Characterization of sintered coal fly ashes

Çan, Çatala?z?, Seyitömer and Af?in-Elbistan thermal power plant fly ashes were used to investigate the sintering behavior of fly ashes. For this purpose, coal fly ash samples were sintered to form ceramic materials without the addition of any inorganic additives or organic binders. In sample preparation, 1.5 g of fly ash was mixed in a mortar with water. Fly ash samples were uniaxially pressed at 40 MPa to achieve a reasonable strength. The powder compacts were sintered in air. X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that quartz (SiO₂), mullite (Al₆Si₂O₁₃), anorthite (CaAl₂Si₂O₈), gehlenite (Ca₂Al₂SiO₇) and wollastonite (CaSiO₃) phases occurred in the sintered samples. Scanning electron microscopy investigations were conducted on the sintered coal fly ash samples to investigate the microstructural evolution of the samples. Different crystalline structures were observed in the sintered samples. The sintered samples were obtained having high density, low water adsorption and porosity values. Higher Al₂O₃ + SiO₂ contents caused to better properties in the sintered materials.     

Adsorption of an anionic dispersant on lignite

Since coal is not a homogeneous substance but a mixture of carbonaceous materials and mineral matter, it has a variety of surface properties. Therefore, it is not easy to control the properties of coal suspensions by simply adjusting variables, such as pH and/or electrolyte. A chemical agent needs to be added to control the properties of the coal suspensions. The aim of this investigation is to determine the adsorption behavior of an anionic dispersant in the presence of a wetting agent using some Turkish lignite samples. The presence of a wetting agent in the dispersant adsorption behavior is important, since usage of a wetting agent in the preparation of coal–water slurries which are acceptable for potential industrial users is of great importance. The effects of dispersant concentration, temperature and pH on the dispersant adsorption were studied systematically, and the experimental results are presented. Pellupur B69 as a dispersant, commercial mixture of formaldehyde condensate sodium salt of naphthalene sulphonic acid, and Texapon N25 as a wetting agent, a sodium lauryl ether sulfate, have been used.     

Effects of Electrospinning Parameters on Gelatin/Poly(ϵ‐Caprolactone) Nanofiber Diameter

An electrospinning procedure was carried out to fabricate gelatin/poly(?‐caprolactone) (Gt/PCL) nanofibers. Response surface methodology based on a three‐level, four‐variable Box‐Behnken design technique was used to model the resultant diameter of the as‐spun nanofibers. A second‐order model was obtained to describe the relationship between the fiber diameter and the electrospinning parameters, namely Gt concentration, PCL concentration, content of acetic acid in the overall solvent, and content of Gt solution in the blend solution. The individual and the interactive effects of these parameters on the fiber diameter were determined. Validation experiments verified the accuracy of the model which provided a simple and effective method for fabricating nanofibers with a controllable and predictable fiber diameter.     

CHEMICAL COAL DESULPHUR1ZATION RESEARCH IN TURKEY

Abstract

A number of methods have been developed which are used to remove the sulphur present in coal before combustion. The physical removal of pyritic sulphur by coal cleaning has been commercial practice for a number of years, but these methods do not remove organically bound sulphur, they can be applied effectively only to a limited number of coals. However, the removal of both pyritic and organically bound sulphur from coal can be effectively achieved by applying the chemical desulphurization methods. This paper gives a general review on the chemical desulphurization studies, including carbonization in different atmospheres, air oxidation, wet oxidation, Meyers Process, chlorination and extraction with the solutions of NaOH, CuCl₂ and C₂H₅OH, which were carried out using different Turkish lignites.     

3D Composite scaffolds using strontium containing bioactive glasses

In this study, it was aimed to fabricate and characterize three-dimensional composite scaffolds derived from Sr-doped bioactive glass for bone tissue engineering applications. The scaffolds were fabricated by using polymer foam replication technique and coated with gelatin to be able to improve the properties of them. The porous scaffolds were successfully synthesized using optimized process parameters. Both coated and uncoated scaffolds favored precipitation of calcium phosphate layer when they were soaked in simulated body fluid (SBF). Gelatin coating improved the mechanical properties of the scaffold and also it did not change the bioactive behavior of the scaffold. It was observed that there was a good pore interconnectivity maintained in the scaffold microstructure. Results indicated that scaffolds can deliver controlled doses of strontium toward the SBF medium. That is the determinant for bone tissue regeneration, as far as strontium is known to positively act on bone remodeling.     

Comparison of the properties of glass, glass-ceramic and ceramic materials produced from coal fly ash

Glass, glass-ceramic and ceramic materials were produced from thermal power plant fly ash without any additives. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis revealed the amorphous phase of the glass sample. Augite phase was detected in the glass-ceramic sample, while the enstatite and mullite phases occurred in the ceramic samples. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) investigations showed that tiny crystallites homogeneously dispersed in the microstructure of the glass-ceramic sample and elongated crystals formed in the ceramic samples. Density values of the obtained samples are comparable to those of the commercially produced glass, glass-ceramic and ceramic samples. Toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP) results indicated that the produced samples could be taken as non-hazardous materials. Produced samples showed high resistance to alkali solutions in contrast to acidic solutions. Microstructural, physical, chemical and mechanical properties of the produced glass-ceramic samples are better than those of the produced glass and ceramic samples.     

INVESTIGATION OF THE RELATION BETWEEN CHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND ASH FUSION TEMPERATURES FOR SOKE TURKISH LIGNITES

The purpose of this paper was to investigate the relationship between ash composition and ash fusion characteristic temperatures for some Turkish lignites. The lignite samples used are from different areas in Turkey. Regression analysis was used to relate the ash composition to the ash fusion behaviour. The results suggest that the chemical composition has a significant effect on the ash fusion temperatures. To consider Fe₂O₃ as an acidic ash constituent makes the realtionships between the selected ash composition parameters and ash fusion temperatures clearer.     

THERMAL ANALYSIS OF DIFFERENT FOSSIL FUELS

ABSTRACT

In this study DTA and TGA were applied to some fossil fuels. Peat, lignite, bituminous coal, anthracite, oil shale and asphaltite were heated at a constant 15 °C/min up to 1000 °C under nitrogen atmosphere. The DTG curves of the samples were derived using the TG curves. The results are compared and discussed.     

Calorific value estimation of biomass from their proximate analyses data

Different 13 new formulae have been developed for estimating the calorific values of 20 different biomass samples from their proximate analyses data. In order to obtain these formulae, 20 biomass samples from different types were analyzed to determine calorific values and proximate analyses. The measured net heating values of the biomass samples varied between 15.41 and 19.52 MJ/kg. All correlations were developed by means of least squares regression analyses. Regression coefficients of the correlations range from 0.829 to 0.898. Standard deviations of the heating values determined from 13 different correlations are between 0.4419 and 0.5280.     

Preparation of diatomite/Ca(OH)2 sorbents and modelling their sulphation reaction

Mixtures of Ca(OH)₂ and diatomite were hydrated at different conditions to produce reactive SO₂ sorbents. Two different hydration techniques were used; namely, atmospheric and pressure hydration. The effect of the hydration temperature, time and diatomite/Ca(OH)₂ weight ratio on the physical properties of the activated sorbents were investigated. In atmospheric hydration, it was found that increasing the temperature and hydration time caused an increase in the total surface area of the sorbents. However, surface area values of the sorbents prepared from mixtures which have different diatomite/Ca(OH)₂ weight ratio were generally not changed significantly. In pressure hydration, the surface area of the activated sorbents was positively affected from the hydration temperature and pressure. Finally, Ca(OH)₂ and two diatomite/Ca(OH)₂ sorbents were sulphated at constant temperature using a synthetic gaseous mixture consisting of 5% O₂, 10% CO₂, and the balance of nitrogen with a 55% relative humidity. The sulphation reaction of these sorbents were investigated and modelled. The unreacted shrinking core model was chosen to describe this non-catalytic solid/gas (hydrated sorbent/SO₂) reaction mechanism. The experimental results were found to be correlated successfully by this model.