DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY

RAMJAS COLLEGE
UNIVERSITY OF DELHI

INDUSTRIAL CHEMISTRY ASSIGNMENT

TOPIC: COAL

AKHIL BHARDWAJ
162
BATCH: B2
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 TOPICS COVERED:-
1. INTRODUCTION: WHAT IS COAL?
2. FORMATION OF COAL
3. TYPES OF COAL
4. COAL: A SOURCE OF ENERGY, IMPORTANCE AND CONSUMPTION
5. PROBLEMS ARISING FROM COAL CONSUMPTION
6. FUTURE USAGE
7. CONCLUSION
8. REFERENCES

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 WHAT IS COAL?
Coal is essentially carbon, a blackish mass which is being used for powering our
homes, though the rate of renewal is slim.
Though coal is made of carbon, other elements such as hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen
and sulphur do form some parts.
It is a non-renewable resource which is being used by humans as their primary
source of energy for industrial needs and generation of electricity.
Though coal is rarely used nowadays in industries, it still forms a major part (about
37%) of producing electricity.

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 HOW IS COAL FORMED?

• Coal is formed from decaying matter under the action of high

pressure and temperature under the surface of Earth, which take
millions of years
• Capacity of coal to give energy depends upon the percentage of
carbon content. So older the coal, more is its carbon content.

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 WHAT ARE THE TYPES OF COAL?
 Coal quality can be ascertained from the % of carbon content it has.
Good coal will have greater carbon content, greater calorific value and
less to minimum moisture & dust.
The coal is primarily divided into four components:-
1. Peat
2. Lignite
3. Bituminous
4. Anthracite

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 TYPES OF COAL
PEAT:  Peat is the accumulation of partially decayed matter or vegetation, which can be found in peat mines.
Peat is also a fossil fuel, so it is a non-renewable resource. It has the potential of becoming coal.
 Carbon content:- 40-55%
 Moisture:- 45%
 Calorific value:- 5430 kcal/kg
Uses:- electricity generation It can also be used to absorb oil and fuel spills on land & water, when dry.

LIGNITE: Formed from compressed peat, also called the brown coal. It is also the youngest geological coal. It
is low ranking and highly volatile.
 Carbon content—40-55 %
 Moisture- 35%
Calorific value- 6300kcal/kg
Uses- Used primarily in power generation.
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BITUMINOUS: It is the most abundantly form of coal available in the world. They are dense black
sedimentary rocks, but can be light brown
 Carbon content- 40-80%
 Moisture- 15-40%
 Calorific value- 8000 kcal/kg
 Uses- In power generation and for producing coke in steel industry

ANTHRACITE:  It has the highest rank of ignitable coal. It is hard, black and glossy.
 Carbon content- 80-95%.
 Moisture- 8-15%.
 Calorific value- 8600kcal/kg
 Uses:- Residential and commercial place heating

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 HISTORICAL IMPORTANCE OF COAL AS
ENERGY SOURCE
START:
The first documented proof that coal was mined in Europe was provided by the Monk Reinier, who wrote (about 1200)
of black earth very similar to charcoal used by metalworkers.
Many references to coal mining in England and Scotland and on the European continent began to appear in the writings
of the 13th century.

THE BIG BREAK:

most notably the invention of the coal-burning steam engine by James Watt—engendered an almost insatiable demand
for coal.

THE FIRST RUSH:

Up to the time of the American Revolution, most coal used in the American colonies came from England.
Wartime shortages and the needs of the munitions manufacturers spurred small American coal-mining.By the early
1830s mining companies had emerged in various regions.
The introduction of the steam locomotive gave the American coal industry a tremendous boost. Continued expansion of
industrial activity in the world further promoted the use of coal.
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 VARIOUS USES OF COAL
i. Coal is an abundant natural resource that can be used as a source of energy, as a chemical
source from which numerous synthetic compounds (e.g., dyes, oils, waxes, pharmaceuticals,
and pesticides) can be derived, and in the production of coke for metallurgical processes.
ii. Coal is a major source of energy in the production of electrical power using steam generation.
iii. In addition, gasification and liquefaction of coal produce gaseous and liquid fuels that can be
easily transported (e.g., by pipeline) and conveniently stored in tanks.
iv. Coal liquefaction—that is, any process of turning coal into liquid products resembling crude oil
v. Gasification refers to the conversion of coal to a mixture of gases, including carbon monoxide, 
hydrogen, methane, and other hydrocarbons

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COAL CONSUMPTION IN INDIA

INDIA ACCOUNTS FOR 8.3% OF TOTAL

WORLD’S COAL AMOUNT WITH 95,000
MILLION METRIC TONS OF COAL

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 ADVANTAGES OF COAL AS AN ENERGY SOURCE
Coal has been used extensively in power generation where better technology is employed to ensure that there is a
balance between ecology and economics in producing sustainable and affordable energy.
“But, is coal really the answer to affordable and  sustainable energy?”

LETS FIND OUT:

CERTAIN ADVANTAGES OF COAL AS A FUEL:
1. Reliability. One of the greatest advantages of coal fired power plants is reliability. It is with this fact that advanced
pulverized coal fired power plants are designed to support the grid system in avoiding blackouts.

2. Affordability. Energy produced from coal fired plants is cheaper and more affordable than other energy sources.
Since coal is abundant, it is definitely cheap to produce power using this fuel. Moreover, it is not expensive to extract
and mine from coal deposits. Consequently, its price remains low compared to other fuel and energy sources.

3. Abundance. There are approximately over 300 years of economic coal deposits still accessible. With this great
amount of coal available for use, coal fired plants can be continuously fueled in many years to come.

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4. Known technologies. The production and use of coal as a fuel are well
understood, and the technology required in producing it is constantly
advancing. Moreover, coal-mining techniques are continuously enhanced to
ensure that there is a constant supply of coal for the production of power and
energy.

5. Safety. Generally, coal fired plants are considered safer than nuclear power
plants. A coal power plant's failure is certainly not likely to cause catastrophic
events such as a nuclear meltdown would. Additionally, the welfare and
productivity of coal industry employees has greatly improved over the years. In
fact, injuries, time lost, and fatalities have decreased significantly in the past
years.

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PROBLEMS ARISING FROM COAL CONSUMPTIONS

On the other hand, there are also some significant disadvantages of coal fired plants which includes:
1. Greenhouse gas emissions. Coal leaves behind harmful byproducts upon combustion. These byproducts cause
a lot of pollution and contribute to global warming. The increased carbon emissions brought about by coal fired
plants has led to further global warming which results in climate changes.

2. Mining destruction. Mining of coal not only results in the destruction of habitat and scenery, but it also
displaces humans as well. In many countries where coal is actively mined, many people are displaced in huge
numbers due to the pitting of the earth brought about by underground mining. Places near coal mines are unsafe
for human habitation as the land could cave in at anytime.

3. Generation of millions of tons of waste. Millions of tons of waste products which can no longer be reused are
generated from coal fired plants. Aside from the fact that these waste products contribute to waste disposal
problems, these also contain harmful substances.

4. Emission of harmful substances. Thermal plants like coal fired plants emit harmful substances to the
environment. These include mercury, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, mercury, selenium, and arsenic. These
harmful substances not only cause acid rain but also are very harmful to humans as well.
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 WHAT LIES NEXT?
 While the availability and affordability of coal are advantageous, these
factors must be considered in light of the negative impact on the
environment resulting from its use.
 The future of coal will depend upon the use of low-sulfur varieties,
advances in clean coal technologies and sourcing of lower-cost
alternatives. While the disadvantages will lower demand for coal
energy over time, the lack of a cost-effective alternative should keep
this fossil fuel in demand for many years to come.

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 CONCLUSION

COAL AS ENERGY
SOURCE

ADVANTAGEOUS DISADVANTAGEOUS

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 REFERENCES:
Britannica.com/science
Encyclopedia.com
Pinterest.com
Wikipedia.com

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THANK YOU

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