Structural properties of residual carbon in coal gasification fine slag and their influence on flotation separation and resource utilization:A review

Coal gasification fine slag(FS)is a typical solid waste generated in coal gasification.Its current disposal methods of stockpil-ing and landfilling have caused serious soil and ecological hazards.Separation recovery and the high-value utilization of residual carbon(RC)in FS are the keys to realizing the win-win situation of the coal chemical industry in terms of economic and environmental benefits.The structural properties,such as pore,surface functional group,and microcrystalline structures,of RC in FS(FS-RC)not only affect the flotation recovery efficiency of FS-RC but also form the basis for the high-value utilization of FS-RC.In this paper,the characteristics of FS-RC in terms of pore structure,surface functional groups,and microcrystalline structure are sorted out in accordance with gasification type and FS particle size.The reasons for the formation of the special structural properties of FS-RC are analyzed,and their influence on the flotation separation and high-value utilization of FS-RC is summarized.Separation methods based on the pore structural characterist-ics of FS-RC,such as ultrasonic pretreatment-pore-blocking flotation and pore breaking-flocculation flotation,are proposed to be the key development technologies for improving FS-RC recovery in the future.The design of low-cost,low-dose collectors containing polar bonds based on the surface and microcrystalline structures of FS-RC is proposed to be an important breakthrough point for strengthening the flotation efficiency of FS-RC in the future.The high-value utilization of FS should be based on the physicochemical structural proper-ties of FS-RC and should focus on the environmental impact of hazardous elements and the recyclability of chemical waste liquid to es-tablish an environmentally friendly utilization method.This review is of great theoretical importance for the comprehensive understand-ing of the unique structural properties of FS-RC,the breakthrough of the technological bottleneck in the efficient flotation separation of FS,and the expansion of the field of the high value-added utilization of FS-RC.

Vapor-phase elemental mercury adsorption by residual carbon separated from fly ash

The adsorption capacity for vapor-phase elemental mercury(Hg0) of residual carbon separated from fly ash was studied in an attempt for the control of elemental mercury emissions from combustion processes. At low mercury concentrations(<200 μg/m3), unburned carbon had higher adsorption capacity than commercial activated carbon. The adsorbality of unburned carbon was also found to be source dependent. Isotherms of FS carbon(separated from fly ash of a power plant of Shishi in Fujian Province) were similar to those classified as typeⅡ. Isotherms of XJ carbon(separated from fly ash of a power plant of Jingcheng in Shanxi Province) were more like those classified as type Ⅲ. Due to the relatively low production costs, these residual carbons would likely be considerably more cost-effective for the full-scale removal of mercury from combustion flue gases than other technology.

Relationship between Corrosion Form and Elution Behavior of Copper Tubes Surfaces with Different Residual Carbon Amounts

It was well known that residual carbon on the inner surface of copper tubes was a cause of pitting corrosion, and copper tube surfaces with different residual carbon amount were different corrosion forms. In this study, the relation between corrosion form and elution of copper in immersion tests by accelerated corrosion test solutions was examined. Generally, pitting corrosion that occurs in actual machines was reported to observe chloride ion at the bottom of the pitting corrosion of copper tubes. Energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) mapping analysis indicated that chlorine was concentrated in the upper layer of the samples where copper was not detected under conditions of low residual carbon amount, while chlorine was concentrated under part of the micromounds (including the bottom of the pits) under conditions of high residual carbon amount. It was also suggested that the amount of copper eluted was related to the amount of residual carbon.

N-doped residual carbon from coal gasification fine slag decorated with Fe_(3)O_(4)nanoparticles for electromagnetic wave absorption

The electromagnetic wave absorption(EMWA)performance of materials is affected by their dielectric and magnetic properties.Here,ferroferric oxide@N-doped residual carbon(Fe_(3)O_(4)@NRC)composites were successfully fabricated by decorating NRC with Fe_(3)O_(4)nanoparticles via a facile chemical co-precipitation method.The RC was obtained through acid treatment to remove the inorganic minerals in coal gasification fine slag.The structure,composition,thermal stability,morphology,and related EM parameters of the as-fabricated Fe_(3)O_(4)@NRC composites were thoroughly tested via analytical techniques.Notably,both the Fe_(3)O_(4)@NRC-2 and Fe_(3)O_(4)@NRC-3 composites exhibited superior EMWA capacity.When 40%mass was added,the value of minimal reflection loss(RL_(min))for Fe_(3)O_(4)@NRC-2 was-37.4 dB,and the effective absorption bandwidth(EAB,RL≤-10 dB)reached 4.16 GHz(13.84-18.00 GHz)at a thickness of 1.5 mm.Besides,the value of impedance matching was 1.00 as the RL_(min)was achieved.The results demonstrated that the EMWA performance of the composites could be adjusted by controlling the content of Fe_(3)O_(4)nanoparticles.The magnetic/carbon composites exhibited superior EMWA performance,thus promoting the resource utilization of residual carbon in coal gasification fine slag from coal gasification.

Accumulation of residual soil microbial carbon in Chinese fir plantation soils after nitrogen and phosphorus additions

Nitrogen （N） and phosphorus （P） additions can affect soil microbial carbon （C） accumulation. However, the mechanisms that drive the changes in residual microbial C that occur after N and P additions have not been well-defined for Chinese fir plantations in subtropical China. We set up six different treatments, viz. a control （CK）, two N treatments （NI： 50kgha-1 a-1; N2： 100 kg ha-1 a-1）, one P treatment （P： 50 kg ha-1 a-1）, and two combined N and P treatments （NIP： 50kgha-1a-1 of N ＋50kgha-1a-1 of P; N2P：100 kg ha-1 a-1 of N ＋ 50 kg ha-1 a-1 of P）. We then investigated the influences of N and P additions on residual microbial C. The results showed that soil pH and microbial biomass decreased after N additions, while microbial biomass increased after P additions. Soil organic carbon （SOC） and residual microbial C contents increased in the N and P treatments but not in the control. Residual microbial C accumulation varied according to treatment and declined in the order： N2P 〉 N1P 〉 N2 〉 N1 〉 P 〉 CK. Residual microbial C contents were positively correlated with available N, P, and SOC contents, but were negatively correlated with soil pH. The ratio of residual fungal C to residual bacterial C increased under P additions, but declined under combined N1P additions. The ratio of residual microbial C to SOC increased from 11 to 14% under the N1P and N2P treatments, respectively. Our results suggest that the concentrations of residual microbial C and the stability of SOC would increase under combined applications of N and P fertilizers in subtropical Chinese fir plantation soils.

Simple Measurement of Carbon Films on Copper Tubes and Their Effects on Corrosion

It has been reported that pitting corrosion in copper tubes occurs due to the effect of a carbon film produced by the influence of undergoing an oil and heat treatment. As a quantitative method for determining the residual carbon amount, it has been reported that the inner surface of a copper tube can be dissolved with a mixed acid to collect and analyze the adhering carbon;however, this method is dangerous and difficult. Therefore, two methods were examined as a simple quantitative method for obtaining the residual carbon amount using copper tubes with known residual carbon amounts. One method utilizes X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and the other method utilizes the potential difference between the carbon film-adhered surface and carbon film-removed surface. In regard to XPS measurement, a linear correlation was found between the spectral intensity of C and the residual carbon amount;therefore, XPS measurements were considered to be effective as a simple measurement method for the carbon film on the inner surface of a copper tube. In the evaluation method by measuring the corrosion potential, a correlation was observed between the potential difference ΔE and the residual carbon amount of the inner surface of the tube and the outer surface of the polished tube. It is considered possible to estimate the residual carbon amount from the prepared calibration curve. Through these studies, it is suggested that the carbon film was non-uniformly present on the surface of the copper tube. Therefore, the galvanic current was measured, and the effect of a non-uniform carbon film on corrosion behavior was investigated. As a result, in the measurement of galvanic current, the current flowed from the copper tube with a large amount of residual carbon (cathode) to the copper tube with a small amount of residual carbon (anode). In addition, the higher the area ratio of the carbon film was, the larger the galvanic current tended to be.

Carbon and nitrogen mineralization in soils along a desertification gradient in the semiarid Horqin Sandy Land, Northern China

This experiment was conducted in three sites along a desertification gradient in Horqin Sandy Land, Northern China. Soils una-mended and amended with five types of plant residue in a wide range of C：N ratios from 9.9 to 82.2 were incubated for 70 days, during which C and N mineralization were measured. Along the desertification gradient from fixed sand dune to semifixed, and mobile sand dune： cumulative CO2-C produced from the unamended soils was 231.6, 193.3 and 61.9 μg/g, respectively, while net inorganic N was 22.9, 17.6 and 0.9 mg/kg. Soils amended with residues produced more CO2-C than the unamended soils across all sites. During the first 10 days, C mineralization rate of residue-amended soils decreased with the increase of C：N ratio at each site. However, the mineralization rates were poorly correlated with the C：N ratio in subsequent stage of incubation. Soils of mobile sand dune amended with higher C：N ratio （more than 32） residues produced less CO2-C than that of fixed and semifixed sand dune. NO3--N was the predominant form of inorganic N during the mineralization process in sandy soils. Carbon-to-nitrogen ratio （C：N） can be regarded as a predictor of the speed of N mineralization in sandy soil. The more C. microphylla residue with the lowest C：N ratio （9.9） added in soils, the more net inorganic N released. Our results suggest that C. microphylla residue when added to soil would potentially provide short-term plant available N and improve the soil quality in sandy land. The desertification process postponed the release of inorganic N from plant residues.

A Study of Water Treatment Chemical Effects on Type I” Pitting Corrosion of Copper Tubes

It is known that one of the causes of pitting corrosion of copper tubes is residual carbon on the inner surface. It was confirmed that type I” pitting corrosion of the copper tube is suppressed by keeping the residual carbon amount at 2 mg/m2 or less, which is lower than that of the type I’ pitting corrosion, or by removing the fine particles that are the corrosion product of galvanized steel pipes. The developed water treatment chemical was evaluated using three types of copper tubes with residual carbon amounts of 0 mg/m2, 0.5 mg/m2, and 6.1 mg/m2. The evaluation was conducted for three months in an open-circulation cooling water system and compared with the current water treatment chemical. Under the current water treatment chemical conditions, only the copper tube with a residual carbon amount of 6.1 mg/m2 showed a significant increase in the natural corrosion potential after two weeks, and pitting corrosion occurred. No pitting corrosion and no increase in the natural corrosion potential were observed in any of the copper tubes that were treated with the developed water treatment chemical. In addition, the polarization curve was measured using the cooling water from this field test, and the anodic polarization of two cooling waters was compared. For copper tubes with a large amount of residual carbon, the current density near 0 mV vs. Ag/AgCl electrode (SSE) increased when the developed water treatment chemical was added.

Commercial Application of the Second Generation RHT Catalysts for Hydroprocessing the Residue with Low Sulfur and High Nitrogen Contents

The RHT technology and the second generation RHT catalysts were applied in design of an 1.7Mt/a VRDS unit at the SINOPEC Changling Branch Co. The commercial application result demonstrated that the RHT catalysts showed good activity and stability in processing low-sulfur and high-nitrogen residue. The first long period run of unit for processing high Fe and high Ca content residue was achieved. The reasons for excessive pressure drop of R-101 were ascribed to Fe and Ca deposition as well as coke formation.

Study on the Modification of Vacuum Residue by Ultrasonic Radiation

The present study examined the effects of ultrasonic radiation on the properties, structural parameters and fluidized catalytic cracking(FCC) performance of vacuum residue. We found that ultrasonic radiation markedly decreased the viscosity, carbon residue and average molecular weight, but slightly affected the density of vacuum residue. Besides, chromatographic analyses of SARA fractions revealed that asphaltene, resin and aromatic components were reduced, while saturates increased after ultrasonic radiation. Furthermore, FT-IR, ~1H-NMR, elemental analysis and VPO analysis indicated that the structural unit number(n), unit structure weights(usw), carbon fraction in aromatic structure(fA), naphthenic structure(fN) and naphthenic rings(RN) were decreased while the carbon fraction in paraffinic structures(fP) was increased. FCC showed an increased conversion rate(by 2.7%) and gasoline yield(by 3.7%). In sum, the ultrasonic radiation may facilitate and improve the secondary processing of vacuum residue.