skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Advanced characterization of forms of chlorine, organic sulfur and trace elements in available coals from operating Illinois mines. Quarterly report, 1 December 1994--28 February 1995

Abstract

The goals of the study are (1) to use X-ray absorption near-edge spectroscopy (XANES) to determine forms of chlorine (inorganic, ionic, and organic) and forms of organic sulfur (organic sulfide and thiophenic sulfur) in as-shipped coals from Illinois mines, (2) to obtain basic data on chlorine removal via froth flotation at fine ({minus}200 mesh) and ultrafine ({minus}400 mesh) particle sizes, and (3) to evaluate XANES for direct assessment of the organic/inorganic affinities of trace elements. This is a cooperative effort among the Illinois State Geological Survey, the University of Kentucky, and Western Kentucky University. In this quarter, chlorine leachability during fine wet grinding of 21 coal samples was examined. The results show a general improvement in chlorine removal by grinding coals to {minus}200 mesh, but do not show further improvement by additional grinding to {minus}400 mesh. The chlorine and sulfur spectra of five coals , each from a distinct geographic location in Illinois, were examined. The chlorine XANES spectra for the five coals are similar and chloride anion was determined to be the predominant form of chlorine. The sulfur XANES data for the same coals show that a majority (61% to 82%) of organic sulfur in the coals is contributedmore » from thiophenic sulfur. The distribution of organic sulfur shows that the high sulfur coals tend to have more organic sulfide than low sulfur coals. A more detailed interpretation may be possible after a complete analysis of all the samples selected. Evaluating the possibility of XANES for direct assessment of the organic/inorganic affinities of trace elements in an Illinois coal was completed.« less

Authors:
 [1]; ; ;  [2]
+ Show Author Affiliations
  1. Illinois State Geological Survey, Urbana, IL (United States)
  2. and others
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Illinois State Geological Survey, Urbana, IL (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
207022
Report Number(s):
DOE/PC/92521-T246
ON: DE96007574
DOE Contract Number:
FC22-92PC92521
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Resource Relation:
Other Information: PBD: [1995]
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT; COAL; QUANTITATIVE CHEMICAL ANALYSIS; GRINDING; CHLORINE; X-RAY SPECTROSCOPY; ORGANIC SULFUR COMPOUNDS; FLOTATION; COAL FINES; LEACHING; PROGRESS REPORT; EXPERIMENTAL DATA; ABSORPTION SPECTROSCOPY; COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS

Citation Formats

Chou, M.I.M., Demir, I., Ruch, R.R., and Lytle, S. Advanced characterization of forms of chlorine, organic sulfur and trace elements in available coals from operating Illinois mines. Quarterly report, 1 December 1994--28 February 1995. United States: N. p., 1995. Web. doi:10.2172/207022.
Copy to clipboard
Chou, M.I.M., Demir, I., Ruch, R.R., & Lytle, S. Advanced characterization of forms of chlorine, organic sulfur and trace elements in available coals from operating Illinois mines. Quarterly report, 1 December 1994--28 February 1995. United States. doi:10.2172/207022.
Copy to clipboard
Chou, M.I.M., Demir, I., Ruch, R.R., and Lytle, S. Sun . "Advanced characterization of forms of chlorine, organic sulfur and trace elements in available coals from operating Illinois mines. Quarterly report, 1 December 1994--28 February 1995". United States. doi:10.2172/207022. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/207022.
Copy to clipboard
@article{osti_207022,
title = {Advanced characterization of forms of chlorine, organic sulfur and trace elements in available coals from operating Illinois mines. Quarterly report, 1 December 1994--28 February 1995},
author = {Chou, M.I.M. and Demir, I. and Ruch, R.R. and Lytle, S.},
abstractNote = {The goals of the study are (1) to use X-ray absorption near-edge spectroscopy (XANES) to determine forms of chlorine (inorganic, ionic, and organic) and forms of organic sulfur (organic sulfide and thiophenic sulfur) in as-shipped coals from Illinois mines, (2) to obtain basic data on chlorine removal via froth flotation at fine ({minus}200 mesh) and ultrafine ({minus}400 mesh) particle sizes, and (3) to evaluate XANES for direct assessment of the organic/inorganic affinities of trace elements. This is a cooperative effort among the Illinois State Geological Survey, the University of Kentucky, and Western Kentucky University. In this quarter, chlorine leachability during fine wet grinding of 21 coal samples was examined. The results show a general improvement in chlorine removal by grinding coals to {minus}200 mesh, but do not show further improvement by additional grinding to {minus}400 mesh. The chlorine and sulfur spectra of five coals , each from a distinct geographic location in Illinois, were examined. The chlorine XANES spectra for the five coals are similar and chloride anion was determined to be the predominant form of chlorine. The sulfur XANES data for the same coals show that a majority (61% to 82%) of organic sulfur in the coals is contributed from thiophenic sulfur. The distribution of organic sulfur shows that the high sulfur coals tend to have more organic sulfide than low sulfur coals. A more detailed interpretation may be possible after a complete analysis of all the samples selected. Evaluating the possibility of XANES for direct assessment of the organic/inorganic affinities of trace elements in an Illinois coal was completed.},
doi = {10.2172/207022},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Sun Dec 31 00:00:00 EST 1995},
month = {Sun Dec 31 00:00:00 EST 1995}
}
Copy to clipboard
Technical Report:
View Technical Report (1.62 MB)
DOI:  10.2172/207022
Save / Share:
Export Metadata
Save to My Library
You must Sign In or Create an Account in order to save documents to your library.

  • ; ; ; ...
    The goals of the study are (1) to use X-ray absorption near-edge spectroscopy (XANES) to determine forms of chlorine (inorganic, ionic, and organic) and forms of organic sulfur (organic sulfide and thiophenic sulfur) in as-shipped coals from Illinois mines, (2) to obtain basic data on chlorine removal via froth flotation at fine ({minus}200 mesh) and ultrafine ({minus}400 mesh) particle sizes, and (3) to evaluate XANES for direct assessment of the organic/inorganic affinities of trace elements. In the last quarter, chlorine leachability during fine wet grinding of 21 coal samples was examined. In this quarter, the effect of froth flotation/release analysismore » (FF/RA) on the Cl contents of coals ground to {minus}200 and {minus}400 mesh sizes is completed. The results indicate that a combination of wet grinding and FF/RA reduced Cl contents in most samples from regions 1,2, and 3 by 29--81% and in one sample from region 4S by 60%. The chlorine and sulfur spectra of 21 coals, from five distinct geographic locations in Illinois, were examined. The chlorine XANES spectra for the coals are similar and chloride anion was determined to be the predominant form of chlorine. The sulfur XANES data for these coals show that a majority (61% to 82%) of organic sulfur in the thiophenic form. The ratios of thiophenic sulfur to total organic sulfur show a correlation with sample location. For samples from regions 1 and 2, the ratios are relatively lower (61% to 64%), whereas, for samples from regions 3, 4H, and 4S, the ratios are relatively higher (64% to 82%). A more detailed interpretation in these correlations will be discussed in the next report.« less

  • ; ;
    A set of 34 as-shipped coal samples from operating Illinois mines is available for this study to determine the forms of chlorine and sulfur and leachability of chlorine during wet grinding and froth flotation. The forms of chlorine may be inorganic, ionic, and organic. The forms of organic sulfur will include organic sulfide and thiophenic sulfur. Chlorine can be leached from coal during wet grinding. The potential for removal of chlorine from the samples during fine ({minus}200 mesh) and ultrafine ({minus}400 mesh) wet-grinding and during froth flotation designed primarily for removal of pyrite and ash will be determined. In addition,more » the organic/inorganic affinities of trace elements in as-shipped Illinois coals will be assessed so that the current physical coal cleaning results may be better interpreted.« less

  • ; ; ; ...
    The existing trace element washability data on Illinois coals are based on float-sink methods, and these data are not applicable to modern froth flotation or column flotation processes. Particularly, there is a lack of washability data on samples from modern preparation plants, as well as other product (as-shipped) coals. The goal of this project is to provide the needed trace element washability data on as-shipped coals that were collected during 1992--1993 from Illinois mines. During the second quarter, froth flotation/release analysis (FF/RA) tests on 34 project samples were completed at {minus}100, {minus}200, and {minus}400 mesh particle sizes. Products from themore » FF/RA tests were analyzed for ash, moisture, and some for total S and heating value (BTU), and the resulting data are being used to construct a series of washability curves. For example, these curves can show variation in BTU or combustible recovery as a function of the amount of ash or S rejected. Composite samples, each having 80% of the total BTU (or combustibles), were prepared for the {minus}100 and {minus}200 mesh FF/RA tests and submitted for trace element analysis. The composite samples for the {minus}400 mesh FF/RA tests will be submitted soon, and the analytical results are expected to be available in 3--4 months. The trace element data on the composite samples will indicate the potential for the removal of each element from the coals at the chosen flotation conditions and particle sizes.« less

  • ; ; ; ...
    The goal of this project is to characterize marketed coals from Illinois mines. The results generated by this project will promote Illinois coals for prospective new markets as feed materials for advanced gasification processes, for synthetic organic chemicals, and help asses future environmental requirements for abatement of noxious trace elements. The properties that are being determined include the concentration of all trace elements that are of environmental concern, the pyrite size distribution and maceral association, preliminary froth flotation cleanability, slagging and fouling characteristics relevant to the coal`s behavior in utility boilers, chlorine forms and distribution, and certain gasification and rheologymore » parameters. We completed collection and processing of samples of 34 marketed coals that represent the products from a total of 40 mines. All the samples were submitted for standard coal and trace element analyses, and some of the analytical tasks were completed. There was a considerable amount of trace element data on face channel samples scattered in various files at the ISGS. In order to establish useful correlations between the marketed coal and face channel samples, the existing files were integrated and edited for accuracy and completeness.« less

  • The objective of this project is to produce electrode binder pitch with sulfur content below 0.6 wt% from high-sulfur Illinois coal mild gasification liquids. In previous ICCI projects at IGT, flash thermocracking (FTC) was used to successfully upgrade the properties of mild gasification pitch, yielding a suitable blending stock for use as a binder in the production of carbon electrodes for the aluminum industry. However, in pitches from high-sulfur (4%) Illinois coal, the pitch sulfur content is still unacceptably high at 2%. In this project, two approaches to sulfur reduction are being explored in conjunction with FTC: (1) the usemore » of conventionally cleaned coal with low ({approximately}1%) sulfur as a mild gasification feedstock, and (2) direct biodesulfurization of the liquids prior to FTC. In Case 1, the crude pitch is being produced by mild gasification of IBC-109 coal in an existing IGT bench-scale reactor, followed by distillation to isolate the crude pitch. In Case 2, the crude pitch for biodesulfurization was obtained from Illinois No. 6 coal tests conducted in the IGT mild gasification PRU in 1990. Biodesulfurization is to be performed by contacting the pitch with Rhodococcus Rhodochrous IGTS8 biocatalyst. Following preparation of the crude pitches, pitch upgrading experiments are to be conducted in a continuous FTC reactor constructed in previous ICCI-sponsored studies. The finished pitch is then characterized for physical and chemical properties (density, softening point, QI, TI, coking value, and elemental composition), and compared to typical specifications for binder pitches.« less