PREFACE
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^N^INERAL C O N S T I T U E N T S O F C O A L a n d the changes these minerals undergo o n heating in different environments are of scientific and commercial interest. T h i s interest warrants a t h o r o u g h discussion of the nature of mineral matter in coal. T h i s volume is the product of a s y m p o s i u m given at the 188th N a t i o n a l M e e t i n g o f the A m e r i c a n C h e m i c a l Society. A s is p r o b a b l y the case for m a n y symposia, the s y m p o s i u m u p o n w h i c h this b o o k is based came as a result of a number o f discussions a m o n g some of the session chairmen and the s y m p o s i u m c h a i r m a n over a period o f years. M a n y of the D i v i s i o n o f F u e l Chemistry's symposia dealt w i t h a number of aspects of coal, but none in recent m e m o r y have dealt w i t h the m i n e r a l matter in a comprehensive manner. T h i s significant constituent affects almost every application of this a b u n d a n t resource. F r o m these thoughts came a n interest in developing a s y m p o s i u m that w o u l d cover a l l of the important aspects in sufficient detail so that the current t h i n k i n g i n the field c o u l d be reasonably represented. In a d d i t i o n , it was intended that the whole subject be developed in a logical manner, assuming that there is a logical manner. W i t h these goals in m i n d , the matter o f organizing i n d i v i d u a l sessions led to the a p p r o a c h of inviting a speaker to provide a n introduction to each session, such that the novice in this part o f the s y m p o s i u m activity c o u l d be q u i c k l y introduced to the area and be able to follow the talks in that session. T h e speakers that followed w o u l d then talk about particular topics o f significance. T h e sequence o f session topics was chosen to be similar to that w h i c h coUld be used in a text o n the subject of the chemistry of mineral matter and ash i n c o a l . A n introductory session described what the mineral matter is, where mineral matter comes f r o m , the chemical constituents that are present, the manner in w h i c h the constituents vary a m o n g the different coal deposits, a n d the special nature of some of the deposits, such as volcanic materials. T h e second session dealt w i t h the effects of high temperatures o n m i n e r a l matter a n d the conversion of that material to a variety of forms dependent o n the temperature a n d history, such as slag, deposits, fly ash, or just ash. T h i s session was intended to deal w i t h the observations o f the properties at high temperatures in the laboratory and the efforts to correlate these observations w i t h some knowledge of the c o m p o s i t i o n of the mineral matter or ash. XI
Vorres; Mineral Matter and Ash in Coal ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 1986.
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T h e third session dealt with efforts to reverse the perspective and begin w i t h the materials that are present i n the m i n e r a l matter a n d then try to predict the behavior that w o u l d be observed. A wide range of properties are of interest, a n d a number of papers covered t h e r m o d y n a m i c properties a n d also the physical properties related to flow a n d t h e r m a l effects such as conductivity. T h e fourth session l o o k e d at the question " W h a t does the owner or operator of large equipment that consumes c o a l observe because of the mineral matter?" Because most of the coal consumed i n the United States is used to generate steam i n electric power generation facilities, the major purpose of the c o a l is to provide heat energy i n boilers. T h e problems are associated w i t h the a c c u m u l a t i o n of deposits o n the walls or tubes inside the boiler. In some cases these materials are hot a n d flow f r o m the walls as a slag, whereas i n other cases the mineral matter undergoes a series of changes leading to the f o r m a t i o n of deposits o n the tubes. T h e fifth session l o o k e d at the possibility that there may be some desirable aspects associated w i t h the mineral matter i n the coal. T h e mineral matter may be a catalyst for some o f the current o r future uses of c o a l . Specifically, the mineral matter c o u l d have some effect o n c o m b u s t i o n a n d also o n future synthetic fuels efforts that c o u l d provide either gaseous or liquid fuels. T h e final session responded to the question " I f the mineral matter is i n the c o a l , what can be done to remove the mineral matter?" T h i s session dealt w i t h a n u m b e r o f techniques to physically remove the m i n e r a l matter i n processes called c o a l cleaning. These processes involve crushing a n d i n some cases pulverizing to fine a n d even ultrafine sizes to permit the liberation of the m i n e r a l matter f r o m the coal. A n efficient separation requires removal of m i n e r a l matter w i t h a m i n i m u m r e m o v a l o f the desirable combustible material. O n e of the goals for this v o l u m e is to provide the type and quality of chapters that w i l l endure or stand the "test of t i m e " such that the b o o k w i l l be cited for years to come. It is hoped that the efforts that have gone into this w o r k w i l l achieve this goal. A s i n any large u n d e r t a k i n g such as this b o o k , m a n y people are i n v o l v e d . Expressions of thanks a n d a p p r e c i a t i o n go to m a n y w h o helped p l a n the i n d i v i d u a l sessions, the session c h a i r m e n . E a c h o f the authors deserves thanks for c o n t r i b u t i n g to the i n d i v i d u a l presentations a n d to the further revisions that led to the chapters i n this b o o k . T h a n k s also go to the m a n y reviewers w h o read a n d commented o n the manuscripts to b r i n g out a d d i t i o n a l points for the clarity a n d i m p r o v e d q u a l i t y o f the manuscripts. T h e A m e r i c a n C h e m i c a l Society staff have been very helpful in their many ways.
xii Vorres; Mineral Matter and Ash in Coal ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 1986.
A c k n o w l e d g m e n t is made to the d o n o r s of T h e P e t r o l e u m Research F u n d , administered by the A m e r i c a n C h e m i c a l Society, for p a r t i a l travel support for K . C . M i l l s a n d E r i c h R a a s k . A d d i t i o n a l thanks go to Beth M u s t a r i a n d the late Katherine A r c h a m beault for their t y p i n g assistance. M y wife, N a n c y , deserves appreciation for patience t h r o u g h m a n y hours of paperwork w i t h less than the usual attention that she is accustomed to having. Last, a n d by no means least, I thank the U . S . D e p a r t m e n t o f Energy, Office o f Basic Energy Science, C h e m i c a l Sciences D i v i s i o n , whose support has made m y participation possible.
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KARL S. VORRES Chemistry Division Argonne National Laboratory A r g o n n e , IL 60439 N o v e m b e r 4, 1985
xiii Vorres; Mineral Matter and Ash in Coal ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 1986.
