Study of

6th CKIC Overseas Training

Seminar Changsha,China
Presented by CKIC- ken . Peng

Ash Fusibility Determination

 CONTENTS
Content

Overview Apparatus Application

• Understanding of Ash
• Why Test Ash Fusibility
Tragedy in Bei Lungang Power Plant

132 24 23
Days Shut Down People Seriously Injured People Died
Understanding of Coal Ash

Slagging Boiler
Ash Explosion
Understanding of Coal Ash

Main Composition of Coal Ash

1200-1500℃

Ash is composed of a mixture of various minerals which do not

have a fixed melting point, but only one range of melting temperature.
 What is Ash Fusibility ?

Deformation Temperature
Beginning of balling or bending
Hemisphere Temperature
Half sphere or Height=1/2 bottom

Sphere Temperature Flow Temperature

Top touch down or ball shape Height is1.5mm or 1/3 HT
 Purpose for Critical Temperatures

Indicate the temperature for ST – Most Widely Used

Slightly slagging & fouling
Choose the boiler and coal

Indicate the temperature for

Indicate the temperature for
fluidly moving or seriously
Largely slagging & fouling
slagging
 Purpose for Critical Temperature

ST – Most Widely Used

Choose the boiler and coal

For Slag-tap boiler - Discharge the slag in liquid state

Low Ash Fusibility Coal is recommended

For dry-bottom furnace - Discharge the slag in solid state

High Ash Fusibility Coal is recommended

 Importance of Ash Fusibility

To indicate slagging potential of fuel ash

A clue for Choosing

1 The Right Boiler design

2 The Right Coal for your boiler

3 The Right Way and Time to remove the

ash deposit from your boiler
 Importance of Ash Fusibility

Benefits from Ash Fusibility Determination

1 Ensured Safety (Explosion Potential) !

2 Reduced Operation Cost !

 CONTENTS
Content

Overview Apparatus Application

• How to Test Ash Fusibility
• Atmosphere
• Maintenance
Apparatus Required

High Temperature Furnace

• Capable of maintaining a uniform temperature
zone at which it heats the ash cones
• Capable of maintaining atmosphere
surrounding the cones during heating
• Capable of regulation so that the rate of
temperature rise shall be 8±3℃/min
• Providing means of observing the ash cones
during heating
Apparatus Required

Cone Mold
• GB standard: 20mm in height * 7mm in width
• ASTM Standard: 19mm in height *6.4mm in width
• ISO Standard: 12mm in height *6mm in width

Thermocouple
• Platinum and Platinum-rhodium thermocouple.
• Accurate and readable to within 5.5 ℃
• Protected by glazed porcelain sheath

Ash-Cone Refractory Supports

• Composed of mixture of equal parts by weight of
Kaolin and Alumina
Operation Procedure
• Instrument: 5E-AF4000
• Test Standard: ASTM D1857
• Analysis process for reference only
 Ash Fusion Deteminator
Combustion Cup
High Efficiency Max 7 samples determined one time

Automatic CCD Cone Plate

Identification Camera

Model 5E-AF4000
Sample
Loader (Electric Furnace)
 Structure
16

Combustion Cup

Furnace Set-up
High Efficiency Max 7 samples determined one time

Automatic CCD Cone Plate

Identification Camera

Sample
Loader
Power Setting

For Safety use, we separate the heating

and control power
That’s make hardware debug much more safety
Power
Heating part Control part

220 V±22V 20A 220 V±22V

single phase grounded well single phase grounded well
Heating power: 5KW Control power: 1KW

CKIC
Gas leakage Detection

For Safety use, we use the poisonous and

harmful gas detector

CO/H2

when gas leaks:

Gas inlet valve will be turned off automatically
Alarm at the same time
CKIC
 Atmosphere used

Oxidizing Atmosphere

Atmosphere Air Flow(ISO ,GB)

Mildly Reducing Atmosphere

CO2+CO/H2(ISO,GB)

Graphite + Activated Carbon (GB)

Economic & safe

 How to Test Ash Fusibility ?

1 Milling Ash
Preparation of Ash
• Prepare the coal and coke passing 250μm sieve
• Ashing the sample in well-ventilated muffle furnace at
800-900℃ for 2.5 hours
• Use agate mortar to grind the sample to 75μm
• Spread the ash in a silica dish to ignite in steam of oxygen
in muffle furnace for 1.5 hours at 800-850 ℃

Note：
• Follow the steps to ensure complete and uniform oxidation of ash
• Iron mortar must not be used
 How to Test Ash Fusibility ?

2
Prepare Ash cone

1 Milling Ash
 Preparation of Cone
• Moisten the ash with few drops of 10% solution of dextrin
• Press into cone mold with spatula to form the triangular
pyramids
• Drying sufficiently to permit handling without
deformation – Cones without complete dry will effect
the identification of deformation temperature

Dextrin solution: For forming the cones (5 gram per

analysis).100g/L concentration solution, regulated
by all the standards
 How to Test Ash Fusibility ?

2
Prepare Ash cone

3
1 Milling Ash Put ash cone onto plate
Place the cone

• Mount a number of dried cone vertically on the plate

• Dry the mounted cones and ignite to remove all
carbonaceous materials

Ash Cone Plate: Corundum materials can

resist higher than 1600℃, for loading the
cones (One-Time Usage)
Suitable for ASTM/GB/ISO standards
 How to Test Ash Fusibility ?

2
Prepare Ash cone

3
1 Milling Ash Put ash cone onto plate
 How to Test Ash Fusibility ?

5
Load Sample

4
Program Setting Result 6
Smart Software
• Both auto and manual temp. Identification available
• Video clips can be replayed
• Test standards (GB, ISO, ASTM)
Test Procedure by Instrument

Figure out the 4 critical temperature points by industry

camera with high resolution analysis image
Automatically.
Applicable for ASTM,ISO and GB.

High automation and safety.

High resolution and precision.

 Standards

ISO 540:2008 Chapter 6.1 a)

ASTM D1857/D1857M-04
It shall be capable of GB/T 219-2008
Chapter 5.3.1
reaching the maximum Chapter 6.1.1
The instrument shall have
temperature at which the The instrument shall be
been calibrated to be
properties of the ash are capable of reaching a
accurate within 11 ℃ up
determined(a temperature temperature of at least
to 1400 ℃ and within 16
of 1500℃ or more can be 1500 ℃
℃ from 1400 to 1600 ℃
required)

Durable heating element, Si-Mo material,

can reach a maximum temperature of
1600℃ to comply with ISO/ASTM/GB
Temperature standards
 Standards

ISO 540:2008 ASTM D1857/D1857M-04 GB/T 219-2008

Chapter 7.1 Chapter 6.2 Chapter 7.1
Mildly reducing: Reducing Method: Mildly reducing:
55%-65% CO with 35%-45% 60%CO and (40±5)% CO2 (50±10)% H2 with
CO2or 45%-55% H2 with Oxidizing Method: (50±10)% CO2 or (60±5)%
45%-55% CO2 A regulated stream of air CO with (40±5)% CO2
Oxidizing Method: shall be maintained Oxidizing Method:
Obtained with air or CO2 throughout the test Air flow circulation free

Ergonomic vertical furnace design, suitable

for any standards requirements, especially
the unique GB Envelop Method, simulated
Test Method to the situation in boiler.
 Standards

ISO 540:2008 Chapter 10 ASTM D1857/D1857M- GB/T 219-2008

After a period of 10 min, the 04 Chapter 9.1
temperature rises at a Chapter 5.1.3 Temperature rising speed:
uniform rate within 3-7 Capable of regulation so Below 900 ℃:
℃/min; for small test pieces, that the rate of (15-20) ℃ /min;
a rate up to 10 ℃/min is temperature rise shall be Above 900 ℃:
satisfactory (8±3)℃/min (5±1)℃/min

Adjustable setting of temperature rising

speed, we can reach the requirements for
any standards
Heating Rate
 Maintenance-Temperature

Calibrate Thermocouple
Temperature is the key coefficient in
the analysis, so thermocouple is the
key component.

1. By standard thermocouple Yearly

2. By Gold Wire (or Palladium Wire) Weekly

Gold Wire: ＞0.5mm diameter, 99.99% purity, 1063℃ melting point
Palladium Wire: ＞0.5mm diameter, 99.9% purity, 1554℃ melting point
 Maintenance-Atmosphere
Check Gas Tightness
we suggest to check the leakage of
Furnace tube assembly by standard ash.
Repair the gas leakage point with high
temp.
daub.
Keep Furnace Dry
Wet furnace will affect the test result.
We suggest to do pre-heating before analysis during wet season or
place with high moisture content.

Calibrate the Atmosphere

Check the reducing atmosphere by observing the melting point of Nickel
Wire [＞0.5mm diameter, 99.99% purity, 1452℃ melting point] weekly.
Maintenance-Image Capture

Clean Quartz Lenz

Clear image is the key factor to identify the temp.
point. The quartz glass will become blurred due to
the dust that produced during analysis, we need to
clean it before we start the analysis.
 CONTENTS
Content

Overview Apparatus Application

• Industry & Sample

• Case Study
Application – Industry & Sample

• Power plant • Scientific R&D

Coal Ash • / Education
Biomass fuel Coal and coke Ash
Biomass fuel

• Mining • Inspection
Coal Ash Coal and coke Ash
Coke Ash Biomass fuel

• Metallurgy • Chemical
Coal Ash Coal and coke Ash
Coke Ash Biomass fuel
Other Application

Solid
Recovered
Fuels
- Refer to Standard CEN/TS 15404
 Application – Solid Recovered Fuels

Comparison between Solid Recovered Fuels and Coal

Solid Recovered Fuels Coal and Coke

Definition on Critical Temperature Shrinking Temperature Sphere Temperature

Ashing Temperature before Analysis 550℃ 800-900℃

Shape of Test Piece 3mm-5mm Cube Cone

Temp. for Introducing Reducing Gas 500℃ 400℃

Heating Rate (4-6)℃/min after 700℃ (8±3)℃/min

* Standard for Solid Recovered Fuels refer to CEN/TS 15404

* Standard for coal refer to ASTM D1857
K.A.I.S.T(Korea Advanced Institute
of Science and Technology)
Class Review

Which factors below will greatly and directly

affect the ash fusibility test results?

A. Accuracy of temp. E:Atmosphere in

furnace

B. Heating rate F:Gold wire .

C. Dextrin solution G:Number of cones

D. Ash cone preparation H:Ash cone image

Class Review

Which atmosphere that we used is just simulating

the atmosphere in a boiler ?
A. Oxidizing atmosphere

B. Reducing atmosphere

C. Mildly Reducing atmosphere

D. Mildly Oxidizing atmosphere

Class Review

Which one is incorrect from the followings ?

A. DT=Beginning of balling or bending

B. ST= Top touchdown or ball shape

C. HT=Half sphere or Height=1/2 bottom

D. FT=Height is 2 mm or 1/3 HT
CKIC Team Present
Question ?