Dynamic behaviour of sulfur forms in rapid pyrolysis of coals with alkali treatment

Abstract

Three kinds of subbituminous and bituminous coals with added potassium hydroxide were heated at 523 K in a nitrogen stream to transform thermally stable organic sulfur to reactive species. Extents of total sulfur removal were 27–52% during the course of alkali treatment, while weight loss was 8–13%. The extent of total sulfur removal was linearly proportional to the internal surface area of the parent coal. The parent coals and alkali-treated samples were pyrolysed rapidly in a free-fall reactor in a nitrogen stream at 1233 K. Under these conditions the alkali-treated samples lost more organic sulfur than did the parent coals. The observed changes in the content of sulfur forms were successfully simulated kinetically. The combined process of rapid pyrolysis with alkali leaching was effective for reduction of organic sulfur, except for a high-rank coal of small internal surface area.