Influence of sulfur in coals on char morphology and combustion

During coal carbonization (pyrolysis), as during the combustion process of pulverized coal in a combustor, not all of the sulfur is released. Significant proportions become pat of the structure of the resultant coke and char. The combustion process of the char within the flames of the combustor in influenced dominantly by char morphology. This, in turn, controls the accessibility of oxidizing gases to the surfaces of the carbonaceous substance of the char. Mineral matter content, its extent and state of distribution, also exerts an influence on char morphology created during pyrolysis/carbonization. This complexity of coal renders it a very difficult material to study, systematically, to distinguish and separate out the contributing factors which influence combustion characteristics. Therefore, in such circumstances, it is necessary to simplify the systems by making use of model chars/cokes/carbons which can be made progressively more complex, but in a controlled way. In this way complicating influence in chars from coals can be eliminated, so enabling specific influences to be studied independently. It is important to note that preliminary work by Marsh and Gryglewicz (1990) indicated that levels of sulfur of about 3 to 5 wt % can reduce reactivities by 10 to 25%. The overall purposemore » of the study is to provide meaningful kinetic data to establish, quantitatively, the influence of organically-bound sulfur on the reactivity of carbons, and to ascertain if gasification catalysts are effective in the preferential removal of sulfur from the chars.« less