Neutron-capture gamma-ray analysis of coal for sulfur, iron, silicon and moisture. [Ph. D. thesis; 111 references

Abstract

Samples of coal weighing approximately 200 grams placed in a collimated beam of neutrons from the thermal column of the Ames Laboratory Research Reactor produced capture gamma-rays which could be used for the simultaneous determination of sulfur and iron. Spectra from NaI(Tl) and Ge(Li) detectors were used and interferences were located by examining spectra of the major elemental components of coal. In determining sulfur, iron is a potential source of interference when gamma-ray spectra are collected with a NaI(Tl) detector. Corrections for iron interference were made by use of a higher energy iron peak. The possibility of determining silicon in coal was investigated but this element determination was unsuccessful since capture gamma-ray spectrometry lacked the necessary sensitivity for silicon. A linear relation was found between the area of the hydrogen capture peak at 2.23 MeV and the amount of water added to coal.