Electroosmotically enhanced dewatering/deliquoring of fine-particle coal

Technical Report · Thu Nov 01 00:00:00 EST 1990

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6035842· OSTI ID:6035842

Sami, S; Davis, P K; Smith, J G

This research is an investigation of the use of electroosmosis to dewater/deliquor ultrafine coal. Post-beneficiation dewatering/deliquoring methods for ultrafine coals are inadequate and generally require subsequent thermal drying. The first year of this project focused on preparation of ultrafine coal samples, development of test equipment and test cells, identification of variables affecting electroosmosis, and trial runs. The second and final year was primarily devoted to the electroosmotic dewatering behavior of ultrafine coal. New measurement systems were developed, including a computer-controlled measurement system capable of measuring flow rates as low as 1 {mu}m per second. Furthermore, the effects of gravity, filter attenuation, voltage gradients, electrolysis, and temperature could be either determined explicitly or eliminated as a variable with these systems. Four of the more surprising contributions of this research are: (a) the observation of reversal of electroosmotic flow direction for coal; (b) strong evidence that the primary cause of high-voltage gradients in the coal near the cathode are attributable to reduced conductivity rather than due to trapped hydrolysis-produced hydrogen bubbles; (c) the observation of electroosmotic transport ratios (the ratio of uncharged water molecules removed per single ion removed) sufficiently large to demonstrate that the cost of actual electroosmotic transport of water through ultrafine coal can be very small; and (d) strong evidence that electroosmotic volume flow rates are very insensitive to temperature changes. 10 refs., 5 figs., 9 tabs.

• Research Organization: Southern Illinois Univ., Carbondale, IL (USA)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: FC22-89PC89904
• OSTI ID: 6035842
• Report Number(s): DOE/PC/89904-T22; ON: DE91011299
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
BITUMINOUS COAL
WATER REMOVAL
COAL FINES
COAL PREPARATION
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
ELECTRIC POTENTIAL
ELECTROLYSIS
ELECTROPHORESIS
FILTERS
FLOW RATE
GRAVITATION
MASS TRANSFER
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
OSMOSIS
PARTICLE SIZE
PROGRESS REPORT
SAMPLE PREPARATION
SORTING
TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE
TEST FACILITIES
BLACK COAL
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
COAL
DIFFUSION
DOCUMENT TYPES
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
ENERGY SOURCES
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
LYSIS
MATERIALS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
REMOVAL
SIZE
010300* - Coal
Lignite
& Peat- Preparation- (1987-)