Hw. Ryu et al., MICROBIAL COAL DESULFURIZATION IN AN AIRLIFT BIOREACTOR BY SULFUR-OXIDIZING BACTERIUM THIOBACILLUS-FERROOXIDANS, Fuel processing technology, 36(1-3), 1993, pp. 267-275
Microbial desulfurization of a domestic anthracite coal by using an ac
idophilic, sulfur-oxidizing bacterium, Thiobacillus ferrooxidans has b
een studied in an airlift slurry reactor of 12 L volume. Effects of co
al slurry density and CO2 supplement on microbial pyrite removal have
been evaluated. High sulfur removal rates have been obtained even for
very high coal slurry densities (up to 70% w/v). About 90 similar to 9
5 % of the sulfur in the coal could be removed in 15 similar to 20 day
s. The efficiency of microbial desulfurization was significantly impro
ved with C0(2) enriched air supply for high coal slurry densities.