Coal Samples Research Articles

Pressure effects on molecular evolution: Differences between vitrinite and inertinite in coal

The difference between vitrinite and inertinite in coal has been regarded as the starting point, and the vitrinite and inertinite stripped from a coal sample were conducted by high-temperature (600 °C and 900 °C) and high-pressure (1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 GPa) experiments. The samples' molecular structure was examined with element analysis, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction. The results reveal that pressure has an inhibitory effect on the evolution of molecular structure at 600 °C, and the vitrinite shows a lower molecular structure evolution degree than inertinite. For the two macerals at 900 °C, with increasing pressure, the molecular structure parameters exhibit opposite regularities to those at 600 °C, and the vitrinite shows a higher molecular structure evolution degree than inertinite. The evolution rate of molecular structures caused by pressure in vitrinite remains consistent under different temperature conditions, whereas that in inertinite exhibits jumping changes. There must be a transition interval between 600 °C and 900 °C that can change the pressure from inhibiting coalification to promoting coalification. When the temperature exceeds the transition interval, pressure can accelerate the molecular structure evolution in vitrinite, causing it to catch up with and surpass the evolution degree of inertinite's molecular structure.

Mechanism of SC-CO2 extraction-induced changes to adsorption heat of tectonic coal

To investigate the change and control mechanism of coal adsorption behavior under supercritical CO2 (SC–CO2), the changes in coal composition, structure and adsorption of coals before and after SC-CO2 action were addressed by means of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), low temperature liquid nitrogen adsorption instrument and calorimeter. The influence of changes in coal composition and structure on its adsorption was quantitatively analyzed by grey correlation analysis. The results show that the effect of SC-CO2 fluid treatment is proportional to the degree of coal damage. After SC-CO2 treatment, the integral adsorption heat of CO2 changes from −11.10 J/g to 13.744J/g, and the microcrystalline structure parameters and inorganic components in coal have the greatest influence on it. At the same time, it is also affected by temperature and pressure. With the increase of microcrystalline structure parameters d002, La and Lc, the integral adsorption heat of the samples showed a 'V' trend, and the increasing trend was the same as the decreasing trend of ash yield. On the whole, SC-CO2 fluid treatment enhances the adsorption of gas by coal samples to a certain extent.

Prediction Model of Lean Coal Adsorption of Power Plant Flue Gas.

To minimize errors in calculating coal flue gas adsorption capacity due to gas compressibility and to preclude prediction inaccuracies in abandoned mine flue gas storage capacity for power plants, it is imperative to account for the influence of compression factor calculation accuracy while selecting the optimal theoretical adsorption model. In this paper, the flue gas adsorption experiment of a power plant with coal samples gradually pressurized to close to 5 MPa at two different temperatures is carried out, and the temperature and pressure data obtained from the experiment are substituted into five different compression factor calculation methods to calculate different absolute adsorption amounts. The calculated adsorption capacities were fitted into six theoretical adsorption models to establish a predictive model suitable for estimating the coal adsorption capacity in power plant flue gas. Results reveal significant disparities in the absolute adsorption capacity determined by different compression factors, with an error range of 0.001278-7.8262 (cm3/kg). The Redlich-Kwong equation of state emerged as the most suitable for the flue gas of the selected experimental coal sample and the chosen composition ratio among the five compression factors. Among the six theoretical adsorption models, the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller model with three parameters demonstrated the highest suitability for predicting the adsorption capacity of coal samples in power plant smoke, achieving a fitting accuracy as high as 0.9922 at 49.7 °C.

Investigating a three-dimensional convolution recognition model for acoustic emission signal analysis during uniaxial compression failure of coal

Acoustic emission predicts coal sample failure, vital for early warnings and monitoring. The study emphasizes using acoustic emission to predict coal sample failure patterns and establish a discriminative model for monitoring. It employs a lightweight 3D convolutional model combining DenseNet with Group Convolution (GC) and the "squeeze-and-excitation" (SE) module. Coal samples from Xinglongzhuang Coal Mine underwent uniaxial compression, and a subset of experiments with prominent features was selected. The resulting acoustic emission parameters were then transformed into spatiotemporal image sequences for input to the model. Successfully identifying hazardous coal damage stages, all four network structures (DenseNet, DenseNet + GC, DenseNet + SE, DenseNet + GC + SE) achieved over 98.29% predictive accuracy in verification samples. The model exhibited a recall rate of over 98.02% for high-risk samples, effectively capturing spatiotemporal information. DenseNet + GC + SE showed a probability distribution focusing on different risk levels. By integrating group convolution and SE modules, this model significantly reduced both model and time complexity while preserving precision, enhancing efficiency. It effectively discerns diverse acoustic emission features through group convolution and evaluates their significance using the SE module. Compared to the traditional C3D neural network, this model greatly reduces complexity and time requirements while improving efficiency in distinguishing between various damage stages.

Experimental Study on the Inhibition Effect of the Inhibitor on Coal Spontaneous Combustion Under Critical Temperature.

At present, related research on inhibitors has been gradually improved, but there is still a lack of research on the inhibition characteristics at specific release temperatures and the mechanism of inhibiting coal spontaneous combustion. Based on this, In this study, the inhibition characteristics of adding inhibitor to coal under critical temperature (R70) are studied in depth. In the experiment, lignite was selected as the research object, and four different types of inhibitors, MgCl2, triphenyl phosphite (TPPI), Phytic acid (PA), and melatonin, were applied to coal samples at room temperature and 70 °C, respectively. The temperature-programmed-gas chromatography test and Fourier infrared spectroscopy experiment were carried out, and the oxidation kinetic parameters were calculated to study the oxidation characteristics and micromechanism of the coal samples in the process of spontaneous combustion. The experimental results show that the amount of CO gas release and oxygen consumption rate are lower, and the inhibition rate and apparent activation energy are higher when the inhibitor is added under R70 than at room temperature. Under R70, the content of oxygen-containing functional group -COOH with higher activity of inhibitor is reduced, the generation of active sites is inhibited, the concentration of active center is reduced, the path of mutual transformation between active sites and oxygen-containing functional groups is blocked, and the active groups are promoted to form a relatively stable inert oxygen-containing ether bond, which reduces the spontaneous combustion tendency of coal.

Mineralogical, Petrographical and Geochemical Properties of the Late Oligocene Coal Seam (Seam-VI): Insights into Elemental Enrichments and Palaeodepositional Environment (İbrice field, Thrace Basin)

The Thrace Basin hosts several mineable coal seams (upwards numbered I to VII) within the coal-bearing Late Oligocene-age Danişmen Formation. For the first time, the properties of the Seam-VI in the İbrice (Malkara) area have been investigated in order to evaluate elemental enrichments and palaeoenvironmental conditions. The xylite-rich and mineral-rich lithotypes were identified from the studied coal samples representing the whole-coal thickness. The coal samples, on a dry basis, display variable ash yields (13.2–63.0%), total C (21.2–57.8%), and total S (0.9–4.1%) contents. The minerals identified using XRD-whole rock analysis include clay minerals, quartz, pyrite, calcite, dolomite, and feldspars. Siderite is only identified in a single sample. Aragonite is detected in two samples, which contain fossil shell remains. The SEM observations agree with XRD data, and apatite, barite, biotite, pentlandite, sphalerite, Ti-oxide, and zircon were also identified as accessory phases. Huminite is the predominant maceral group in the studied samples, while liptinite and inertinite group macerals display variable proportions. The mean %Rr values of ulminite macerals are around 0.40-0.41±0.01-0.02%, indicating relatively low-rank coal. This study implies that the precursor peat-mires of the Seam-VI were mainly developed under forested mire conditions, where woody peat-forming plants were abundant, and occasionally the contributions of herbaceous plants were important. The coexistence of syngenetic pyrite and carbonate minerals (e.g., siderite and carbonate mineral bands) could be related to the development of weakly acidic to neutral conditions within palaeomires. Furthermore, the predominance of clay minerals and the presence of detrital accessory minerals (e.g., apatite, pentlandite, and Ti-oxides) can also be indicators of clastic influx into palaeomires. Although aluminosilicate minerals (e.g., clay minerals) are abundant in dominant phases, SEM-EDX data shows that accessory minerals mainly control the elemental enrichments in the Seam-VI. The Mn enrichments in the samples seem to be controlled by Mn-bearing siderite micronodules. Considering the presence of sulphide mineralization and metallic ore deposits in the Strandja and Rhodope massifs, enrichments of Cr, Co, Ni, Ge, and Mo are related to As-bearing pyrite grains and accessory sphalerite and pentlandite grains within clay mineral aggregates in the samples. In addition, the Sr-bearing barite overgrowths around feldspar grains and syngenetic carbonate mineral bands could also cause Sr enrichments. Overall, clastic influx ratios into palaeomires and pH conditions during peat accumulation controlled the elemental enrichments in the Seam-VI.

EXPERIMENTAL STUDY OF THE INTENSITY OF COAL DUST REMOVAL

Problem statement. Industrial sites where coal storages are located are intensive sources of dust pollution of the environment. There is an important problem of assessing the intensity of dust removal into the atmospheric air from polluted areas. Knowledge of the intensity of dust removal into the atmospheric air makes it possible to scientifically assess the impact of contaminated sites on the pollution of the environment and work zones at industrial sites. The solution to this problem can be obtained experimentally. The purpose of the article. An experimental study of the value of the air flow velocity at which the detachment of dust particles from the surface with coal begins and their removal into the air and the determination of the intensity of the emission of coal dust from the contaminated surface. Methodology. The intensity of removal of coal dust from the contaminated area was studied experimentally in laboratory conditions. The research was conducted on coal samples from DTEK “Pavlohradvuhillya”, grade “ДГ. During the research, the velocity of the air flow at which the process of movement of dust particles along the emission source began and the velocity of “detachment” of dust particles and their removal from the emission source were determined. At the second stage of experimental research, the intensity of removal of coal dust from the polluted area was determined. Scientific novelty. The values of the air velocity at which the removal of coal dust particles from the contaminated area begins were determined experimentally. The regularity of the intensity of the removal of coal dust depending on the velocity of the air flow over the contaminated area was obtained. Practical significance. The obtained experimental data make it possible to determine under which weather conditions there is a risk of dust formation and the removal of dust into the atmosphere. The empirical dependence obtained by processing experimental data can be used for a scientifically based assessment of the level of pollution of working areas at industrial sites where there are coal storage facilities. Conclusions. The value of the velocity of the air flow at which the movement of dust particles on the contaminated surface begins, as well as the value of the velocity of the air flow at which the removal of dust particles into the air begins, was determined experimentally. The resulting empirical model can be used to estimate environmental damage due to dust pollution of atmospheric air.

Biogenic methane clumped isotope signatures: Insights from microbially enhanced coal bed methane

Biogenic (microbial) methane is an imperative natural gas resource and plays an important role in the global carbon cycle. Determining isotope systematics in microbially enhanced coal bed methane (MECBM) informs methane biogeochemical processes and environmental impacts. Here, we conduct laboratory MECBM experiments using coal samples of differing maturities (from lignite to anthracite) and report analytical results of methane production, bulk and clumped isotopes (δ13C, δD, Δ13CH3D and Δ12CH2D2). We reproduce the differential reversibility in methanogenic reactions, which exhibits a correlation with kinetic clumped isotope fractionation (Δ13CH3D from +0.17 ‰ to +4.04 ‰). The exogenous combinatorial effects play a greater role in determining the negative Δ12CH2D2 (<–30 ‰). In the microcosm of MECBM, coal and amendments are suggested to significantly increase methane production (from 82.4 ± 17.1 to 344.6 ± 22.8 μmol CH4/g coal), with effects controlled by substrate coal bioavailability rather than coal thermal maturity. This suggests the possibility of MECBM attempts to utilize high thermal maturity coal. We perform machine learning models and improve the accuracy of biogenic 12CH2D2 predictions, which help understand the mechanism of methane formation, and further provide new insights into clumped isotope effects among different biogenic methane sources. Our incubation experimental and compiled dataset (n = 275) better constrain biological participation in the methane formation process and potentially be used for methane sources tracing.

Mineralogical and geochemical characterization of coal debris from major coal fields in India: Implications on respirable dust hazards

Coal mining activities have major impact on the surrounding regions through flying coal dust particles. In this study, we investigate the differences in mineralogy and geochemistry between the deposited coal dust and the respirable fractions of coal dust samples collected from the coal mining regions of Jharia and Raniganj coalfields in India. The coal dust samples were investigated in detail through various analytical techniques including FE-SEM, TGA, and particle size analyzer. The proximate analysis of the coal dust indicated that the ash content is 75%, moisture 0.5%, volatile matter 8.4%, and fixed carbon 16% in the Jharia coal fields, while the respective values of Raniganj coal values are 68.3%, 2.8%, 14.6%, and 14.2%. The average carbon content in the Raniganj coal dust particles is higher than that of Jharia (22.62 vs. 21.50%) and suggest that the coal dust particles were transported from the coal mining areas. The scanning electron microscopy images suggest that the coal dust samples have spherical and irregular morphologies. The carbon and sulphur in these samples were possibly derived from the organic matter of the coal materials, which were transported by air as dust particles. The particle size distribution of the coal dust samples revealed that 75–95% of these by volume are in the fraction of <600 μm. It can be inferred that the relatively fine particles of the coal dust samples contained 70% of ash comprising of mostly silica and clay as maximum respirable dust, which is hazardous to both human life and the environment. Our study provides insights into the air pollution and health risks around mining areas.

Research on the Multiscale Microscopic Pore Structure of a Coalbed Methane Reservoir

Coal rock pores are the space in which coalbed gas is stored and flows. Accurately characterizing the pore structure of coalbed gas is the foundation of coalbed gas reserve assessment and production forecasting. Traditional experimental methods are unable to characterize the multi-scale pore structure characteristics of coal rock. In this paper, a multi-scale pore structure characterization method is proposed by coupling various experimental methods, including low-pressure nitrogen gas adsorption experiments, X-ray computed tomography (XCT) imaging technology, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Using Zhengzhuang coalbed gas as an example, the micro-pore structure of coalbed gas reservoirs is characterized and depicted from a multi-scale perspective. The results indicate that a single experimental approach can only partially reveal the microstructure of coal rock pores. The combined use of multiple methods can accurately reveal the full-scale microstructure of coal rock pores. The pore structure of the experimental coal rock samples exhibits multi-scale characteristics, with a complex variety of pore types, including inorganic pores, organic pores, and fractures. Organic pores are predominant, with a small number of inorganic pores, and their sizes range from 2 nm to 50 μm. Mineral particles and fractures are observed at both the nanoscale and microscale, exhibiting typical multi-scale characteristics, with quartz being the predominant mineral.

Study on the Influence of Different Gas Concentrations on Coal Spontaneous Combustion

ABSTRACT The coexistence of gas and spontaneous coal combustion poses a serious threat to mine production safety. Therefore, studying the compound disaster of gas and spontaneous coal combustion and revealing the impact of gas concentration on the characteristic parameters of coal spontaneous combustion are of great significance for understanding the mechanism of compound disasters involving coal and gas and for comprehensive management. Based on theoretical analysis, this paper selects four typical types of cannel coal、non-caking coal、meager coal、anthracite coal as research subjects, and conducts programmed heating experiments on coal samples under different gas concentration conditions, aiming to provide a theoretical basis for the prevention and control of spontaneous coal combustion in a gas environment. Experimental results show that with the increase in temperature of the coal samples, the oxygen consumption rate and heating emission intensity exhibit a trend of slow increase followed by rapid increase. With the increase in gas concentration in the environment, the production of CO and CO2, oxygen consumption rate, and heat emission intensity of coal spontaneous combustion all show a decreasing trend. This is mainly because the high gas concentration occupies the adsorption sites on coal molecules, thereby hindering the reaction between coal and oxygen. Additionally, by calculating the thermodynamic parameters of the coal samples, it was found that the apparent activation energy increases with the increase in gas concentration, further confirming that the increase in gas concentration in the environment significantly inhibits the spontaneous combustion process of coal.

Experimental study on mine water purification mechanism for broken coal and rock masses in the underground reservoir of ecologically vulnerable mining area.

Water-rock interaction mechanism and water purification capacity of broken coal and rock masses are very important for the efficient operation of the underground reservoir. In this paper, a water purification simulation device for an underground mine reservoir was designed. The experimental study on the dynamic interaction between broken coal and rock masses and mine water was carried out. The water purification mechanism is analyzed from the changes in rock mineral composition and mine water quality before and after the test. The results show that after the broken coal and rock mass purification, the water turbidity and the concentration of chlorides and suspended solids decreased obviously. The water purification capacities of mudstone and sandstone are stronger than that of coal samples. After 60days of reaction between the working face sewage and the broken samples (mudstone, sandstone, and coal), the turbidity, chromaticity, and residual chlorine decreased by > 90%, 90%, and 60%, respectively; and COD decreased by 35.29%, 30.59%, and 28.99%, respectively. While the TDS and the total hardness increased by about 40%, 30%, and 10% for the mudstone, sandstone, and coal, respectively. It shows that coal also has the worst degradation performance. The water purification effect of broken coal and rock masses has a significant time effect. The early stage of water-rock interaction is dominated by mineral dissolution, and the middle stage is dominated by precipitation and adsorption. The pH value of the solution has a certain influence on the ion change. In the later stage, the water-rock interaction is weak in a dynamic equilibrium state, and the change in the mine water quality index is not obvious. Considering the influence of rock lithology on water quality and the law of water-rock interaction time, the construction site selection and water storage time optimization of underground reservoirs in Jinjie Coal Mine were carried out, respectively.

Thermokinetics and synergistic effect analysis of peat-lignite coal co-pyrolysis

ABSTRACT In this study, the synergistic effect between peat and lignite coal was investigated in terms of kinetic energy and mass loss trends using a thermogravimetric analyzer. Thermogravimetric non-isothermal studies were conducted at different heating rates under inert nitrogen atmosphere. Kinetic analysis was performed using model-free KAS, OFW, and Starink methods and the average activation energies varied between 88.62 kJ/mol and 204.28 kJ/mol. Differential mass loss trends were determined using experimental and theoretical data. An obvious deviation was obtained at a blend ratio of PT:CL40:60. Thus, results revealed that the PT and CL co-pyrolysis has synergistic effects, especially for sample PT:CL40:60. SEM and BET analyses were performed on the coke sample of peat, coal, and PT:CL40:60 blend ratio samples for further analysis. The surface area of peat and coal was determined to be 416 m2/g and 83.06 m2/g, respectively. It was concluded that the porosity and surface area of coal (187.02 m2/g) increased with the addition of peat. The results are expected to be useful in the design of peat biomass and coal co-pyrolysis systems.

Experimental Study on the Effect of Gas Pressure on the Pore Structure and Dynamic Mechanical Properties of Coal.

Understanding the effect of gas pressure on coal pore structure and dynamic mechanical properties can better guide the accurate monitoring of stress and gas in gas-containing coal seams in coal mines and efficiently prevent and control coal/rock-gas composite dynamic hazards. In this study, the characterization of the pore structure of the coal body under different gas pressures and three-dimensional impact compression tests were carried out. The findings demonstrate that when the axial static load and confining pressure are fixed, the gas pressure determines the amount of gas adsorbed by the coal samples and its pore structure changes. The effect of gas pressure on the pore structure of the micropores is not obvious, but it has an obvious dilatation effect on the pore structure of the macropores. Within the range of conditions and gas pressures studied in this paper, gas-containing coals' dynamic compressive strength and failure strain decrease linearly with increasing gas pressure. The average dynamic strength deterioration rate of gas-containing coals increases linearly with an increase of gas pressure, which plays a deteriorating role in the dynamic mechanical properties of coal bodies. When the gas pressure increases from 0.7 to 2.8 MPa, the radius of the macropores inside the gas-containing coal increases 0.63 times, and the increased pores and cracks produce a stress concentration effect around the pores and cracks and the shorter time required for instability damage of the coal samples to occur when subjected to dynamic loading. The research results improve the basic theory of gas-containing coal dynamics and provide a theoretical basis for the mine coal/rock-gas composite dynamics disaster.

Construction and Evaluation of a Degradable Drilling Fluid for Underground Coalbed Methane Extraction Boreholes.

Gas drainage with bedding boreholes is an efficient method for preventing gas and achieving coal and gas comining in underground mining engineering. An underground pressurized drilling method is proposed to maintain the borehole stability. However, the presence of natural fractures in coal seams poses challenges during pressurized drilling. Therefore, it is crucial to establish a low-leadage degradable drilling fluid system that minimizes coal seam damage. In this study, a degradable drilling fluid system was developed based on the characteristics of coal seams. The performance and influencing factors of the drilling fluid and the degrading capability of cellulase were examined. Moreover, the damage of the drilling fluid on fractured coal seams was investigated using core flow test methods. The results showed that additives significantly improved the rheology, filtration, and inhibition of the drilling fluid. The drilling fluid system exhibited excellent stability, rheological properties, low filtration, and sealing performance in coal seam environments. However, drilling fluid invasion and mud cake blockage negatively affected gas flow in fractured coal seams, and a higher content of filtrate reducer hindered the recovery of the gas flow rate. Cellulase was used to degrade polymers and alleviate the challenge of mud cake removal after drilling. Research on the influencing factors of cellulase indicates that the degradation efficiency of cellulase enzymes is influenced by the temperature, pH, salinity, and solid-phase content. For polluted coal samples, the gas flow rate significantly recovered after treatment with a cellulase solution. This study provides insights into a degradable drilling fluid system that can enhance underground pressurized drilling methods and minimize reservoir damage.

Molecular characteristics of eight lignites based on the big data obtained from Orbitrap mass spectrometry

Eight lignites from different regions were selected for thermal dissolution (TD) sequentially using cyclohexane, methanol and ethanol. The TD extracts of the eight coal samples were characterized using atmospheric pressure chemical ionization source (APCI)-Orbitrap mass spectrometry (MS). Chemometric methods were employed to deeply explore the molecular structural and composition information of the organic compounds detected by Orbitrap MS. The longest distance method in systematic clustering of chemometrics was employed to ascertain the optimal number of groups, which was found to be 7 by clustering 24 soluble portions (SPs) using Euclidean distance. Taking one group as an example, the similarities and differences of SPs within the group were derived based on the compositional class of O1N1, N1, O2N1 and O2, and heteroatom distribution patterns of the SPs were proposed and compared. The integration of high-resolution MS data and chemometric methods not only exposes the existence of heteroatomic compounds in lignite but also furnishes evidence for the origin and evolution of lignite, as well as a methodology for the high-value utilization of lignites from different sources.

Gas transport model and numerical solution in roof rock based on the theory of free gas diffusion

Accurately identifying the source of coalbed methane is of great practical significance in preventing gas concentration overruns and improving extraction efficiency. At present, it is widely believed that underground gas mainly comes from coal desorption, and the mechanism of gas flow inside the coal seam is explored in depth, while the gas released inside the rock is often neglected, and there is insufficient understanding of its internal transportation law. In this study, the density gradient theory (FGDGD) in the coal matrix was used as a guide to characterize the adsorption and transport properties of gases within the rock. The anthracite and mudstone from the same roadway in Yuxi mine were selected for the experiments, and coal rock samples with particle sizes of 0.425 mm–0.25 mm were ground. The adsorption constant test and adsorption process experiments were carried out under the constant volume condition, and the transport behavior of gas within the rock was simulated and numerically solved, and the content and flow behavior of gas in the rock were discussed in detail. The results are as follows: (i) The simulation curves based on the density gradient model fit well with the experimental data for both coal and rock downholes, indicating that the gas transport law inside the rock downhole is also in accordance with the density gradient theory, which broadens the scope of application of the theory. (ii) The free gas diffusion coefficients Dks (rock) are smaller than Dks (coal) for the gases in the rock matrix and coal matrix, which may be due to the difference in the pore structure of the rock matrix, resulting in lower adsorption sites than those of the coal. (iii) Although the gas content inside the rock is relatively low compared with that of coal, it is significant for reducing the prediction error of gas influx in engineering practice. Therefore, it is necessary to consider the storage of gas in rocks and its migration behavior when studying the sources of gas emissions in engineering fields.

Fracture Development Patterns and Micro–Macrostructural Fractal Characteristics of Acid–Base Coal Samples

Fracture Development Patterns and Micro–Macrostructural Fractal Characteristics of Acid–Base Coal Samples

Speculations on the sources of coal associated with thirteenth-century archaeological site, Lee County, southwestern Virginia

Seventeen objects from a thirteenth-century archaeological site in southwestern Virginia were petrographically examined to determine whether they were cannel coal. Cannel coal was used by indigenous groups in parts of North America to craft pendants and other items and may have been a valued trade commodity during the late precontact period in the Southeast. Potential coal samples were subjected to petrographic study to determine their lithology. Results suggests that, for some indigenous groups at that time, cannel coal was a secondary but valued resource for craft (such as jewelry and weaving implements) production and possibly exchange.

Vacuum Pyrolysis of Brazilian coal, peat and biomass – Results on characterization of feedstock, solid residues, pyrolysis liquids and conversion rates

Pyrolysis of solid fuels such as coal, peat and biomass enables conversion into solid and liquid products, with noncondensable gas being a by-product. The present study evaluates conversion characteristics of Brazilian coal, peat and biomass samples using vacuum pyrolysis techniques. Feedstock and their respective solid residues (chars) and pyrolytic liquids obtained under vacuum pyrolysis conditions were characterized by proximate and ultimate analyses, gross calorific value, petrographic analyses, reactivity to CO2, Raman spectroscopy and organic geochemical methods (extraction, liquid chromatography). Chemical and physical properties in the feedstock samples and solid residues are highly variable. In the coals mean vitrinite reflectances ranged from 0.44% to 1.18% Rrandom indicating a rank range from subbituminous to high volatile/medium volatile bituminous coal. Reflectance measurements obtained from vitrinoid particles identified in solid residues from coal, peat and biomass varied from 2.10% to 10.64% Rrandom. Analyses of the liquid products indicate a tendency of the aliphatic fraction to increase in most of the samples during the pyrolysis process, as well as the predominant formation of polar compounds in the condensable liquids. The results of this study suggest that among the coal samples investigated major conversion to liquids and gases (29.7%–33.2%) occurs in the high volatile bituminous coals from Santa Catarina, whereas in the biomass samples Mamona (Castor Beans), wood chips (Eucalyptus), wooden bars (pinus) and signal grass have all conversion rates &gt; 60%. The conversion rates for the peat samples varied between 32.5 and 46.6%. Reflectance values determined on vitrinoid biomass chars indicate a potential use in soil amendment.