Coal liquefaction in nitrogen compounds

Model compound studies have shown that 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinoline is an exceptionally good coal solvent. In the pure compound, subbituminous coal conversion to THF-soluble products approaches 100% under relatively mild reaction conditions. The effectiveness of tetrahydroquinoline for coal conversion appears to be related to its concentration relative to coal. The unique behaviour of tetrahydroquinoline is ascribed to its being a highly active H-donor; the fact that it is regenerable under reaction conditions by the reaction of hydrogen and quinoline; and that its polarity allows penetration of the coal structure and aids in dispersion of the dissolved coal. It has been found that, during reaction with coal, tetrahydroquinoline and other nitrogen compounds undergo extensive condensation reactions which result in an increase in the nitrogen content of the high boiling and non-distillable liquefaction products.     

Relative reactivity of hydrogen donor solvent in coal liquefaction

Hydrogen transfer from donor solvent to coal must involve reactions such as hydrogen donation to free radicals and hydrogenation of aromatic structures. The relative reactivities of five typical hydrogen donor solvents, more reactive than tetralin, were determined using a competing elimination reaction in the liquefaction of a bituminous coal at 400 °C and a brown coal at 350 °C. 9,10-Dihydroanthracene, 9,10-dihydrophenanthrene and 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinoline exhibited outstanding hydrogen donating ability. Further, the relative reactivities of five mild hydrogen donor solvents such as acenaphthene and indan were determined by a similar elimination reaction using a bituminous coal at 450 °C.     

Application of K2CO3 catalysts in the coal gasification process using nuclear heat

Conventional gasification processes use coal not only as feedstock to be gasified but also for supply of energy for reaction heat, steam production, and other purposes. With a nuclear high temperature reactor (HTR) as a source for process heat, it is possible to transform the whole of the coal feed into gas. This concept offers advantages over existing gasification processes: saving of coal, as more gas can be produced from coal; less emission of pollutants, as the HTR is used for the production of steam and electricity instead of a coal-fired boiler; and a lower production cost for the gas. However, the process has the disadvantage that the temperature is limited to the outlet temperature (950 °C max) of the helium cooling gas of the HTR. Therefore the possibility of catalytic steam gasification was examined. Model calculations based on experimental results show that use of 3–4 wt% relative to coal of K²CO³ catalyst increases the throughput of a large scale nuclear gasification plant by ≈65%, while gas production costs decrease by ≈15%. Corrosion by catalysts is not significant at low concentration (< 5 wt%) and low temperature (< 900 °C).     

Reductive alkylation of Illinois No. 6 coal in liquid ammonia

The reductive alkylation of Illinois No. 6 coal was investigated using alkali metals and alkyl halides in liquid ammonia. Potassium is the most effective reducing agent and butyl iodide is the most effective alkylating agent for the preparation of coal alkylate that is soluble in tetrahydrofuran. The overall yield of soluble product is often improved through the reaction of the tetrahydrofuran-insoluble portion of the initial reaction products with an alkylating agent in the presence of tetrabutylammonium hydroxide. The infrared spectra of these materials suggest that the phase transfer agent catalyses the esterification of residual carboxylic acid functions. The intermolecular interactions between such acid groups and acceptor groups markedly restrict the solubility of the coal alkylate. The gel permeation chromatograms of the soluble reaction products are essentially featureless with only modest maxima at short and long elution volumes. The proton and carbon nuclear magnetic resonance spectra of the reductive methylation products, prepared using methyl-¹³C iodide, suggest that carbon alkylation exceeds oxygen alkylation and that the alkylation of phenolic groups is the dominant O-alkylation reaction. The spectra also suggest that fewer ethers are cleaved in the reaction in liquid ammonia than under the conditions of the Sternberg reaction.     

Ruthenium tetroxide catalysed oxidation of Illinois No. 6 coal: The formation of volatile monocarboxylic acids

Ruthenium tetroxide selectively oxidizes activated aromatic compounds under mild conditions and has been used for the catalytic oxidation of several different coals. The quantities of the volatile monocarboxylic acids with 2–6 carbon atoms have been determined by an isotope dilution technique. The amount of ethanoic acid ranges from 1 to 3mol/100C and the quantities of propanoic acid, and butanoic acid exceed 0.1 mol/100C. Methylpropanoic, pentanoic, 2-methylbutanoic, 3-methylbutanoicand hexanoic acid are formed in lesser amounts. The outcome of the experiment depends upon whether or not the coal has been extracted prior to oxidation. The results for Illinois No. 6 coal expressed in moles of ethanoic acid produced/l00C illustrate this feature: raw whole coal, 1.9; coal extracted by the method of Hayatsu and co-workers, 1.0. Dehydrogenation with benzoquinone prior to oxidation increases the yield of ethanoic acid to $\text{sol1.5mol}\text{100C.}$ The amounts of ethanoic acid obtained from the other extracted coals are 1.0 for Texas lignite, 1.2 for Rawhide subbituminous, 3.4 for Pittsburgh No. 8, 3.3 for a higher ranking bituminous coal (PSOC 726) and 0.7 for an anthracite (PSOC872). The results obtained in this study are compared with related information concerning the distribution of alkyl groups within coal by other methods.     

Application of open-pit and underground mining technology for residual coal of end slopes

Given the conditions of residual coal from the boundary of a flat dipping open-pit mine,which uses strip areas mining and inner dumping with slope-covering,we propose an open-pit and underground integrated mining technology for residual coal of end slopes.In the proposal a conveyance road and ventilation conveyance near the slope are built,corresponding to the pit mining area and the surface coal mine dump,as well as an interval haulage tunnel and air-inlet tunnel.The outcome shows that such mining method may reduce the effect to slope stability from underground mining,it does not affect the dumping advance and has a high recovery rate of residual coal resources.The working face is timbered by single hydraulic props,transported by a scraper conveyor and supported by coal walls.This method of mining is one of layered top coal caving,with high resource recovery,low production cost where positive economic benefit can be realized.     

Nanobubble generation and its applications in froth flotation (part Ⅲ): specially designed laboratory scale column flotation of phosphate

Froth flotation is used widely for upgrading raw phosphate. The flotation recovery of coarse phosphate (-1.18+0.425 mm) is much lower than that achieved on the -0.425+0.15 mm size fraction. Enhanced recovery of coarse phosphate particles is of great economic and environmental importance for phosphate industry. In this investigation, four different phosphate samples were aquired, characterized and tested in a specially designed laboratory-scale flotation column. Significant recovery improvement of coarse phosphate flotation was achieved using cavitation-generated nanobubble though its effects differ among the four testing phosphate samples. The laboratory-scale flotation column test results indicate that nanobubble increased P2O5 recovery by up to 10%-30% for a given Acid Insoluble (A.I.) rejection, depending on the characteristic of phosphate samples. The improvement ef-fect of nanobubble on the hard-to-float particles was more significant than that on easy-to-float particles, especially at lower col-lector dosages. Nanobubbles reduced the collector dosage by 1/3 to 1/2. Nanobubbles almost doubled the coarse phosphate flotation rate constant and increased the flotation selectivity index by up to 25%.     

Preparation,characterization and salt-resistance of a coal based super absorbent composite

Potassium humate was extracted from brown coal.A novel super absorbent composite,poly (acrylic acid-co-acrylamide)/potassium humate (PAA-AM/KHA),was prepared by graft polymerization of acrylic acid,acrylamide and coal based potassium humate using N,N'-methylenebisacrylamide as a crosslinker and potassium peroxydisulfate as an initiator.The effects of reaction temperature,degree of neutralization of the poly (acrylic acid) and the amounts of crosslinker,initiator and potassium humate were investigated.Salt resistance tests were also carried out.The composite prepared under optimal conditions had a potassium humate content of 10% and exhibited a water absorption of 770 g/g in distilled water,and 349,286 and 41 g/g in 0.5 mol/L KC1,MgCl2 and AlCl3 solutions respectively.The results indicate that the salt resistance of PAA-AM/KHA was superior to that of poly (acrylic acid-co-acrylamide) because of the collaborative effect of functional groups of the coal based potassium humate.The PAA-AM/KHA micro powder was characterized by IR spectroscopy and the micrographic surface was characterized by scanning electron microscopy.Introduction of potassium humate into the poly (acrylic acid-co-acrylamide) structure creates a composite more suitable for use as a water-managing material in the renewal of arid and desert environments.The salt resisting property of the composite is improved,production costs are reduced and the growth stimulant effect is still present.     

Damage and deterioration mechanism and curing technique of concrete structure in main coal cleaning plants

Concrete structures in main coal cleaning plants have been rebuilt and reinforced in the coal mines of the Shanghai Da-tun Energy Sources Co. Ltd., the first colliery of the Pingdingshan Coal Co. Ltd. and the Sanhejian mine of the Xuzhou Mining Group Co. Ltd. In these projects, the operating environment and reliability of concrete structures in the main plants of the three companies were investigated and the safety of the structures inspected. Qualitative and quantitative analyses were made on the spe-cial natural, technological and mechanical environments around the structures. On the basis of these analyses, we discuss the long-term, combined actions of the harsh natural (corrosive gases, liquids and solids) and mechanical environments on concrete structures and further investigated the damage and deteriorating mechanisms and curing techniques of concrete structures in the main coal cleaning plants. Our study can provide a theoretical basis for ensuring the reliability of concrete structures in main coal cleaning plants.