IMPREGNATION AND RECOVERABILITY OF ELEMENTAL SULFUR IN COAL USING THE PERCHLOROETHYLENE DESULFURIZATION PROCESS

During the perchloroethylene extraction process, C-S bond cleavage reactions occur, which liberate labile sulfur from the organic matrix of coal into the solvent medium i.e., perchloroethylene, where it is dissolved and extracted. In this paper, the effect of impregnation of elemental sulfur in raw coal on its forms of sulfur analyses has been investigated. The effect of the same sulfur-impregnated coal on its organosulfur extractability has also been explored. Studies were conducted to observe whether the impregnated elemental sulfur was fully recoverable by the perchloroethylene extraction process. It was observed that sulfur can be very easily impregnated into the microstructure of coal. On the basis of tests on raw and impregnated coals, based on ASTM D-2492 standard, the impregnated sulfur reflects mostly in the form of organic sulfur. The impregnated sulfur which appears in the form of organic sulfur is fully recoverable via the perchloroethylene extraction