Development of an aerodynamic levitation technique to study coal particle combustion

Abstract

A flow reactor incorporating aerodynamic levitation is designed to study the combustion characteristics of single, isolated coal particles. In the experiment, spherical coal particles (1000–6000μm diameter) are positioned by a vertical free jet in a well-controlled combustion environment. The particle temperature is monitored continuously by an infrared pyrometer. Coal particles are periodically collected and weighed to determine the extent of reaction. Experimental variables include heating rate, fuel properties, reactor conditions, and transport properties. The resultant kinetics data are compared to theoretical rates calculated using a simplified coal combustion model. The correspondence between measured and predicted rates confirms the applicability of the experimental technique.