Effects of organic liquids on coking properties of a higher-inert Western Canadian coal

The effect of organic liquids (white spirit, perchloroethylene and methylene bromide) typically used in float/sink gravity separations (specific gravity 1.4-1.8) on the fundamental properties of a higher-inert Western Canadian metallurgical coal of mvb rank (Romax 1.22) and its resultant coking ability were examined. Over a 6-month period, untreated (control) and treated coal were characterized using a wide range of analyses including elemental chemistry, FTIR spectroscopy, alkali extraction via light transmittance test and thermal rheology, specifically fluidity, Dilatation, FSI and Caking Index G. Exposure to organic liquids was found to have a minor effect on coal chemistry (Ultimate) and oxidation level (Alkali Extraction via Light Transmission Test and FTIR-Spectroscopy). Trends of H/C, O/C, Light Transmittance and FTIR absorbance spectra versus storage time, following initial 1 h exposure to the organic liquids of varying specific gravities, revealed only minor changes, within the scatter/accuracy of the measurements. However, several coal plastic properties were decreased significantly including Gieseler Maximum Fluidity, Dilatation and G Caking Index. Of these, most affected was Maximum Fluidity which underwent an immediate and dramatic decrease of over 80% following organic liquids treatment. Other rheology indicators including FSI and Sapozhnikov were significantly less sensitive in detecting initial stages of degradation in plastic properties. The coking ability of both the untreated and treated coal in perchloroethylene (PCE) organic liquid, s.g. 1.6, after storage for 1 and 6 months was assessed through carbonization trials in both a small-scale sole-heated oven (12.5 kg capacity) and in a pilot-scale movable wall oven (350 kg capacity) at CanmetENERGY Carbonization facility, Ottawa, Canada. The treated samples had appreciably poorer quality ambient (ASTM, IRSID, JIS tumbler tests) and hot (CSR, CRI) coke strength and modified coke structure. Coke ASTM strength for untreated and treated coal at time 1 month was respectively decreased from 62 down to 57 for Stability and from 72 to 67 for Hardness. Similarly, Coke CSR and CRI for untreated and treated coal at time 1 month was respectively decreased from 74 down to 58 and increased from 21 to 29. The treated sample resulted in a lower coke yield, 71%, in comparison with 78% for the untreated sample, produced coke of smaller mean size, 46 mm, than the untreated sample, 53 mm, and generated an appreciably higher fraction of fines (− 12.5 mm), 21%, than untreated sample, 4%. The coke textures from the untreated coal consist of higher carbon forms, mosaic and flow in medium size, compared to those from s.g. 1.6 treated coal of lower carbon forms, very fine and fine mosaic, which renders the coke more reactive to CO2 gasification during CSR test. The higher effective coking rank, 1.2, and Coke Mosaic Size Index, 2.4, of untreated sample relative to that of treated one, 1.1 and 2.2, respectively, supports the better coke quality of the untreated sample. Extension of storage time to 6 months resulted in negligible changes in coke quality showing that the greatest changes occurred within the first month following exposure to organic liquids. Comparison of 1 month untreated and PCE treated mid coking rank Western Canadian (Romax 1.22) and Australian (Romax 1.17) coals show both to undergo comparable decrease in fluidity (50-60%) post treatment with PCE although only the Western Canadian coal leads to lower dilatation. Coke yield is also decreased for the Western Canadian coal and essentially maintained for the Australian coal. Both CSR and CRI are affected negatively and more so for the Western Canadian coal, 16 point drop in CSR and 8 point increase in CRI, relative to the Australian coal, 3 point drop in CSR and 4 point increase in CRI.