Evaluation of the combustion behaviour of perhydrous coals by thermal analysis

Summary Perhydrous coals are characterized by a high hydrogen content and exhibit a modified composition and physico-chemical properties in comparison with normal coals. These modifications affect the behaviour of perhydrous coals during pyrolysis and, therefore, may have an influence on the subsequent combustion process. In this work the combustibility behaviour of a series of perhydrous coals was evaluated in order to study the effect of hydrogen enrichment during the thermal treatment of the coals in an oxidant atmosphere. To this end temperature programmed combustion tests for the coals, and air isothermal (500°C) reactivity tests for their chars, were carried out in a thermogravimetric analyser. A clear relationship between the combustion behaviour of the perhydrous coals, and the aromatic to aliphatic hydrogen ratio was found.