Quantitative Analysis of Carbon Content in Bituminous Coal by Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy Using UV Laser Radiation

The carbon content of bituminous coal samples was analyzed by laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy. The 266 nm laser radiation was utilized for laser ablation and plasma generation in air. The partial least square method and the dominant factor bused PLS method were used to improve the measurement accuracy of the carbon content of coal. The results showed that the PLS model could achieve good measurement accuracy, and the dominant factor based PLS model could further improve the measurement accuracy. The coefficient of determination and the root-mean-square error of prediction of the PLS model were 0.97 and 2.19%, respectively; and those values for the dominant factor based PLS model were 0.99 and 1.51%, respectively. The results demonstrated that the 266 nm wavelength could accurately measure the carbon content of bituminous coal.

Conversion of Malaysian low-rank coal to mesoporous activated carbon:Structure characterization and adsorption properties

Malaysian Selantik low-rank coal(SC)was used as a precursor to prepare a form of mesoporous activated carbon(SC-AC)with greater surface area(SA)via a microwave induced KOH-activation method.The characteristics of the SC and SC-AC were evaluated by the iodine number,ash content,bulk density,and moisture content The structure and surface characterization was carried out using pore structure analysis(BET),scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy(SEM-EDX),X-ray diffraction(XRD),Fourier Transform Infrared(FTIR),elemental analysis(CHNS),thermogravimetric analysis(TGA),and determination of the point of zero charge(pH(PZC)).These results signify a mesoporous structure of SC-AC with an increase of ca.1160 times(BET SA=1094.3 m^2·g^-1)as compared with raw SC without activation(BET SA=1.23 m^2·g^-1).The adsorptive properties of the SC-AC with methylene blue(MB)was carried out at variable adsorbent dose(0.2-1.6 g·L^-1),solution pH(2-12),initial MB concentrations(25-400 mg·L^-1),and contact time(0-290 min)using batch mode operation.The kinetic profiles follow pseudo-second order kinetics and the equilibrium uptake of MB conforms to the Langmuir model with a maximum monolayer adsorption capacity of 491.7 mg g^-1 at 303 K.Thermodynamic functions revealed a spontaneous endothermic adsorption process.The mechanism of adsorption included mainly electrostatic attractions,hydrogen bonding interaction,andπ-πstacking interaction.This work shows that Malaysian Selantik low-rank coal is a promising precursor for the production of low-cost and efficient mesoporous activated carbon with substantive surface area.

Additivity of pore structural parameters of granular activated carbons derived from different coals and their blends

A series of granular activated carbons （GACs） were prepared by briquetting method from Chinese coals of different ranks and their blends, with coal pitch as the binder. Pore structural parameters including BET specific surface area （SBEr）, total pore volume （Vr） and average pore diameter （da） were measured and cal- culated as well as process parameters such as yield of char （CY） and burn-off （B）. The relationship between the pore structural parameters of the GAC from coal blend （BC-GAC） and the ones of the GACs from corresponding single coals （SC-GACs） was analyzed, in which an index, the relative error （δ）, was presented to define the bias between fitted values and experimental values of these parameters of the BC-GACs. The results show that the BC-GAC keeps qualitatively the pore structural features of the SC-GACs; as concerned as the quantitative relationship, the pore structural parameters of the BC-GAC from coal blend consisting of non-caking coals can be obtained by adding proportionally the pore structural parameters of the SC-GACs with a less than 10%. Meanwhile, for the BC-GAC from coal blend containing weak caking bituminous coal, the δ increases up to 25% and the experimental pore size distribution differs greatly from the fitted one.

Catalytic effect of alkali carbonates on CO_2 gasification of Pingshuo coal

Na2CO3, Li2CO3, and K2CO3 were used as additives to Pingshuo （PS） coal that was subsequently gasified under a CO2 stream. The catalytic gasification of coal samples by CO2 in the presence single or mixed alkali carbonates was investigated by thermogravimetric analysis. The experimental results indicate that the catalytic effect of Li2CO3 is significantly larger than that of Na2CO3 or K2CO3. The catalytic effect of the mixed, bi-metal carbonate containing Li2C03 and Na2C03, or Li2CO3, and K2C03, is related to the compo- sition of the catalyst and the proportion of the two components. The bi-metal carbonates having a mole ratio of 9：1 （lri：x） has the largest catalytic effect for PS coal gasification. A synergistic effect between Li and K, or Na, carbonate appears at temperatures greater than 1300 K. An un-reacted shrinking core model is suitable for kinetic analysis of catalytic gasification of coal samples in the presence of alkali carbonates. It is inappropriate, however, to evaluate the catalytic effect only by the activation energy obtained from the kinetic calculations.

Carbon foams prepared from coal tar pitch for building thermal insulation material with low cost

A new approach is provided to resolve the large-scale applications of coal tar pitch. Carbon foams with uniform pore size are prepared at the foaming pressure of normal pressure using coal tar pitch as raw materials. The physical and chemical performance of high softening point pitch(HSPP) can be regulated by vacuumizing owing to the cooperation of vacuumizing and polycondensation. Results indicate that the optimum softening point and weight ratio of quinoline insoluble are about 292℃ and 65.7%, respectively. And the optimum viscosity of HSPP during the foaming process is distributed in the range of 1000-10000 Pa·s. The resultant carbon foam exhibits excellent performance, such as uniform pore structure, high compressive strength(4.7 MPa), low thermal conductivity(0.07 W·m^(-1) ·K^(-1)), specially, it cannot be fired under the high temperature of 1200 ℃.Thus, this kind of carbon foam is a potential candidate for thermal insulation material applied in energy saving building.

Adsorption behavior of carbon dioxide and methane in bituminous coal:A molecular simulation study

The adsorption behavior of CO_2, CH_4 and their mixtures in bituminous coal was investigated in this study. First, a bituminous coal model was built through molecular dynamic(MD) simulations, and it was confirmed to be reasonable by comparing the simulated results with the experimental data. Grand Canonical Monte Carlo(GCMC)simulations were then carried out to investigate the single and binary component adsorption of CO_2 and CH_4with the built bituminous coal model. For the single component adsorption, the isosteric heat of CO_2 adsorption is greater than that of CH_4 adsorption. CO_2 also exhibits stronger electrostatic interactions with the heteroatom groups in the bituminous coal model compared with CH_4, which can account for the larger adsorption capacity of CO_2 in the bituminous coal model. In the case of binary adsorption of CO_2 and CH_4mixtures, CO_2 exhibits the preferential adsorption compared with CH_4 under the studied conditions. The adsorption selectivity of CO_2 exhibited obvious change with increasing pressure. At lower pressure, the adsorption selectivity of CO_2 shows a rapid decrease with increasing the temperature, whereas it becomes insensitive to temperature at higher pressure. Additionally, the adsorption selectivity of CO_2 decreases gradually with the increase of the bulk CO_2 mole fraction and the depth of CO_2 injection site.

Preparation of activated carbon with low ash content and high specific surface area from coal in the presence of KOH

An activated carbon with ash content less than 10% and specific surface area more than 1 600 m 2 /g was prepared from coal and the effect of K containing compounds in preparation of coal based activated carbon was investigated in detail in this paper. KOH was used in co carbonization with coal, changes in graphitic crystallites in chars derived from carbonization of coal with and without KOH were analyzed by X ray diffraction (XRD) technique, activation rates of chars with different contents of K containing compounds were deduced, and resulting activated carbons were characterized by nitrogen adsorption isotherms at 77 K and iodine numbers. The results showed that the addition of KOH to the coal before carbonization can realize the intensive removal of inorganic matters from chars under mild conditions, especially the efficient removal of dispersive quartz, an extremely difficult separated mineral component in other processes else. Apart from this, KOH demonstrates a favorable effect in control over coal carbonization with the goal to form nongraphitizable isotropic carbon precursor, which is a necessary prerequisite for the formation and development of micro pores. However, the K containing compounds such as K 2 CO 3 and K 2 O remaining in chars after carbonization catalyze the reaction between carbon and steam in activation, which leads to the formation of macro pores. In the end an innovative method, in which KOH is added to coal before carbonization and K containing compounds are removed by acid washing after carbonization, was proposed for the synthesis of quality coal based activated carbon.

A comparison of the energy consumption and carbon emissions for different modes of transportation in open-cut coal mines

Transportation accounts for 80% of open-cut coal mine carbon emissions. With regard to the energy con- sumption and carbon emissions of transportation within an open-cut mine, this paper systematically compared the work and energy consumption of a truck and belt conveyor on a theoretical basis, and con- structed a model to calculate the energy consumption of open-cut mine transportation. Life cycle carbon emission factors and power consumption calculation model were established through a Process Analysis- Life Cycle Analysis （PA-LCA）. The following results were obtained： （1） the energy consumption of truck transportation was four to twelve times higher than that of the belt conveyor; （2） the C02 emissions from truck transportation were three to ten times higher than those of the belt conveyor; （3） with the increase in the slope angle for transportation, the ratio of truck to belt conveyor for both energy consumption and carbon emissions gradually decreased; （4） based on 2013 prices in China, the energy cost of transportation using a belt conveyor in open-cut coal mines could save 0.6-2.4 Yuan/（t kin） compared to truck transportation.

A Carbon Isotopic Stratigraphic Pattern of the Late Palaeozoic Coals in the North China Platform and Its Palaeoclimatic Implications

This paper gives the stable carbon isotopic data in coals from the Late Namurian to Kazanian stages in the Serteng Mt., Xishan and Huainan coalfields of the North China Platform. Its stratigraphic pattern shows that several isotopic shifts are apparent, and the large δ13C negative shifts (approximately 2.5 to 3.0 %%) occurred during the Stephanian, Artinskian and Kazanian are observed in three Permo-Carboniferous coalfields. Those negative shifts are neither related to the coal rank and coal macerals, nor caused by the variety of peat-forming plants. The general decrease in the δ13C values of the Stephanian, Artinskian and Kazanian coals is consistent with an overall decrease in the δ13C values of ambient atmospheric CO2 and/or a relative increase in atmospheric Pco2 during the coal-forming periods. Therefore the authors postulate that the oxidation of peat, and the δ13C-depleted CO2 flux into the atmosphere during the above stages may have contributed to coeval palaeoclimatic warming by way of the greenhouse effect.

The Influence of CO on the Carbon Isotopic Composition of CH_4 in Closed Pyrolysis Experiment With Coal

A low-mature coal (R o=0.4%, from the Manjia’er depression, Tarim Basin, China) was subjected to closed system pyrolysis, in sealed gold tubes, under isothermal temperature conditions. The carbon isotopic compositions of the pyrolyst fractions (hydrocarbon, CO 2, CO, etc.) at two temperature points (350°C and 550°C) were measured. The results showed that δ 13C CH 4 value is generally heavier at 350°C than that at 550°C, because the high abundance of CO generated at low temperature would greatly influence δ 13C CH 4 value, and the retention time of CO in gas chromatograph is close to that of CH 4. But CO is formed through chemical reaction of the oxygen-containing functional group -C=O, e.g. lactones, ketones, ether, etc. at low temperature, while CO 2 comes mainly from decarboxylization. The carbon isotopic composition of coal gas from Lanzhou Coal Gas Works was definitely different from that of thermally pyrolysed products from coal. The δ 13C CH 4 value of coal gas was abnormally heavier than δ 13C CO. At the same time, the reversed sequence ( δ 13C 1> δ 13C 2) of δ 13C 1 and δ 13C 2 happened. The bond energy of free ions generally decides the sequence of generation of hydrocarbon fractions according to the chemical structure, whereas the stability of pyrolysate fractions and their carbon isotope fractionation are affected by the C-C bond energy.

Characterization of Carbon Deposits Formed During Plasma Pyrolysis of Xinjiang Candle Coal

Carbon deposits were formed on the reactor wall during plasma pyrolysis of the Xinjiang candle coal in our V-style plasma pyrolysis pilot-plant. The carbon deposits were studied using a scanning electronic microscope （SEM） and the X-ray diffraction （XRD） method. It was found that carbon deposits located at different parts in the reactor exhibited different microscopic patterns. The formation mechanism of the carbon deposits was deduced. The downward increase in the graphitization degree of the carbon deposits was found and interpreted.

Preparation of Activated Carbon Functional Ceramics From Coal Pitch

The influences of different impregnation temperatures,pre-oxidation,carbonization temperatures and activation conditions on the iodine value and carbon deviations was discussed.SEM,EDS,and BET techniques were used to investigate the microstructures and properties of materials.Results showed that activated carbon functional ceramic exhibited excellent comprehensive properties when porous ceramics adsorbed the coal pitch at 150 ℃ for 0.5 h,oxidized at 420 ℃ for 1.0 h,and carbonizated at 700 ℃ for 1.0 h and then activated by using KOH（20wt%） as agent at 800 ℃ for 1.0 h,as confirmed by the high iodine value（162.6 mg/g） and high specific surface area（83.5 m2/g）.

Molecular simulation studies of hydrocarbon and carbon dioxide adsorption on coal

Sorption isotherms of hydrocarbon and carbon dioxide （CO2） provide crucial information for designing processes to sequester CO2 and recover natural gas from unmineable coal beds. Methane （CH4）, ethane （C2H6）, and CO2 adsorption isotherms on dry coal and the temperature effect on their maximum sorption capacity have been studied by performing combined Monte Carlo （MC） and molecular dynamics （MD） simulations at temperatures of 308 and 370 K （35 and 97 ~C） and at pressures up to 10 MPa. Simulation results demonstrate that absolute sorption （expressed as a mass basis） divided by bulk gas density has negligible temperature effect on CH4, C2H6, and CO2 sorption on dry coal when pressure is over 6 MPa. CO2 is more closely packed due to stronger interaction with coal and the stronger interaction between CO2 mole- cules compared, respectively, with the interactions between hydrocarbons and coal and between hydrocarbons. The results of this work suggest that the ＂a＂ constant （pro- portional to TcPc） in the Peng-Robinson equation of state is an important factor affecting the sorption behavior of hydrocarbons. CO2 injection pressures of lower than 8 MPa may be desirable for CH4 recovery and CO2 sequestration. This study provides a quantitative under- standing of the effects of temperature on coal sorptioncapacity for CH4, C2H6, and CO2 from a microscopic perspective.

Preparation of magnetically separable mesoporous activated carbons from brown coal with Fe3O4

Magnetically separable mesoporous activated carbon was prepared from brown coal in the presence of Fe3O4 as a bi-functional additive.Magnetic activated carbon(MAC)was characterized by lowtemperature nitrogen adsorption,scanning electron microscopy(SEM),transmission electron microscopy(TEM),X-ray diffraction(XRD),X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS)and vibrating sample magnetometry(VSM).The evolution behaviors and transition mechanism of Fe3O4 during the preparation of MAC were investigated.The results show that prepared MAC with 6 wt%Fe3O4 addition having a specific surface area and mesopore ratio of 370 m^2·g^-1 and 55.7%,which meet the requirements of adsorption application and magnetic recovery.Highly dispersed iron-containing aggregates with the size of 0.1 lm in the MAC were observed.During the preparation of MAC,Fe3O4 could enhance the escape of volatiles during the carbonization.Fe3O4 could also accelerate burning off the carbon wall during activation,which leads to enlarging micropore size,then resulting in the generation of mesopore and macropore.As a result,a part of Fe3O4 converted into FeO,FeOOH,a-Fe,c-Fe,Fe2SiO4 and compound of Aluminum-iron-silicon.The prepared activated carbon,which was magnetized by both of residual Fe3O4,reduced a-Fe and c-Fe,can be easily separated from the original solution by external magnetic field.

Effect of supercritical water on the stability and activity of alkaline carbonate catalysts in coal gasification

The stability and activity of alkaline carbonate catalysts in supercritical water coal gasification has been investigated using density functional theory method. Our calculations present that the adsorption of Na2CO3 on coal are more stable than that of K2CO3, but the stability of Na2CO3 is strongly reduced as the cluster gets larger. In supercritical water system, the dispersion and stability of Na2CO3 catalyst on coal support is strongly improved. During coal gasification process, Na2CO3 transforms with supercritical water into NaOH and NaHCO3, which is beneficial for hydrogen production. The transformation process has been studied via thermodynamics and kinetics ways. The selectively catalytic mechanism of NaOH and the intermediate form of sodium-based catalyst in water-gas shift reaction for higher hydrogen production has also been investigated. Furthermore, NaOH can transform back to Na2CO3 after catalyzing the water-gas shift reaction. Thus, the cooperative effects between supercritical water and Na2CO3 catalyst form a benignant circle which greatly enhances the reaction rate of coal gasification and promotes the production of hydrogen.

Carbon isotopic characteristics of hydrocarbon gases from coal-measure source rocks—A thermal simulation experiment

Gaseous hydrocarbon geochemistry research through a thermal simulation experiment in combination with the natural evolution process in which natural gases were formed from coal-measure source rocks revealed that the {δ{}+{13}C-1} values of methane vary from light to heavy along with the increase of thermal evolution degree of coal-measure source rocks, and the {δ{}+{13}C-2} values of ethane range from {-28.3‰} to {-20‰} (PDB). {δ{}+{13}C-2} value was {-28‰±} (R-O={0.45%}-{0.65%}) at the lower thermal evolution stage of coal-measure source rocks. After the rocks entered the main hydrocarbon-generating stage (R-O={0.65%}-{1.50%}), {δ{}+{13}C-2} values generally varied within the range of {-26‰}-{-23‰±}; with further thermal evolution of the rocks the carbon isotopes of ethane became heavier and heavier, but generally less than -20‰.; The partial carbon isotope sequence inversion of hydrogen gases is a characteristic feature of mixing of natural gases of different origins. Under the condition of specially designated type of organic matter, hydrogen source rocks may show this phenomenon via their own evolution.; In the lower evolution stages of the rocks, it is mainly determined by organic precursors that gaseous hydrocarbons display partial inversion of the carbon isotope sequence and the carbon isotopic values of ethane are relatively low. These characteristic features also are related to the geochemical composition of primary soluble organic matter.

Electrochemical efficacies of coal derived nanocarbons

Carbon based nanomaterials are acknowledged for their admirable optical,electrical,mechanical characteristics and broad class of applications.Choice of precursor and simple synthesis techniques have decisive roles in viable production and commercialization of carbon produce.The intense demand to develop high purity carbon nanomaterials through inexpensive techniques has promoted usage of fossil derivatives as feasible source of carbon.Coal serves as a naturally available,abundant and cheap feedstock for carbon materials.From the crystalline clusters of aromatic hydrocarbons in a cross-linked network,carbon nanostructures can easily be extracted through green synthesis routes.It promotes a potent alternative for the cost effective and scaled up production of nanocarbon.The well-developed pores distribution,presence of numerous active sites and appropriate migration channels for ions enhance the electrochemical parameters necessary for the fabrication of supercapacitors,batteries and electrochemical sensors.The metallic impurities contained in coal contribute towards faradic redox reactions required for an efficient electrode modification.In this review,the potential uses of coal based carbon nanomaterials in energy storage and environmental sectors are discussed in detail.

Simulation of the interaction of methane,carbon dioxide and coal

Gas adsorption has an important influence on gas flow in a coal body.Research on the characteristics of coal and gas adsorption is the theoretical basis for studying gas flow in coal.In this paper,the interaction between methane,carbon dioxide and surface molecules of anthracite was simulated using the quantum chemistry method.Adsorption energy and adsorption configurations of different quantities of gas molecules absorbed on the coal surface were calculated.The results show that adsorption between coal and the two kinds of gas molecules is a physical adsorption process and there is an optimal configuration.Gas molecules are more easily adsorbed in the hydroxyl-containing side chain,while it is difficult for them to be adsorbed at the position of the benzene ring.Besides,carbon dioxide molecules are more readily adsorbed on the coal surface than methane molecules.The findings have an important significance in revealing the nature of gas adsorption in coal.

Preparation of mesoporous activated carbons from coal liquefaction residue for methane decomposition

Mesoporous activated carbons were prepared from direct coal liquefaction residue （CLR） by KOH activation method, and the experiments were carried out to investigate the effects of KOH/CLR ratio, solvent for mixing the CLR and KOH, and carbonization procedure on the resultant carbon texture and catalytic activity for catalytic methane decomposition （CMD）. The results showed that optimal KOH/CLR ratio of 2 ： 1; solvent with higher solubility to KOH or the CLR, and an appropriate carbonization procedure are conductive to improving the carbon pore structure and catalytic activity for CMD. The resultant mesoporous carbons show higher and more stable activity than microporous carbons. Additionally, the relationship between the carbon textural properties and the catalytic activity for CMD was also discussed.

A new preparation process of coal-based magnetically activated carbon

Fe/C-based magnetically activated carbon(MAC) was obtained by carbonizing and activating its precursor, that was prepared by co-precipitation of anthracite coal impregnated in ferric chloride solution. The effect of the concentrations of FeCl3 and pH of solution on BET surface area, pore volume and magnetic properties of the MAC was studied by BET N2 adsorption and VSM method. The results indicated that the magnetization of MAC gradually increases with increasing concentration of FeCl3 and pH value of solution, and BET surface area was inclined to fluctuation. The largest BET surface area and magnetization of MAC were 1327.5 m2/g and 35.56 emu/g, respectively. The form of magnetic matter in the magnetically activated carbon was mainly Fe3C by X-ray powder diffraction(XRD) and magnetic attraction test.