Development of system operating parameters for ash and sulfur reduction in Illinois basin coal by froth flotation. Final report, July 1, 1983-June 30, 1984

Technical Report · Sun Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1984

OSTI ID:6347356

Sinha, A K

A great potential market for high Btu midwestern thermal coal exists if the coal is desulfurized and prepared to meet environmental restriInrintions and utility customer specifications. Although midwestern coal is very high in pyritic sulfur, it can be adequately desulfurized by removing pyrite with the help of such physical coal cleaning techniques as froth flotation. Froth flotation cells are now commonly used in modern coal preparation plants for recovering the fines but they are not utilized for desulfurizing the coal due to a complete lack of system operating parameters for such applications. This research project was conducted to develop optimal system operating parameters and demonstrate the potential for desulfurization of Illinois Basin coal by froth flotation. Ten carefully drawn coal samples representative of the high-sulfur coal in Illinois Basin were used in the study. Optimal froth flotation systems operating parameters for desulfurizing the selected coal samples and removing the mineral matter have been developed. The results obtained with bench scale tests clearly indicate that the total sulfur in the Illinois high-sulfur thermal coals can be reduced to less than 1.5% with over 70% yield of clean coal by single stage froth flotation utilizing the optimal values of the system operating parameters. The ash in the coal samples was reduced by as much as 64% in the desulfurization process. These results were subsequently confirmed by pilot tests conducted in almost identical size froth flotation cells. The pilot scale test results confirm that the desulfurization results obtained in the bench scale tests should be easily obtainable in the commercial plants. Because the chemical reagents utilized in the process are minute in quantities, the cost of coal desulfurization by froth flotation is quite insignificant compared with the benefits derived. 4 figures, 26 tables.

• Research Organization: Southern Illinois Univ., Carbondale (USA). Dept. of Mining Engineering
• DOE Contract Number: FC22-83FE60339
• OSTI ID: 6347356
• Report Number(s): DOE/FE/60339-T1; ON: DE85001886
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
010402* -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Purification & Upgrading
013000 -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Transport
Handling
& Storage
BENCH-SCALE EXPERIMENTS
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COAL
COST
DATA
DESULFURIZATION
ENERGY SOURCES
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FLOTATION
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
FUNCTIONAL MODELS
INFORMATION
IRON COMPOUNDS
IRON SULFIDES
MATERIALS
MINERALS
NUMERICAL DATA
PILOT PLANTS
PYRITE
REAGENTS
REMOVAL
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SULFIDE MINERALS
SULFIDES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS