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Author
Hsu, J.
Title
Swelling, Mass Transport, and Chemical Kinetics in Bituminous Coal Pyrolysis.
Coporate
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge
Report
Thesis
August 1989
391 p.
Keywords
coal | pyrolysis | swelling | reaction kinetics | mathematical models | experiments | weight loss
Identifiers
Pittsburgh Number (No.) 8 Seam bituminous coal; mass transport
Abstract
Coal pyrolysis is the initial step in thermal coal conversion processes including combustion, gasification, liquefaction, and hydropyrolysis. A better understanding of coal pyrolysis may provide more effective means for coal utilization. When coal is heated up to a sufficiently high temperature it decomposes into a complex mixture of volatiles (gases and tar), liquid metaplast, and solid residue. Significant morphology change and weight loss occur in a softening coal during the pyrolysis. The objective of this research is to gain an insight into how chemical kinetics, mass transfer, and morphology change relate to product yields during rapid pyrolysis of a softening coal.