Chapter 47 - Fast-Neutron Activation Analysis for Oxygen, Nitrogen, and Silicon in Coal, Coal Ash, and Related Products

Abstract

Nuclear activation analysis is a well-established technique suitable for qualitative and quantitative chemical analysis of nearly all elements. This chapter discusses fast-neutron activation analysis for oxygen, nitrogen, and silicon in coal, coal ash, and related products. Fast-neutron activation analysis for oxygen, nitrogen, and silicon is an accurate, rapid, and inexpensive method that can be used to supplement the classical coal analysis. This method helps to further quantify the old methods and permits a more meaningful, and from the scientific standpoint, more accurate and informative interpretation of results. Fast-neutron activation analysis can detect errors in the classical coal analysis. It can give stoichiometric balances if other data are correct and, thus, help the chemist to provide the coal upgrading engineer with necessary information rapidly while the tests are being conducted. In the case of oxygen, the question of whether oxidation or reduction of any interim products occurs during a run can be answered in a few minutes after the sample has been submitted for analysis. In many cases, a single accurate oxygen determination will tell the coal chemist and engineer more than the whole analysis, once the correlations of true oxygen with the different steps of analysis and industrial processes are available.