Thermo-Gravimetric studies on the low temperature Pyrolysis of Bituminous Coal

Abstract

Studies on the thermal decomposition of a washed bituminous coal from Raniganj coal fields were carried out at steady temperatures ranging from 410°C-456°C by means of a thermal balance. The experimental percentages loss versus time curves follow an equation of the type Y=x/a+bx+c, where as Y= percentage loss in weight, X= time in minutes, C= the intercept on Y-axis at the assumed zero time and ‘a’ and ‘b’ are constants. The limiting losses at various temperatures, calculated from the horizontal asymptote of the curves, when plotted versus temperature fall on a straight line whose equation is L=mt+c where as L= the maximum or limiting loss at any temperature, t+ the temperature in degrees centigrade and ‘m’ and ‘c’ have the usual significance. Forum this equation, the maximum loss at any intermediate temperature can be found by intrapolation within the experimental range. The activation energy of the thermal decomposition of this coal is found to be 50 K.Cals/gm.mole and the frequency factor is 1.15x10.