Distribution and Mode of Occurrence of Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Ag, Cd, Sb, Pb in the Feed Coal, Fly Ash, Slag, in the Topsoil and in the Roots of Trees and Undergrowth Downwind of Three Power Stations in Poland

It is supposed that the determination of the content and the mode of occurrence of ecotoxic elements (EE) in feed coal play the most significant role in forecasting distribution of EE in the soil and plants in the vicinity of power stations. Hence, the aim of the work was to analyze the properties of the feed coal, the combustion residues, and the topsoil which are reached by EE together with dust from power stations. The mineral and organic phases, which are the main hosts of EE, were identified by microscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry, and scanning electron microscope with an energy dispersive X-ray methods. The highest content of elements was observed in the Oi and Oe subhorizons of the topsoil. Their hosts are various types of microspheres and char, emitted by power stations. In the areas of long-term industrial activity, there are also sharp-edged grains of magnetite emitted in the past by zinc, lead, and ironworks. The enrichment of the topsoil with these elements resulted in the increase in the content of EE, by between 0.2 times for Co; and 41.0 times for Cd in the roots of Scots pine, common oak and undergrowth, especially in the rhizodermis and the primary cortex and, more seldom, in the axle roller and cortex cells.

Characterization of feed coals and coal combustion byproducts from the Wyodak-Anderson coal zone, Powder River Basin, Wyoming

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) determined the physical and chemical properties of more than 260 feed coal and coal combustion byproducts from two coal-fired power plants. These plants utilized a low-sulfur (0.23-0.47 wt. % S) and low ash (4.9-6.3 wt. % ash) subbituminous coal from the Wyodak-Anderson coal zone in the Tongue River Member of the Paleocene Fort Union Formation, Powder River Basin, Wyoming. Fifty-three samples of bituminous coal were collected and analyzed from a Kentucky power plant, which used several sources of bituminous coals from the Appalachian and Illinois Basins. Based on scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses of feed coal samples collected and analyzed from 1996 through the late 2000s, two mineral suites were identified: (1) a primary or detrital suite consisting of quartz (including beta-form grains), biotite, feldspar, and minor zircon; and (2) a secondary authigenic mineral suite containing alumino-phosphates (crandallite and gorceixite), kaolinite, carbonates (calcite and dolomite), quartz, anatase, barite, and pyrite. The detrital mineral suite is interpreted, in part, to be of volcanic origin, whereas the authigenic mineral suite is interpreted, in part, to be the result of the alteration of the volcanic minerals. The mineral suites have contributed to the higher amounts of barium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, sodium, strontium, and titanium in the Powder River Basin feed coals in comparison to eastern US coals. XRD analysis indicates that (1) fly ash is mostly aluminate glass, perovskite, lime, gehlenite, quartz, and phosphates with minor amounts of periclase, anhydrite, hematite, and spinel group minerals; and (2) bottom ash is predominantly quartz, plagioclase (albite and anorthite), pyroxene (augite and fassaite), rhodonite, and akermanite, and spinel group minerals. Microprobe and SEM analyses of fly ash samples revealed quartz, zircon, and monazite, euhedral laths of corundum with merrillite, hematite, dendritic spinels/ferrites, wollastonite, and periclase. The abundant calcium and magnesium mineral phases in the fly ash are attributed to the alteration of carbonate, clay, and phosphate minerals in the feed coal during combustion. The calcium- and magnesium-rich and alumino-phosphate mineral phases in the coal combustion byproducts can be attributed to volcanic minerals deposited in peat-forming mires. Dissolution and alteration of these detrital volcanic minerals occurred either in the peat-forming stage or during coalification and diagenesis, resulting in the authigenic mineral suite. The presence of free lime (CaO) in fly ash produced from Wyodak-Anderson coal acts as a self-contained “scrubber” for SO3, where CaO + SO3 form anhydrite either during combustion or in the upper parts of the boiler. Considering the high lime content in the fly ash and the resulting hydration reactions after its contact with water, there is little evidence that major amounts of leachable metals are mobilized in the disposal or utilization of this fly ash.

Physical and chemical characteristics of feed coal and its by-products from a Brazilian thermoelectric power plant

In this study, feed coal (FC) from the Figueira Thermoelectric Power Plant (FTPP), located in the state of Paraná (PR), Brazil was characterized by X-ray fluorescence (XRF), X-ray diffractometry (XRD), infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), particle size distribution analysis by laser diffraction, loss of ignition (LOI), total carbon content (TC), pH and conductivity. FC-derived by-products (CCBs) collected at the FTPP were: bottom ash (BA), fly ash from cyclone filter (CA) and fly ash from bag filter (FA). In addition to the techniques used for feed coal characterization, CCBs were also characterized by total surface area (by using BET method), external surface area (by using laser diffraction), cation exchange capacity (CEC), bulk density, besides leaching and solubilization tests. FC sample contains 72.2% of volatile material, of which 55.3% is total carbon content. LOI, FTIR, TGA and TC analyzes corroborated with these results. The main crystalline phases in the FC sample were found to be quartz, kaolinite and pyrite. The elements As, Cr, Ni and Pb were encountered in the FC sample, indicating that the use of FTPP feed coal should be monitored due to the toxic potential of these elements. The three coal ashes were classified as class F according to ASTM and presented similar chemical composition, with total content of the main oxides (SiO2, Al2O3 and Fe2O3) above 72%. Ashes enrichment factor analysis (EF) showed that As, Zn and Pb concentrate mainly in fly ash from bag filter (FA), whereas the elements K and Mg presented higher enrichment in the bottom ash (BA) . All ashes presented quartz, mullite and magnetite as crystalline phases, as well as the same functional groups, related to the presence of humidity, organic matter and Si and Al compounds. XRD, XRF, TGA, FTIR, LOI and TC techniques were correlated and confirmed the obtained results. Total and external surface area values of CCBs were related to the total carbon content (TC), as well as to the results of particle size distribution and the scanning electron micrographs of the samples. On the other hand the CEC of the ashes showed relation with the particle size distribution and with the external surface area. Leaching and solubilization tests of CCBs showed that FA sample was considered hazardous and classified as class I waste, while CA and BA samples were considered non-hazardous and non-inert wastes and classified as class II-A. FA sample from Figueira power plant must be discarded only after treatment or a stringent disposal criterion must be followed to avoid contamination on site. In this work, feed coal sample was also compared to the CCBs samples generated from it. The results showed the differences between fuel and products through the different characterization techniques. In addition to contributing to the understanding of the relationship between coal and its combustion products, this work can also help to reduce the environmental impacts caused by the CCBs disposal, as well as can also be used to compare the characteristics of CCBs from FTPP with the new wastes that will be generated by the same thermal power plant that will be soon modernized.

Analysis of Coal for Safe Producing Low Temperature Carbon Products

Solid products of low temperature carbonization in comparison with coke have the higher reaction and adsorption capacity, are easier to undergo the subsequent activation and gasification. The low temperature coke can also act as a refined smokeless fuel for boiler plants and domestic ovens, an active carbonaceous reductant for the chemical and metallurgical industries. The results of Tugnuisky open pit (Buryatia) coal quality studies are given in this article. The parameters of the technical and elemental analysis of the feed coal were tested during the experiments. The low temperature carbonization of coal sample in retort was carried out to determine the yield of the low temperature carbonization products. The produced products were investigated according to the quality indicators in accordance with the requirements of the technical specifications.