Neutron-gamma techniques for on-stream analysis of coal

Conference · Sat Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1977 · Prepr. Pap. - Am. Chem. Soc., Div. Fuel Chem.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6197807

Rhodes, J R

Neutron activation analysis with plutonium-beryllium or californium-252 neutron sources was applied to the analysis of hydrogen, carbon, nitrogen, sodium, aluminum, silicon, sulfur, calcium, and iron in a bituminous coal sample and in simulated coal samples; sensitivities ranged from 0.2% for carbon to 0.003% for aluminum. The advantages of neutron activation analysis with these small, sealed neutron sources for process control uses, i.e., no contact with, or destruction of sample and short analysis time; correlation of elemental composition so determined with industrial properties, e.g., calorific value with carbon and hydrogen contents; the ability to simplify the instrumentation by varying the nuclear reactions used for activation depending on the elements to be analyzed; correction for neutron absorption in hydrogen-rich samples; and elimination of interferences due to overlaps in the gamma ray spectra, particularly for aluminum and silicon, are discussed. 13 references, tables.

• Research Organization: Columbia Scientific Industries, Austin, TX
• OSTI ID: 6197807
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Prepr. Pap. - Am. Chem. Soc., Div. Fuel Chem.; (United States) Journal Volume: 22:5
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
010600 -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Properties & Composition
37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
400101* -- Activation
Nuclear Reaction
Radiometric & Radiochemical Procedures
ACTIVATION ANALYSIS
ALKALI METALS
ALKALINE EARTH METALS
ALUMINIUM
BARYON REACTIONS
BITUMINOUS COAL
BLACK COAL
CALCIUM
CARBON
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
COAL
ELEMENTS
ENERGY SOURCES
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
HADRON REACTIONS
HYDROGEN
IRON
MATERIALS
METALS
NEUTRON REACTIONS
NITROGEN
NONMETALS
NUCLEAR REACTIONS
NUCLEON REACTIONS
ON-LINE MEASUREMENT SYSTEMS
ON-LINE SYSTEMS
QUANTITATIVE CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
SEMIMETALS
SILICON
SODIUM
SULFUR
TRANSITION ELEMENTS