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Title: Flotation and flocculation chemistry of coal and oxidized coals

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6471008· OSTI ID:6471008

The objective of this research project is to understand the fundamentals involved in the flotation and flocculation of coal and oxidized coals and elucidate mechanisms by which surface interactions between coal and various reagents enhance coal beneficiation. An understanding of the nature of the heterogeneity of coal surfaces arising from the intrinsic distribution of chemical moieties is fundamental to the elucidation of mechanism of coal surface modification and its role in interfacial processes such as flotation, flocculation and agglomeration. A new approach for determining the distribution in surface properties of coal particles was developed in this study and various techniques capable of providing such information were identified. Distributions in surface energy, contact angle and wettability were obtained using novel techniques such as centrifugal immersion and film flotation. Changes in these distributions upon oxidation and surface modifications were monitored and discussed. An approach to the modelling of coal surface site distributions based on thermodynamic information obtained from gas adsorption and immersion calorimetry is proposed. Polyacrylamide and dodecane was used to alter the coal surface. Methanol adsorption was also studied. 62 figs.

Research Organization:
Columbia Univ., New York, NY (USA)
Sponsoring Organization:
DOE/FE
DOE Contract Number:
FG22-87PC79919
OSTI ID:
6471008
Report Number(s):
DOE/PC/79919-T2; ON: DE91002479
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English