Coal Quality and Its Impact on Performance

Dr. D. Banerjee
DEBDAS_BAN@YAHOO.COM
 Coal
The organic matrix of coal is highly heterogeneous and
invariably associated with mineral matter and some moisture

Thus coal is composed of two part

Coal→ Organic (Macerals) +Inorganic (Minerals+ Moisture )
( Combustible) (Non Combustible)

The quality of coal depends on its origin , mechanism of

formation & mining process
WHY COAL QUALITY?
• Coal Quality affects the performance of a power
station starting from CHP to ESP
• Design of steam generator and Selection of types
& size of auxiliaries also depend on coal quality.
• Knowledge of coal quality is Essential for its
Efficient utilization
• Knowledge of coal quality is also Essential for
Performance Assessment & Analysis
 WHAT IS COAL QUALITY?

Coal Quality is assessed by its different characteristics.

Characteristics are determined by following analysis:
• Proximate Analysis
• Ultimate Analysis
• Calorific Value
• Hard-grove Grindability Index ( HGI)
• Ash Chemical Analysis/ Ash Fusion Temp
• Abrasive Index (A I)
• Maceral Composition
• Combustion characteristics
• Swelling Index
• Caking Index
• Proximate Analysis
➢ Moisture
➢ Ash
➢ VM
➢ FC

• Ultimate Analysis
➢ Carbon
➢ Hydrogen
➢ Nitrogen
➢ Sulphur
➢ Oxygen
➢ Mineral Matter

✓ Calorific Value (CV)

 Proximate Analysis

• It is the simplest and a rapid means of assessing

coal quality .
• Broadly indicates coal’s suitability for particular
use
• As name implies it gives an approximate idea of
coal quality.
• Analysis of Moisture, Ash, Volatile matter are
done as per test procedure stipulated in ASTM
D3172 or BIS1350 Standard,
• Fixed Carbon is determined by subtracting
moisture , ash & VM from 100
Silica Crucibles Used in Coal Proximate Analysis
 CALORIFIC VALUE

Calorific Value represents the amount of heat given by unit mass of fuel
on combustion.
It is normally determined by burning a known amount of sample in a
oxygen bomb calorimeter under condition of excess oxygen and
measuring the heat evolved by observing rise in calorimeter
temperature.
Gross calorific value (GCV) or HHV: When a fuel is burnt, hydrogen in
fuel forms water remain in vapor phase. To be in vapour phase latent
heat is used. If the vapor is condensed latent heat is liberated thus
maximum heat is extracted.
NCV or LHV : Net calorific value is the difference between GCV and heat
absorbed by water to be in vapor phase.
ASTM D3286
Around one gram of
sample is burned in
oxygen bomb
calorimeter &
calorimetric
temperature rise is
measured
 NET CALORIFIC VALUE (LHV)
• The exhaust flue gas temperature is normally varies from 120-180.
• Hence the vapour in flue gas does not condense.
• As a result latent heat of vaporisation is recovered
• The effective heat available in boiler is lower than the chemical energy
stored in fuel.
• This lower heating value is equal to HHV (GCV) less the condesation heat of
vapour.
• can be computed from calorific value

NCV (LHV) = HHV(GCV) – r(9H + M)/100

Where LHV,HHV,H, and M are lower heating value, higher heating
value, hydrogen and moisture percentage. Here r is latent heat of
steam.
NCV = GCV – 53H Kcal/kg
Where H = percentage of hydrogen present in coal ( inclusive of hydrogen of
moisture and water constituents of mineral matter
Calorific value from Proximate Parameters

GCV can also be calculated by using proximate parameter:

GCV= 85.56(100 -1.1A- M) –60M for M> 2%
GCV= 91.67FC +75.56 (VM - 0.1A) – 60M
Where M= moisture, A= ash, VM, FC on air dried basis.
 Calorific value from ultimate parameters (Dulong
Formulae)

Since combustible substances present in coal are C,H & S

calorific value of coal also can be computed Using
Dulong’s Formulae as

GCV = 33820C+143050 (H- O/8) +9304S kj/kg

NCV = 33820C +121840 (H- O/8) + 9304S kj/kg

Where C,H,,S &O are the kg per kg of fuel each
 Ultimate analysis
• Ultimate analysis gives Elemental composition
organic( combustible part ) of coal, mineral matter
content & moisture content of coal.
Carbon
Hydrogen
Nitrogen
Sulphur
Oxygen
Mineral Matter
• Thus ultimate analysis does more detail assessment
of coal quality.
• These values are used for different combustion &
Performance related computations
Assessment of Carbon & Hydrogen (ASTM D3175)

Determination of C & H are based on principle, where a weighed

amount of coal sample is burned in a closed system

Products of combustion ( CO2 & H2O ) are fixed in absorption train after
removal of interfering species.

The weight gain by absorption train CO2 & H2O are measured and
from there percentage of carbon and hydrogen are calculated
 Determination of Nitrogen (ASTM D3179)

Nitrogen is fixed as (NH4 )2 SO4 with H2SO4 and carboneous materials are
removed
(NH4 )2 SO4 + NaOH → Na2 SO4 +NH3 +H2O
NH3 + H3BO3 → NH4 + + H2BO3-
The borate formed is titrared with 0.1N H2SO4
1.4N (V1-V2)
Nitrogen(%) = ------------------
M
V1= Volume of H2SO4 used in test sample
V2 = Volume of H2SO4 used in blank
N= Normality of Std. Sulphuric acid
M= Weight of sample
 Sulphur Determination (ASTM D3177)

There are two suitable method as per ASTM D3177

1. ESCHKA METHOD
2. BOMB WASHING
In both method total sulphur in coal is converted to soluble sulphate form and
then determined as BaSO4.
ESCHKA METHOD:
1gm Coal + 3 ESCHKA (Na2CO3 +2MgO) → soluble Sulphate + BaCl2 →BaSO4
Oxidation heat
BOMB WASHING
Washings are oxidised and Precipitated as BaSO4
13.74× Wt BaSO4
S(%) = -------------------
W

Oxygen=100-(M+A+C+H+N+S)
INSTRUMENTAL ULTIMATE ANALYSIS
Formulae for conversion of Proximate to Ultimate analysis
Modified Gebhard
C(%)= FCdmf +0.9 (Vdmf-14)* (FC+V)/( FCdmf+ Vdmf )

H(%) = Vdmf {7.35/ (Vdmf+10) –0.013}* (FC+V)/( FCdmf+ Vdmf )

N (%)= (2.10 –0.012Vdmf )* (FC+V)/( FCdmf+ Vdmf )

Parr Formulae
C (%) = (1-0.01Z) Cp + 0.05 A-0.5 S

H (%)=( 1-0.01Z)Hp + 0.01A -0.015S

Seyler Dulong Formulae

C (%) ={0.59( Qdaf*4.2/419 -1.1*Vdaf ) + 43.4}*(100-M-A)/100

H(%) = {0.069(Qdaf*4.2/419 + Vdaf) -2.86}*(100-M-A)/100

Prof. B. K. Majumder’s Formulae

C (%) = 0.97*FC + 0.70 *( V- .1A)- 0.6* M
 
H(%) = 0.036* FC + 0.091*( V-0.1 A) -0.05 *M
 Formulae Validation
Cparr Cgeb Cskm Cs_d Hparr Hgeb Hskm Hs_d Ngeb

Average 0.99 3.59 2.15 0.53 0.20 0.17 0.29 0.17 0.08
Deviation

Standard 1.26 3.81 3.23 0.68 0.26 0.22 0.33 0.21 0.14
Deviation(σ)
 Proximate Analysis To Ultimate Analysis
C (%) ={0.59( Qdaf*4.2/419 -1.1*Vdaf ) + 43.4}*(100-M-A)/100
H(%) = {0.069(Qdaf*4.2/419 + Vdaf) -2.86}*(100-M-A)/100
Vdaf = V*100/(100-A-M)
Qdaf = Q*100/(100-A-M)
A is proximate ash M is proximate moisture
V is proximate volatile matter Q is GCV of coal in kcal/kg

N (%)= (2.10 –0.012Vdmf )* (FC+V)/( FCdmf+ Vdmf )

Vdmf = V *(100-1.1A-M)/100
FCdmf = FC*(100-1.1A-M)/100
V is Proximate volatile matter of coal
FC is Proximate fixed carbon of coal
 Ash Fusion Temperatures (ASTM D1857)

The standard test involves heating of a cone prepared with coal ash to a
temperature up to 1600°C. The changes in shapes are then observed by
a microscope.
The four temperatures measured are defined as:
1. Initial deformation (IDT)- At which the first rounding of the cone occurs.
2. Softening Temperature (ST): temperature at which it takes
hemispherical shape and height becomes equivalent to width of the
base

3. Hemispherical Temperature (HT)- at which the height of the specimen is

equal to half the base length i.e. it has a hemispherical shape.
4. Flow temperature (FT)- at which height of the specimen is 1/3rd of the
height of hemispherical stage.
Ash Fusion Temperatures
Heating
Microscope

Heating
Microscope
with Image
analyser
 HGI
• . This is determined to find out how easily a coal can be
pulverised.
• This is determined by measuring Hardgrove grindability
Index ( HGI) by Hard grove grindability machine.
• 50 ± 0.01 gm coal of Size -1.18 mm + 600 micron is
subjected to pulverisation in the HGI machine giving 60 ±
0.25 rotation.
• The material is then sieved through 200 mesh. Weight of –
75 micron size is taken as W
• HGI = 13 + 6.93 W.
• HGI values are used for mill design & mill performance
assessment.
 HGI MACHINE
It is a miniature mill consisting of:
•Stationary grinding iron bowl.
•Eight 25mm dia. Steel balls.
•An upper grinding roll (rotates at 19-21 rpm).
•Vertical force of 29±0.25 Kg is applied on the balls.
•An counter.
•Automatic cut out device.
HGI MACHINE
 Measure Of Abrasiveness of Coal
( AI or YGP test)
AI Test Equipment Consist of:
1. Bowl
2. Four demountable bladed paddle wheel.
3. Paddle blades are of carbon steel (36x38x11mm)
Test Steps
• Initially Wt of four blades are taken.
• 2 Kg coal of –12.5 & +6.3mm size is taken in the bowl.
• Coal in bowl is subjected to 12000 rotations of paddle
blades.
• Weight loss of blades are measured.
• mg loss/ Kg of coal gives the AI value of coal
AI MACHINE
 Hardness Values of some coal minerals
Mineral Hardness (Mho)
Coal 0.5-2.5
Kaolinite 2-2.5
Gypsum 2
Marble 3
Siderite 4.5
Apatite 5
Mica 2.5-6.0
Iron Ore 5-6.5
Pyrite 6-6.5
Quartz 7
 Ash Resistivity

Ash resistivity is another important

characteristic of coal ash
• Electrical resistivity of the ash particles is one of the
critical parameters which influence the fly ash collection in
ESPs .
• Resistivity levels are generally categorised into three
categories:
a) low; under 1x108 ohm-cm,
b) medium; 1x108 to 2x1011 ohm-cm
c) and high; above 2x1011 ohm-cm.
Variation in Resistivity
 Caking Properties of Coals

• This is a unique property of coals in the bituminous group

of coals and is an essential property for coals which are
required for coking.
• As a caking coal is heated it passes through a region where
it becomes very plastic, softens, swells and then re
solidifies.
• The residue is a cellular coke mass. Coals which do not
cake are simply form a non coherent or weakly coherent
char.
 Swelling Index
• A number of tests have been devised to classify the caking properties
of coals including the Roga test, Free Swelling Index and Gray - King
test.
• The free swelling index test entails heating a standard powder of the
coal in a crucible and comparing the resultant "button" with a standard
profile, an index is given between 0 and 9.
• A non coherent sample is given 0. generally 0 - 3 implies marginal
caking behaviour.
• The caking behaviour is critical to coke making. A successful coke
must be strong and not powdery
• Swelling characteristics is problematic for power station.
 Combustibility / Coal Reactivity

Combustion reactivity of coal

• DTG/DSC Burning profile analysis
• Maceral composition Analysis
Typical Burning Profile
 Coal Burning Profile Analysis
Burning behaviour of Coal( Burning profile temperatures ITvm, ITfc, PT, BT)

• ITvm is defined as the volatile ignition temperature, this is the

temperature where combustion of volatile matter just sets in.

• ITfc is the ignition temperature – where ignition of char takes place.

• PT, is the peak temperature, it is the temperature where the rate of

heat release is maximum due to char combustion.

• BT, Burn out temperature, is the temperature where burning of coal is

complete exothermic heat release becomes zero.

These temperatures gives an indication of possible delayed burning of coal

and two stage burning of char. One of the reason for combustible losses
as un burnt carbon.
 Burning Profile Analysis

1. Coal with similar burning profile is expected to behave

similarly in a full scale boiler.

2. By comparing burning profile of an unknown coal with that

of a coal with known full scale performance, compatibility
can be judged.

3. On-set and peak temperature data can provide a guide line

on limiting fineness of coal
 Coal Macerals

• Combustible portion of coal is made up of three major

maceral group.
Exinite, Vitrinite, Innertinite.
• Each has different combustion reactivity. The order of
reactivity is
Exinite > Vitrinite > Inertinite
• Higher inertinite coal may lead to incomplete combustion
and result un burnt carbon formation.
• So a coal having high inertinite content should not be used
for blending even it has a higher GCV
Maceral analysis of un burnt carbon of some power station,
carried out has shown that those are mostly inertinite.
 Maceral Composition of some coals of different
mines

Coal Vitrinite (%) Exinite (%) Inertinite (%)

Coal-B 15.9 17.2 66.9
Coal-C 30.7 10.7 58.6
Coal-A 26.9 17.5 55.6
Coal-D 38.3 13.6 48.1
Coal-G 38.2 14.5 47.3
Coal-F 44.5 9.0 46.5
Coal-E 46.8 9.9 43.3
 Major Issue - Coal Sampling (ASTM D2234) & Analysis
Sample: Sample is a small part of the material taken out of the whole material
for analysis and should represent the material with respect to its all
properties.

Most carefully conducted analysis may be meaningless unless and otherwise a

proper representative sample is obtained.

Reduction in stages
75 kg to 1500kg (Gross sample) -------------------------→ 1kg lab sample
Coning & quartering of -212µ/250µ size
Raw coal sampling for boiler performance analysis

As fired coal sampling point in feeder inlet pipe

 Total Moisture determination

• Raw sample collected is immediately transferred

to a metal tray and Wt. is recorded
• The sample is allowed to air dry .
• Percent air dry loss is measured as A
• Sample is crushed to –12.5mm size , air dried &
Wt. is recorded
• Percent air dry loss measured as A1
• Sample is further crushed -2.8mm size and oven
dried for two hours at 108 ± 5º C.
• Percent of Oven dried moisture is measured as R
 Total Moisture Sampling
• Moisture sample is more critical
• Always a separate moisture sample should be
collected
• Initially surface sample is discarded by removing
first one or two scoop of coal
• Following two scoop is collected and
immediately placed in an air tight container
• Around 5kg sample is collected
 Calculation Of total Moisture

AIR DRY LOSS (ADL) = A1*{(100 –A)/100} + A

TOTAL MOISTURE = R *{(100-ADL )/100} +A DL

 Reporting Analysis Results
The results of coal analysis may be reported in different bases
• As determined (ad) basis
• As received basis
• Dry basis
• Dry ash free basis
All analysis are done on air dried basis & computed as per
requirement Using conversion factors (in next slide)
 Conversion Factor Chart
Given Desired
As determined As received Dry DMF

As - 100-ADL 100 100

determined 100 100-Mad 100-Mad-1.1Aad
(ad)
As received 100 - 100 100
(ar) 100-ADL 100-Mar 100-Mar-1.1Aar

Dry 100-Mad 100-Mar - 100

100 100 100-1.1Ad
DMF 100-Mad-1.1Aad 100-Mar- 100-1.1Ad -
100 1.1Aar
100
 Coal Analysis Results
Proximate Analysis Results Air Dried Proximate Analysis Results at Total Moisture
Moisture Ash VM FC Moisture ASH VM FC

8.6 40.2 23.37 27.91 17.5 36.2 21.1 25.2

Ultimate Analysis Results Air Dried Ultimate Analysis Results at Total Moisture

C H N S O H2O MM C H N S O H2O MM

38.61 2.54 .76 0.36 4.58 8.6 44.9 34.85 2.3 0.70 0.3 4.1 17.5 40.2

GCV
Air Dried Basis Kcal/Kg Total Moisture Basis
Kcal/kg
3910 3530
 Impact of coal parameters on performance

Moisture:
1. Handling
2. Flow ability
3. Grinding
4. Net Heat value
5. Convecting Heat Transfer
VM
6. Flame stability
7. Supporting fuel
Impact of coal parameters on performance

Ash
Ash has total detrimental effect
1. Higher the ash lower will be heat value
2. Increase load on mills, boiler furnace, ESP
3. More O&M cost for CHP & AHP
4. Increase tube leakage
5. Increases possibility of slag / clinker formation
6. More sensible heat loss through stack
 Use of Ultimate Analysis
Boiler Performance Computation
1. DFG (%) = Sh*100/GCV*4.2
Sh = {(C+S/2.67- 100*U)/12*CO2}*30.6(T-t) kJ/kg
2. WFG (%) = (M+9H)*SW/GCV*4.2
SW = [1.88(T-25)+2442+4.2(25-t)] kJ/kg
3. Loss on account of Un burnt Carbon in ash
= U*CVC*100/GCV
4. CO Loss =12*{ 7*CO____ × (C/100 +S/267 - Cin_A)}*2377 KJ/kg
28 3(CO2+CO)

• Sh is sensible heat in dry flue gas, SW is Sensible heat of water vapor

• T is AH exist gas Temperature, t is air inlet temperature at AH
• U = C in ash/ kg of coal , CO2 &CO = Carbon dioxide & monoxide percentages in AH
exist flue gas
• Where C& S are carbon and sulphur percentage of coal
• GCV is the higher heat value of coal kJ/kg, CVC is heat of combustion of carbon
• M moisture content of fuel, H is ultimate hydrogen percentage of coal
 Impact of coal characteristics on Boiler η loss
Components
Change in Change in DFG Change inWFG Change in Loss
Characteristics Loss Loss due to C in ash
TM/ ±1 ±0.0005 ±0.18 ± 0.005
C in coal/ ±1 ±0.11
H in Coal/±0.25 ±0.40
C in BA / ±1 ±0.008 ±0.15
C in FA / ±1 ±0.032 ±0.60

Change in GCV/ ±100 Kcal changes η ±.50%

Impact of coal quality on Boiler Efficiency

– Loss due to Moisture and Hydrogen in coal

• Moisture in coal
– Every 1% increase in moisture decreases the Boiler
Efficiency by 0.1-0.2%
• Hydrogen in Coal
– Every 1% increase in hydrogen content decreases the
boiler efficiency by 1.5-2%
• Coal GCV
--100Kcal/Kg change in GCV impact the boiler efficiency
0 .3 - 0.5%
– Sensible heat due to ash
• Every 1% increase in ash content decreases the boiler
efficiency by 0.02%.
 Effect of total moisture sampling on efficiency
assessment
Average test data
Air inlet Temp = 34ºC,
AH O/L gas Temp = 143ºC,
CO2 at AH O/L=14.5%,
Avg. C in FA=0.5% Avg. C in BA=2%
Method-A where separate moisture sample was
collected in a air tight container and was
subjected to analysis (Two stage air drying)
Method-B where sample was taken out from gross
sample after crushing it to- 12.5mm top size.
Effect of total moisture sampling on efficiency Assessment
Thank You