed in a
covered crucible, and heated in a furnace at 900 + 15C. For the
methodologies including that for carbon and ash, refer to IS 1350 part
I:1984, part III, IV. The sample is cooled and weighed. Loss of weight
represents moisture and volatile matter. The remainder is coke (fixed
carbon and ash).
Ash and Fixed Carbon:
The Ash content of coal is the non-combustible residue left after
coal is burnt. It represents the bulk mineral matter after carbon,
oxygen, sulfur and water (including from clays) has been driven of
during combustion. Analysis is fairly straightforward, with the coal
thoroughly burnt and the ash material expressed as a percentage of the
original weight. Typical range Ash content is 5 to 40%.
The fixed carbon content of the coal is the carbon found in the
material which is left after volatile materials are driven of. This difers
from the ultimate carbon content of the coal because some carbon is
lost in hydrocarbons with the volatiles. Fixed carbon is used as an
estimate of the amount of coke that will be yielded from a sample of
coal. It gives a rough estimate of heating value of coal.

Measurement: The cover from the crucible used in the last test is
removed and the crucible is heated over the Bunsen burner until all the
carbon is burned. The residue is weighed, which is the incombustible
ash. The diference in weight from the previous weighing is the fixed
carbon. (In actual practice Fixed Carbon or FC derived by subtracting
from 100 the value of moisture, volatile matter and ash).
TYPICAL RESULTS:

PARAMETRS

INDIAN (F)

INDONESIAN

SOUTH AFRICA

MOISTURE

5.98%

9.43%

8.50%

ASH

38.63%

13.99%

17.00%

VOLATILE MATTER

20.70%

29.79%

23.28%

FIXED CARBON

34.69%

46.79%

51.22%

Ultimate Analysis:
The objective of ultimate analysis is to determine the amount of
carbon (C), hydrogen (H), oxygen (O), sulfur (S), and other elements within the
coal sample. The determination of the carbon and hydrogen in the material, as
found in the gaseous products of its complete combustion, the determination of
sulfur, nitrogen, and ash in the material as a whole, and the estimation of
oxygen by difference. The carbon determination includes that present in the
organic coal substance and any originally present as mineral carbonate. The
hydrogen determination includes that in the organic materials in coal and in all
water associated with the coal. All nitrogen determined is assumed to be part of
the organic materials in coal.
For practical reasons, sulfur is assumed to occur

in

three forms in coal: as

organic sulfur compounds, as inorganic sulfides, which are mostly the iron
sulfides pyrite and marcasite, and as inorganic sulfates. The total sulfur value is
used

for

ultimate

analysis.