COAL TECHNOLOGIES

M.Sc. Chemical Engineering

Delivered by:
Dr Usman Ali
usmanali@uet.edu.pk

Department of Chemical Engineering

University of Engineering & Technology, Lahore
 Coal Technologies

Instructors: Dr Tanveer Iqbal/Dr Usman Ali

Session: 2016

Course Number: ChE-534

Contact Hours: 3

Credit Hours: 3
 Course Content
• Review of boilers and steam cycles: (a) Principles of boiler operation, (b)
Classification and specification, (c) Steam cycle, (d) Re-heater and re-heat
cycle, (e) Combined cycle, (f) Heat recovery
• Fuel and combustion calculations: (a) Characteristics of typical fuels, (b)
Stoichiometric calculations, (c) Enthalpy calculation of air and combustion
products, (d) Heat balance, (e) Generation of SOx and NOx
• Design of technologies for conversion of solid fuels
• Pulverizing coal fired technology: (a) Design of pulverized coal-fired
furnace, (b) Pulverized coal burner, (c) Tangential firing, (d) Natural
circulation design, (e) Forced and supercritical boilers
• Atmospheric and pressurized fluidized-bed technology: (a) Features of
fluidized-bed boilers, (b) Basics of fluidized beds, (c) Design of bubbling
fluidized-bed boilers, (d) Design of circulating fluidized-bed boilers
• Integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) technology: (a) Potential and
current status, (b) Design issues
 Course Content
• Indirectly fired cycle: (a) Potential and current status, (b)
Thermodynamic analysis
• Emissions: (a) Emission of gaseous and solid pollutants,
(b) Air pollution standards, (c) Emission control
technologies
• Steam plant economics and tariff calculation
• Revamping of old technologies with advanced
technologies: (a) Revamping of existing boiler, (b) Co-
firing of opportunity fuel with fossil fuel, (c) Waste to
energy
• Case studies: (a) Computer simulation of different cycle
models, (b) Steam generator, (c) Detailed design of steam
generating unit with examples, (d) Steam turbine
 Recommended Literature
• Books
 Bartnik, R.; Buryn, Z., Conversion of Coal-Fired Power Plants to Cogeneration and
Combined-Cycle: Thermal and Economic Effectiveness. Springer, 2011.
 Boyce, M. P., Handbook for Cogeneration and Combined Cycle Power Plants. 2nd Edition;
ASME Press, 2002.
 Kehlhofer, R.; Hannemann, F.; Stirnimann, F.; Rukes, B., Combined-Cycle Gas and Steam
Power Plants. 3rd Edition; PennWell Corporation, 2009.
 Miller, B. G., Clean Coal Engineering Technology. Butterworth-Heinemann, 2011.
 Miller, B. G., Coal Energy Systems. Elsevier, 2005.
 Osborne, D., The Coal Handbook: Towards Cleaner Production ― Volume 1: Coal
Production. Woodhead Publishing, 2013.

• Handouts/Research papers/Review papers

• Lectures
 Evaluation
• Regularity and class participation
• Quizzes
• Mid term and final term examinations
 Objectives/Outcomes
• Proficiency in application of graduate and
basic level of knowledge.
• Development of professional competence for
energy engineering – coal technology.
• Critical understanding and application of
various technologies for complex commercial
systems.
• Successful dissemination of advanced
understanding.
Source: http://www.sciencealert.com/the-end-of-coal-is-near-china-just-scrapped-103-power-plants
 Coal
• Widely distributed, abundantly available and single
largest primary energy supply.
• 45 % of the world energy demand.
• From the total coal in use, 65 % in power sector, and
27 % in industry, with 71 % share in CO2 eq share.
• 728 billion tonnes of coal reserves are sufficient for
132 years.
• Coal emits 68 % and 42 % more CO2 than oil and gas.
 Coal - Pakistan
• Pakistan’s coal potential estimated at 186
billion tons, more than known indigenous oil
and gas reserves figures.
• Annual coal consumption (2013-14) was
around 6.56 million tons.
• Domestic coal production is about 3.34 million
tons per annum.
• Market price of domestic coal ranges from
USD 40-120/ton, depending upon quality and
demand.
• Coal contributes around 5.4% in the primary
energy supplies mix.
• Coal based power generation is about 0.2%.
Pakistan Coal Power Plants
 COAL TECHNOLOGIES

M.Sc. Chemical Engineering

Delivered by:
Dr Usman Ali
usmanali@uet.edu.pk

Department of Chemical Engineering

University of Engineering & Technology, Lahore
Coal Power Plant Emissions
Uncontrolled Controlled
CO2 (million tons/yr) 3.5 0.5
SO2 (tons/yr) 14100 7000
NOx (tons/yr) 10300 3300
Particulate (tons/yr) 500 ~5
Hg (lb/yr) 170 17
Lead (lb/yr) 114 10%
Cd (lb/yr) 4 10%
CO (tons/yr) 700 10%
HC, VOCs (tons/yr) 220 10%
As (lb/yr) 225 10%
 Emissions from different power
resources
CO2 eq Emissions (g CO2 eq /kWh)
Coal – PC 820
Biomass – co-firing 740
Gas 490
Biomass dedicated 230
Solar PV 48
Hydro 24
Nuclear 12
Wind 11
 “Coal is a rock, a sediment, a
conglomerate, a biological fossil, a complex
colloidal system, an enigma in solid-state
physics and an intriguing object for
chemical and physical analyses”
Coalification
 Normal Age of Coal Deposits
Geological System Mean Age (x 106 Rank of Coal
Era years) Formed
Anthracite
Paleozoic 300-245 Semi-anthracite
Bituminous
Bituminous
Bituminous
Mesozoic 200-120
Bituminous and
Sub Bituminous
Bituminous and
Lignite
Tertiary 60-20
Lignite
Lignite

Quaternary <1 Peat

 Composition change from wood to
anthracite
Fuels % composition on dry ash free (daf) Calorific Moisture at
basis value (daf) 60 % R.H.
kcal/kg and 40 C %
Carbon Hydrogen Nitrogen Oxygen

Wood 50 6 0.5 43.5 4990 25

Peat 57 5.7 2 35.3 5490 25
Lignite 67 5 1.5 26.5 6495 18
Sub-bituminous 77 5 1.8 16.2 7210 11
coal
Bituminous coal 83 5 2 10 8595 4
Semi bituminous 90 4.5 1.5 4 8690 1
Anthracite 93 3 0.7 3 8500 1.5
 Rough Classification
• The general description of coals by name
forms the first rough classification for normal
usage, by the terms
– Peat
– Lignite
– Sub-Bituminous Coal
– Bituminous Coal
– Semi-Anthracite
– Anthracite
 Coal Classification
• Regnault and GrÜner Classification
• Brame Classification
• Parr Classification
• Seyler's Classification of Coal
• National Coal board Classification of Coal
• Coal Rank Code Numbers (C.R.C.)
• International Classification of the Economic
Commission for Europe (E.C.E.)
ASTM Coal Classification
International Classification and
Codification System
International Classification and
Codification System
 Coal Analysis
• As-received

• Dry basis (db)

• Dry, ash-free (daf)

• Dry, mineral-matter-free
(dmmf)

• Moist, ash-free (maf)

• Moist, mineral-matter-free
(mmmf)
Coal Analysis
 Analysis of coal
 Proximate analysis
– Moisture content
– Volatile matter
– Ash content
– Fixed carbon

 Ultimate analysis
C, H, O, S, N, Cl, ….
 Total Carbon
• It means the fixed carbon plus the carbon
present in the volatile matters e.g. in CO, CO2,
CH4, hydrocarbons etc.
• Total carbon is always mere than fixed carbon
in any coal.
• High total carbon containing coal will have
higher calorific value.
 Hydrogen
• It increases the calorific value of the coal.
• It is associated with the volatile matter of the
coal.
• Also, the percentage of NH3 in the coke even
gas is more ; if the coal from which it has
come out contains more H2.
• This NH3 is recovered as (NH4)2SO4 by reacting
NH3with H2SO4 which is a valuable fertiliser.
 …Continued
• Part of the hydrogen of coal remains as such in
the coke oven gas thereby increasing its calorific
value.
• If hydrogen is to be removed from this coke oven
gas for production of NH3 .
• The content of hydrogen-in coals from the peat to
the bituminous stage varies between 4.5
and 6.5% and is not related to the rank.
• Beyond the bituminous stage, the content
sharply decreases to a value of 1-2% in
anthracites.
 Nitrogen
• The nitrogen in coal is present up to 1-3% and
comes from the protenoius matter present in
vegetable matter.
• Presence of inert nitrogen decreases the calorific
value of the coal.
• However when coal is carbonized (i.e. heated in
absence of air), its nitrogen and hydrogen that
combine thereby producing NH3 which is
recovered as (NH4)2SO4, a valuable fertilizer.
• The proportion of extractable nitrogen decreases
with maturity of coal.
 …Continued
 The nitrogen content does not bear any relation
to the rank of coal.
 In most coals it is between 1 and 2%. Lower
values down to 0.5 and upper values up to 2.5
 The nitrogen in coal is useful in carbonization
industries which recover a part of its valuable
by-products like ammonia, ammonium
sulphate and pyridine bases.
 Sulphur
• Though its presence (mainly as sulphides) increases the
calorific value of the coal, but, it has several
undesirable effects.
• The oxidation product of sulphur e.g SO2 ,SO3 etc.
especially in presence of moisture cause corrosion
(damage due to chemical and electrochemical action) of
the equipment and cause atmospheric pollution.
• Sulphur is highly undesirable in metallurgical coal used
in iron and steel making as it badly affects the
properties of iron and steel.
• It causes hot shortness of steel, i.e. cracking of steel
surface during hot rolling.
 …Continued
 Sulphur is commonly present in coal in three
forms, viz.
pyritic
organic
and sulphate
 but occurrence of sulphides and elementary
sulphur in coal have also been reported.
 Inorganic sulphur should be included in the
ultimate analysis.
 Total sulphur is determined by Eschka method or
Bomb method.
 …Continued
• In the former method the entire content of sulphur is
converted into soluble sulphate by heating the coal with
an oxidizing mixture of magnesium oxide and sodium
carbonate and then the sulphate is estimated.
• Bomb method the total sulphur is also converted into
the sulphate form during the determination of calorific
value in Bomb calorimeter.
• The pyritic and sulphate sulphur in coal are determined
by the usual methods of analytical chemistry and then
the organic sulphur is calculated by subtracting the
inorganic sulphur from the total sulphur.
 …Continued
• The sulphur content of coal has no relation to
its rank or composition.
• Although elementary, sulphide, pyritic and
organic forms of sulphur contribute to the
calorific value of coal, it is an undesirable
constituent.
 Oxygen
• The less the oxygen content, the better is the coal
as it reduces its calorific value.
• It decreases from lignite to anthracite as the
maturity of the coal increases.
• As the oxygen content of the coal increases, its
moisture holding capacity increases and the
caking power decreases.
• The oxygen content of coal has a close relation to
the rank. The former decreases with the increase
in the latter
 Phosphorus
• It is undesirable in metallurgical coal as it badly
affects the properties of the metal and causes
cold shortness of steel i.e. cracking of steel
surface during cold rolling.
• Phosphorus occurs in small quantities in coal.
And have normally less than 6.15% phosphorus
which offers no problem for common use in iron
and steel production. The coking coals still lower
in phosphorus. (0.01-0.04%)
 Chlorine
• It is present mainly as chlorides in the coal.
• It reduces the fusion point of the ash of the
coal.
• It is substantially removed during washing of
the coal.
 Other Properties
• Calorific Value
• Weathering Index of Coal
• Grindability Index of Coal
• Specific Gravity
• Bulk Density
• Angle of repose
• Porosity, Surface Area, Heat of Wetting
• Refractive Index and Reflectance
• Solubility of Coal
 References
• http://globalenergyobservatory.org/list.php?db=PowerPlants&type=Coal
• Government of Pakistan, 2015. Coal Resources of Pakistan – An Overview,
Presentation at SAARC Training Workshop, New Delhi - India.
• Private Power and Infrastructure Board, 2004. Pakistan coal power generation
potential.
• IEA, 2007. Fossil Fuel-Fired Power Generation Case Studies of Recently Constructed
Coal-and Gas fired Power Plants. OECD Publishing.
• IEA, 2012. World Energy Outlook 2012. OECD Publishing.
• Institute, G.C., 2013. The Global Status of CCS: Update, January 2013, Canberra,
Australia.
• IPCC, 2007. Climate Change 2007-Mitigation of Climate Change.
• WHO, 2011. Tackling the Global Clean Air Challenge. World Health Organization
Geneva
 Miller, B. G., Coal Energy Systems. Elsevier, 2005. - Chapter 1
 Osborne, D., The Coal Handbook: Towards Cleaner Production ― Volume 1: Coal
Production. Woodhead Publishing, 2013. - Chapter 6